When you make the final cuts to the onion, work fast and move the chopped onions into a bowl, away from your eyes, quickly. I cannot watch videos, so having the written instructions available is VERY much appreciated. (By the way, in step 5 I will reveal the cure to watery eyes from slicing onions.). Never a tear to be shed. 1) Grab a sharp knife and slice the top part off the onion. How to Prep an Onion. How to Chop Onions Halve onion through root end, then use your fingers to remove peel. So when you cut an onion in half, keep the cut sides down on the cutting board. The edge of the blade should intersect with the little bulls-eye in the center of the onion. Take the knife and cut down into the onion, directly through the stem so that there are two halves. You can cut into large chunks or small pieces. I saw other videos on cutting onions and didn’t quite understand what they meant by not cutting through the root. Carefully cut the onion in half by slicing straight down through the center. Hold the onion firmly with your fingers curled so that your knuckles press against the side of the knife as you cut the onion (this protects your fingertips from getting cut). I love onions and cook with them everyday. Now just do one last inventory of your fingers to make sure you've got all the ones you started with, and you're done. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. Wonderful idea to keep onion intact while cutting – thanks so much! But here’s the thing, if you know how to properly cut an onion, it’s easy, safe, and relatively tear-free. The two flat ends should be pointing left and right. Chop an onion this way, and there's no time for the tears! If you're right-handed, you'll begin on the right-hand end of the onion, and lefties will start on the left. 4. Slice vertically, from stem to root. I like having the root keep things together and along with the peeled back skin, the “handle” keeps your fingers out of the way nicely. OK, enough said about that. And then, when you consider that the inevitable result of using this technique is a trip to the emergency room — well, honestly — did I mention, "don't do it?". And be careful when you get to the end because there's not much room for your fingers. You might also want to review this tutorial on How to Use a Chef's Knife so that you're familiar with the basic grips. Now you're going to flip a few of those sections sideways so that you end up with a little stack in front of you with the rounded part pointing toward your non-knife hand and their flat centers lined up and facing your knife-hand side. Hi Anna and Doug! Hello! As NPR reported: "Molecules of any sort tend to move faster when the're hot and slower when they're cool." Very nice. Of all the cooking skills I’ve learned over the years, this is the one skill that has made the most difference in terms of maki… Lots of focus on knife safety. Everyone will tell you that it helps to use a sharp knife. Cut the onion properly: Follow the above method. Place the whole onion on the cutting board and cut up to the end as opposed to removing it first. Well, a sharp knife will make cutting anything easier. Place onion half flat side down. Gr8 information. Onions get their distinctive flavor from sulfur, which they absorb from the soil they’re grown in. Put your onion(s) in the freezer for 15 minutes prior to getting started. All photos and content are copyright protected. For a 'NO TEARS' onion chopping experience do these four things: 1. Place the onion on its side on the cutting board in front of you and slice off the top and bottom ends. I would take 1-1/2 to 2 50 pound sacks of onions and peel them and chop them very fine. 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