This No-Tears Method Is How You Should Actually Cut an Onion
Let's be honest: The idea of cutting an onion is a little daunting. I mean, who wants to have to cry just to get dinner on the table?! So many of us conjure up images of burning eyes and tears streaming down our faces as we attempt to slice and dice. However, the reality is that cutting an onion is one of the most crucial basics of doing just about anything in the kitchen, so it’s an essential skill to have in our cooking arsenal.
Onions in their various forms add depth of flavor to all kinds of recipes, from soups to stews to roasts, so it's helpful to know how to handle them like a pro.
This is why we turned to chefs and other culinary experts for their best tips, tricks and hacks for how to cut an onion (including how to avoid crying while cutting one!), as well as how to cut an onion into strips for fajitas or kabobs.
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Tools necessary to cut an onion
First off, a wooden cutting board is an essential tool. “They are easy to clean, won’t dull your knife and will prevent the product from slipping,” said Executive Chef Ricardo Jarquin of Loews Coral Gables Hotel. Jarquin says you’ll also need a sharp knife. This helps you get nicer, cleaner cuts, which will prevent you from crying,” as well as plastic gloves. “They will keep your fingers from smelling like onions all day long.”
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Why do I cry when cutting an onion?
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“When you cut into an onion, the cells will rupture and release compounds that react to the onion’s enzymes creating sulfenic acid. The acids react with the moisture in your eyes to create sulfuric acid, which is why you get that burning sensation,” said Jarquin.
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How to cut an onion without crying
Here are some no-tears chef hacks to help you cut onions.
Cool your onions in the freezer for 10 minutes before cutting
“The low temperature will slow down the onion’s enzymes, reducing the burning sensation in your eyes,” said Jarquin.
Wear goggles
“They’ll protect your eyes from the onion’s sulfenic acid. You can never be too safe in the kitchen,” said Jarquin.
Invest in a sharp knife
“Utilizing a very sharp knife will make it easier to slice through the onion, this in turn will minimize cell rupture,” said Jarquin. The less force you use, the less likely you are to cry.
How to peel an onion
Before you eat an onion, you’re going to want to cut, slice or dice the onion. The first step in doing any of these tasks is to clean the onion and then peel the onion. "Cleaning an onion is very important as it carries dirt and bacteria," explains Jarquin. "Removing the skin and rinsing the outside of the onion will prevent transferring dirt and bacteria onto your knife and cutting board."
The fastest way to clean and peel an onion is to first cut the onion vertically in half. “This process avoids the pulling involved when peeling a whole onion,” said Jarquin. Use your fingers to peel away the skin. Pro tip: ”Keep the onion root intact. It will come in handy when you dice your onion,” said Jarquin. Wash both onion halves by placing them under running water. Use a kitchen towel or paper towel to remove excess moisture.
How to dice an onion
Assuming your onion is peeled and cleaned, place half of the onion on a cutting board with the knife pointing to the onion roots. Make sure to keep the root of the onion intact. “The root of the onion keeps everything together. Keeping the root of the onion intact will prevent your slices from falling apart as you dice,” said Jarquin.
Typically, you'd make two to three horizontal cuts through the onion. “Stop before you reach the root to ensure even, square pieces of onion. This, in my opinion, is an extra step only if you want very precise knife cuts,” said Jarquin.
Jarquin typically positions the onion so that the root end is facing away from him, then cuts vertically into the onion, stopping about four-fifths of the way through. “At this point, you want to cut across the onion to make tiny, evenly-sized pieces of onion. Working your way from the front towards the root end of the onion,” said Jarquin.
How to cut an onion into strips
Slicing an onion into strips is very similar to dicing an onion. “Start by peeling the onion, leaving the root end intact, then remove the skin. Next, cut the onion in half and place the flat side down and slice the onion to the desired width, again leaving the root end intact. Lastly, remove the root end, which will leave the onion in slices,” said Executive Chef Jason DuPree of Blu Oyster Sushi + Seafood in Johns Island, South Carolina.
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How to store cut onions
Sometimes you may end up dicing or slicing an entire onion and only using half. That’s okay; it’s perfectly acceptable to store a cut onion to use later. To store cut onions, DuPree likes to place them in a breathable bag or a container with a loose top in the refrigerator for up to a week. “They will go bad faster in an airtight container,” he explains.
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