Most importantly, stop slicing before you reach the root, so you leave the onion connected at the root end. Make a series of slices across one of the halves horizontally, starting half an inch from the top. (Yes, this will cut the root in half, but it's the only time you will cut it.) Then remove the inedible outer layers, and slice off the tip of one half. But I think my method is even better because it avoids dicing the root while letting you easily work with the rest of the onion.įirst, cut the onion lengthwise, from tip to root. This way works fine, and if you want to stop there, great. You can then dice the rest of the onion however you like. One simple method is to chop off the root end and then discard it when you start. If you can leave the root untouched, you'll significantly reduce the amount of chemicals that make you cry when cutting. Most of the onion's sulfoxides reside in its root - the round part with hairs at the bottom of the onion. When that gas interacts with the moisture around your eyes, it creates sulfur dioxide, which burns and causes your eyes to water. When an onion is cut, those sulfoxides combine with other enzymes in the onion to create sulfur gas. Onions take sulfur from soil to create amino acid sulfoxides. Those toxins are strong enough to poison cats and dogs. They grow as bulbs under the ground and include toxic substances in their roots to protect themselves from moles and other underground pests. Onions are in the allium genus of flowering plants that includes garlic, leeks, shallots and chives. For safe slicing and dicing, check out our picks for best chef's knives and best direct-to-consumer knives.
For more tips around the kitchen, learn how to avoid jabbing yourself while pitting an avocado, make a cake without a pan and cut a cake without a knife. I've also got some other ways to avoid crying while cutting onions if you are particularly sensitive. And it comes with another big bonus - fewer tears.Ĭheck out my method below for dicing an onion and learn why it prevents tears. A basic chopping technique for onions can make dicing them easy and neat.
Your brother's wife asks you to cut an onion to help with dinner, and the next thing you know you're crying in front of 20 in-laws.Ĭutting onions may conjure visions of cooks in tears, but prepping an onion doesn't need to be so painful. This story is part of Try This, CNET's collection of simple tips to improve your life, fast.
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