How do you keep from having watery eyes when cutting an onion?

Answer 1

Ok here is one of the great culinary urban legends of our time; how does one cut an onion without tears. The chemical in the onion that makes you cry is actually mostly located in the root, so if you leave the root intact, you won't release the gas so it can't get into your eyes.

Here is the technique that is foolproof for dicing an onion-what you want are planks, then sticks, then dice. Cut a slice off of the stem end. Cut the onion in half from stem to root end (this one cut won't release enough gas to cause a problem.) Peel the halves, then lay the cut side down on the board. Hold the knife so that the blade is horizontal (parallel with the board.) Make horizontal cuts in the onion from stem end to root end, being careful not to go all the way through the root end - leave approximately a quarter to a half inch uncut. With the knife held upright make a series of cuts in the top of the onion half from the root end to the stem end, remember to leave that root intact. Now you can simply start making slices at the stem end, which will cause the onion to fall apart into perfect little dice.

Safety goggles will work, but they look kind of silly and take up space in your kitchen since you don't need them for anything else in there. Contacts will do the same, but if you already have 20/20 vision, you don't have them. Cutting underwater will help but can be very dangerous. Sharp knives and slippery surfaces are not a good combo.

Hope that helps! :)

Answer 2

it really is because of sulphur vapours a lot for information... once you slice through an onion, you wreck open various onion cells. a number of those cells have enzymes interior them, and at the same time as they are sliced open, the enzymes get away. The enzymes then decompose a number of the different elements which have escaped from sliced cells. a number of those elements, amino acid sulfoxides, variety sulfenic acids, which then promptly rearrange themselves right into a risky gasoline. The gasoline reaches your eyes and reacts with the water that keeps them moist. This ameliorations the chemical's variety again, generating, between different issues, a gentle sulfuric acid, which irritates the eyes. The nerve endings on your eyes are very gentle and so that they p.c.. up in this inflammation (it truly is the reason our eyes sting after we slice onions). The mind reacts through telling your tear ducts to produce extra water, to dilute the aggravating acid so the eyes are secure. Your different reaction is possibly to rub your eyes, yet this will surely make the inflammation plenty worse, of route, once you've onion juices throughout your palms. Oddly sufficient, this risky compound is likewise responsible for extremely some the finished flavor in onions, to boot because the pleasant aroma once you cook dinner the vegetable. you'll also get sulfenic acids through cutting up garlic, chives and leeks, between different vegetables, yet they don't variety an identical aggravating gasoline, only a good smell.

Answer 3

I always rub a lemon on the board before I cut an onion

Answer 4

Place the onion under water to cut it

Answer 5

Put a slice of bread on the cutting board - it really catches the vapours coming from the onion!

Answer 6

1) Cut the onion underwater

2) Wear goggles

Answer 7

I read some where that if you chop onions with a slice of bread hanging out of your mouth then the bread absorbs the onion smell before it gets to your eyes. That might have been made up by somebody who is highly amused with people standing around with bread hanging out of their mouths. :)

Answer 8

Put the onion in the freezer and freeze for a little while.

Answer 9

I wear contacts and have not had trouble with onions since. Not saying popping in contact, but there is something with the lack of air penetration.

Answer 10

I either hold a piece of bread in my mouth, wear sun glasses, of cut them near the faucet with the water running. I hope it helps you.