Onion ???

what can I do to NOT have my eyes tear like mad when cutting an onion. I have tried the Martha Stewart thing by lighting a candle...Didnt work. I tried just breathing out of my mouth...still tearing. I cant take the tears when chopping. Any advice or tips would be great.

Re: Onion ???

Buy pre-chopped onion.

Onions kill me, I can't be in the room when they are being chopped and for hours afterwards my eyes still sting.

Re: Onion ???

They make prechopped onions...Where the heck have I been. Thank you, my eyes thank you.

Re: Onion ???

Keep the onions in the fridge before chopping them.

Re: Onion ???

chew gum
vicks vapor rub under the nose

Re: Onion ???

Wear rubber gloves

I actually found diced onions in the frozen veggie section at Stop and Shop. they also have them in the produce aisle, precut or chopped, but I can't always find them.

Re: Onion ???

keep the root end on the onion when chopping. It helps keep the smell down.

What kind of onions do you use?

I find the white onions (that you usually buy individually) are much stronger than the yellow onions that come in the nylon bag

Re: Onion ???

onion queen here. I always had eye problems (a little with onion, much more with frying cayenne ) BUT my love of onions still reigns supreme. DH and I eat literally 6 lbs a week or more

wet your knife and board with water, and rinse them between onions. onion juice produces a gas that turns into acid when mixed with water (such as tears in our eyes)... this is what causes the burn. If you rinse the juiciest tools (knife, board), the juice goes down the drain, and the gas all reacts with the tap water. It doesn't eliminate the problem, but it does help.

As 'insurance', keep a clean papertowel moistened with water on hand. If you tear up, quickly rinse the knife and board with water, wash your hands with dishliquid, and then dab your eyes with the papertowel. It clears up fast.

ALSO **** old onions are much more stinky than fresh ones... so buy new ones. The ones in the bag are almost always older /smellier than the loose ones *****

(I don't like the pre-cut onions... they have to cure or cook them prior to bottling... tastes watered down to me )

Message edited 11/26/2007 10:36:59 PM.

Re: Onion ???

heh, had to return to this thread... becuase I'm making a huge pot of onion soup as we speak... I just finished thinly slicing 4 grapefruit-sized onions

and it also reminded me of another onion rule:

it's better if you don't wear your glasses.... and what ever you do, don't wear mascara when cutting onions!!!!

actually, the tears aren't too bad... you get used to them.

Re: Onion ???

I have always had luck by putting matches in my mouth. Hear me out - it's not that strange. Rip off a few matched from a book and lightly hold them between your lips with the "strike" part held outwards.

It has something to do with the chemicals in the match tips that neutralize the onion gas.

Good luck!

Re: Onion ???

I bought an onion chopper from williams sonoma, my eyes still tear but not as bad as when I'm standing there chopping a whole onion, it reduces the chopping time

Re: Onion ???

Freeze the onion for aboutt 15 mins-you can still chop it easily and it does not burn. I wish i had known this yrs ago! You can also stick your face in the freezer to cool the stinging

Re: Onion ???

Put a piece of bread in your mouth while chopping, with some of the bread hanging out, it works great. I also agree with putting the onion in the freezer for 10 minutes before cutting