Five Ways to cut Onions without Crying
I am very sensitive to cutting onions and thought there was no escaping the tears that inevitably would follow the first cut of the knife.
I accepted this until the day a friend of mine that wears contacts let it slip that she never cries anymore when cutting onions.
Since I do not wear contacts and my daughter does, guess who took over that job from that day forward?
My daughter recently moved out to her own place leaving me to fend for myself once again. Now I am using the below methods to keep the tears away.
Here are a few tips for allowing yourself to cut onions tear-free.
Cut Under Running Water:
This is pretty self-explanatory, just chop your onions under some running water. The running water redirects the onion vapors away from your eyes, leaving you tear-free.
Soak it:
Although this method makes your onions slightly milder, it works well in many foods. Just soak your onion in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes and then chop it. The water absorbs the onions sulfuric compounds, making their taste milder and taking away the chemical release that causes your eyes to sting.
Freeze it:
For this method, just pop your onion in the freezer for 15 minutes before you cut it. The cold keeps the onion from releasing its eye irritating chemicals.
Cut Under a Vent:
If your kitchen has a good overhead fan, you can easily keep tears away. Just turn it on and chop your onions underneath it. The fan redirects the fumes to it and away from your eyes.
Wear Goggles:
If none of the above methods work out for you or you just have no tolerance for the onion?s stinging effects, try a pair of goggles. While there are goggles made specifically for cutting onions, a pair of cheap swim goggles work just as well. This method keeps the fumes out of your eyes completely.
