Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Cutting an Onion without the Tears
One of the questions I am often asked, and one I often ask myself, is how to avoid the steady stream of tears when cutting an onion. No matter what way you “dice it”, pun intended, there is no guaranteed way to prevent tears. But hopefully, these ideas will save a box or two of Kleenex. After all, cooking is supposed to be fun!
1. Sharp Knife! Having a sharp knife is absolutely critical! Plus, it gets you through the onion in record speed.
2. Contacts: If you wear contacts, or have them, they are the surest and easiest way to keep the sting from your eyes. Or better yet, find someone that has contacts and ask them to lend a hand.
3. Environment: A fan, open window or some sort of movement in front of you helps push the fumes away.
4. Speed: Before you start, make sure you have everything you need and that you can start and finish without any interruptions. Get in and out as quickly as possible!
5. Refrigerate: Some say, refrigerating your onion before you begin to cut it, helps lessen the “fragrance.” Just make sure you keep the onion in the crisper drawer and away from milk, eggs and cheese that can quickly take on the onion’s pungent flavor if in close proximity.
6. Freezer: Place your onion in the freezer for 15 – 30 minutes before cutting. I don’t use this option, but the show Food Detective highly recommends it so maybe it’s worth trying?
At the end of the day, if the above don't work for you, there are always pre-cut onions but they aren’t nearly as good or fresh!
Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!
Sincerely,
Tiffany Lewis
Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!