How do you keep from tearing up while chopping onions?

Question

It makes my eyes burn so bad I have to take a break and go outside in the middle of chopping!

Answer 1

now mind you, this is for fewer tears, not none.
1) Use a sharp knife and work quickly: A sharp knife ruptures fewer onion cells. By using a sharp knife and mastering a method of onion-cutting that is quick and efficient, you lessen the amount of gas in the air and shorten your exposure time.

2) Cut near an open flame: The flame sucks in air and therefore pulls the gas away from your eyes. Although a kitchen candle does have some effect, it works best to be near a gas range with one or two burners turned on. Since I started using method number one, I find that I don’t have to resort to this one very often. But when I do end up with an unusually strong onion and my eyes start burning, I immediately light a match and then light my kitchen candle which is always near my chopping area. The candle has always worked for me but if your kitchen allows you to chop near a gas range, give that a try instead!

3) Chill the onion for 15 -30 minutes before cutting: The reasoning here is that chilling the onion will cause less evaporation, less gas, etc. I haven’t actually tried it because I’m not good at planning ahead! But enough people use this method that I thought I would include it.

4) Spritz the cutting board with vinegar before cutting: According to Alton Brown, this interrupts the chemical reaction and I read in several places that this does actually work. The drawback here is that your cutting board and onion will smell like vinegar. I don’t personally use this method but since it is proven to work, I decided to include it.

5) Cut the onions underwater: Well, this will of course eliminate any gas from escaping into the air and will therefore eliminate the eye irritation problem. But it’s so impractical that I put it on the list just for fun!

Answer 2

** should be cold... I do not like storing onions in the refrigerator, so I put them in about 2 hours before I will be using them
** put on your kitchen fan, windows if warm
** remove as much of the the loose skin as you can with your hands and get down to the skin that will not move easily; discard that skin quickly into the garbage
** hold the onions upside down, cut out / off the root end, pull off the skin from the bottom ... it ususally comes quickly and it does not break that little layer of cells just under the hard skin which is what releases the oniony moisture ..so: do not peel it from the top / the stem end ... peel it from the root end
** be sure to get the skins into the garbage and away from yourself as quickly as possible; do not leave them around in a pile
** put the chopping block at a comfortable distance *away* from you, put the peeled onions away from you in a bowl, then cut the onions with a really good chef's knife at a distance from yourself .....do not hang over the onion or the vapors will come right up to you !!
** put the chopped onion in a bowl as you go along, and cover it after each addition if you are doing a large quantity, as for an Onion Tarte or cooking for a big crowd ...
** wash your knife, cutting board and hands as soon as you are finished so there is no onion scent left

Answer 3

This Question comes up at least 5 times a week. I guess it's an ongoing thing.

There are lots of "old wive's tales" and remedies for crying while chopping onions. Some work better than others, and it's mostly because of environmental conditions, not ONLY the onions.

Two things that I know will work: one, put your onions in the fridge for at least an hour, preferably two, before you begin cutting them. The cold helps to prevent the volatile oils (which cause tears) from vaporizing so quickly.

Two (and I swear I am not making this up): wear a pair of swim goggles or a scuba mask. This is the ONE AND ONLY sure way to prevent onions from irritating your eyes (other than not cutting onions at all). The onions' irritants are delivered to your eyeball in microscopic droplets. A physical barrier is the only foolproof way to stop it.

I own a restaurant, and I have worked in several others. It's not at all unusual to see someone in the kitchen, wearing swimming goggles. You know that person is on "onion duty" that day.

Answer 4

Soak them in water first and chop them one by technique of one. you could also use a onion chopper or purchase them already prepared on the keep. I chop onions in spite of the indisputable fact that a thanks to do that's to cut quick. If I really have a load of onions like 6 as an party, i will chop 3 first and something else when I shrink another vegetables. also you should'nt imagine about it too a lot as that brings on the tears.

Answer 5

If you have contact lenses, wear them while chopping the onion. They're like little goggles!

If not, you could wear swimming goggles. Sounds dumb but if you have a lot to chop, it works.

Third thing you can do is keep them stored in the fridge. If you have time, peel the outer skin off and put them in the freezer for 15 minutes before chopping them up. The colder they are, the less you'll tear up.

Oh and a last option that I personally enjoy is let the tears flow and start babbling about something sad that you've wanted to cry about for a while but didn't.....it makes the tears much more enjoyable when they mean something.

Answer 6

Been cooking for over 40 years. I accidently found this worked when running cafeteria at a glass factory where you had to wear safety glassed everywhere. Put on workshop safety glasses before you start chopping, cleaning, or slicing. Tear free every SINGLE time. Guaranteed.

The face fitting glasses keep the gas from the onion that makes you tear up from getting in your eyes. Regular glasses won't do it, they don't compeletely adhere to your face like work glasses and keep the gasses out.

Answer 7

If you keep your onions in your freezer it keeps the juices that cause the tears frozen. You can also burn a candle near where you are chopping them...that will burn off the fumes before they reach your eyes.

(freezer tip from Food Network & Candle tip from Martha Stewart)

Answer 8

You can refrigerate the onions. It won't prevent you from crying but it won't be near as strong. You could also buy a food processor or small chopper then you wouldn't have to touch the onion at all.

Answer 9

The only thing I know that will help is to soak the onions in cold water to cut down on the scent.

Answer 10

hold a wooden toothpick between your teeth, strike-end out. The strike end absorbs the tear-causing fumes.

Cut the root end last. It has the most fumes.

That, and chop faster!