How do you dice an onion?

Question

What's the best way to cut it before chopping it?

Answer 1

Cut it in half, then horizontally, and then vertically, while holding it together. Makes the process faster.

Answer 2

STEP 1: Make sure you have a firm, clean cutting board and a sharp knife. STEP 2: Use a knife that's at least twice as long as the onion. You'll need the length to slice through the vegetable. STEP 3: Place the onion on the cutting board so you can see both the root and the stem. STEP 4: Hold the onion carefully and position the blade of the knife along the onion so it will cut it in half vertically, through both the root and the stem end. STEP 5: Start the cut and make sure the blade's lined up properly, but only get the blade started. STEP 6: Take your hand off the onion and place it on top of the knife, so if the knife slips it won't cut you. STEP 7: Slice the onion in half. STEP 8: Lay each half cut-side down. STEP 9: Cut off about 1/2 inch from the root and the stem ends and either discard them or save them for stock. STEP 10: Peel the remaining two halves. It's easier to peel them once they've been cut and trimmed. STEP 11: Chop the onion halves by drawing the knife through the onion three or four times horizontally, then three or four times vertically. STEP 12: Hold the knife carefully, and hold the onion together with the tips of your fingers curled under. There's less chance of cutting them that way. STEP 13: Separate the onion layers with your fingers before using them. STEP14 you now have one chopped onion.

Answer 3

Cut the onion in half from the top to the bottom: Lay the onion on the flat side and leaving the root end intact slice through the onion towards the root end, (several slices required). then chop the onion. Depending how many slices through the onion that you made will depend upon how finely diced the onion is.

Answer 4

peel onion and remove both ends. Cut onion in half, lay flat side down on chopping board. Cut into onion following the "flat bottom" several times, then slice downwards several times. Turn a 90 degree angle from the downward slices and slice again, you will then have little cubes - diced - pieces of onion

Answer 5

I like to cut it in half around the circumferance, then peel it.

then I hold one half in my hand and score it both ways on the larger side, being careful not to cut all the way down to the root or shoot, nor my hand!

turn that side down onto a cutting board and make several slices across, the same way you slice a bagel.

voila! diced onion!

to keep from crying while you chop, make sure to use a DRY knife and board, the moisure is what releases the gas that makes you cry. also, burning a candle next to you will burn up any of those gases.

good luck! check out Martha stewart, maybe she has some good tips too :o)

Answer 6

There are different techniques but the one I use would be to first get a knife that fits my hand so I can control it. Take the onion and cut it in half first that you will have an even cutting surface to work with. Place one half of the onion down on the cutting board (flat side down) then cut vertical strips down hold on to the onion so it does not separate and then turning the onion, a quarter turn and cut vertical strips again. That is the easiest way I can explain in words.

Answer 7

Very carefully! I've never been able to cut an onion without tearing up, although I have found that the quickest way to chop it is with the punch and chop thing from Pampered Chef.

Answer 8

My mother taught me this method:

Place the onion on it's root end. Start cutting it PART way through in about 1/4" slices, turn it 1/4 turn do the same - 1/4" slices but not all the way through. Turn the onion on its side and start slicing all the way through. LIttle cubes will fall away.

Answer 9

They have machines that do it now. I usually just skin an onion and then make slices through it, actually like squares. then I slice those off. If I want them finely sliced I put them in a machine. I don't like washing a machine though, so I do it by hand.

Answer 10

Cut it part way through in slices, turn it around and cut part way through across. Turn it on its side and slice. Magically, little cubes of onion fall off.

Answer 11

Cut it in half, and then when chopping that half, make sure that you don't slice through the 'root' bit. That holds it nicely together. Easy peasy.