How to chop onions without crying

[Barriehie]

Mod.edit: Posts moved to new topic (MG)

I don't know, it was some drunken Jazz Fest or French Quarter Fest timeframe (I don't do Mardis Gras). Ah, I miss the smell of stale urine in the streets and the sound of garbage trucks backing up in the wee hours of the morning, me and my crewe still tipsy from the night before (and probably still awake from the night before).

I finally broke out my chopper gadget I bought last year and used it to cut up onions, celery, and carrots for my chicken soup and more onions for the crockpot (AKA slow cooker) spag sauce. It's a pretty handy gadget and has grating, mandoline, etc. features. It's super easy cleanup (basically just rinses clean), which is why I bought it. My food processor will do all that but it's a PITA to clean. And no crying over onions. Yes, I wash my onions, and no, it doesn't help. I have to practically close my eyes to chop onions with a knife, which probably isn't a very good idea...

Try chilling them in the fridge first. The sulphuric gases that make your eyes water will be denser and less prone to rising. Running a small fan over your workspace can help as well. There are also, get this, onion goggles.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Try chilling them in the fridge first. The sulphuric gases that make your eyes water will be denser and less prone to rising. Running a small fan over your workspace can help as well. There are also, get this, onion goggles.

I have a photo of me somewhere cutting onions wearing safety glasses.

When I have a large onion and I only need half of it, I store the rest of it in an airtight container and stick it in the frig. When I need to use it several days to a week later, it still makes me cry, though not as badly. I guess I am just ultra sensitive to it. But now that I have this chopper I have no more worries about tearing up!

 

[JAS_OH1]

There's quite a bit about onion cutting here:
Old Cooks’ Tales

 

[karadekoolaid]

There are only two guaranteed ways not to cry when chopping onions.
1) use contact lenses
2) get someone else to do it.

 

[Barriehie]

...
2) get someone else to do it.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Nooooooooooooo!!!!!

 

[badjak]

We have a picture somewhere of my aunt wearing a scuba diving mask with snorkel to cut onions

 

[TastyReuben]

I’ve never had an issue with it. Chop, chop, chop!…no tears - maybe I’m emotionally dead inside, but I just don’t feel bad for killing that onion at all.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I used to find it unbearable but now I don’t shed a single tear!
I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s because I only buy red onions
Or perhaps it’s that I keep them in the fridge
Or perhaps it’s just the loss of sensitivity that people over 50 generally get

 

[JAS_OH1]

I used to find it unbearable but now I don’t shed a single tear!
I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s because I only buy red onions
Or perhaps it’s that I keep them in the fridge
Or perhaps it’s just the loss of sensitivity that people over 50 generally get

Red onions, scallions, and shallots do not make me cry. It's yellow and white that get me every time!

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Red onions, scallions, and shallots do not make me cry. It's yellow and white that get me every time!

I usually buy my white/yellow/brown onions pre-chopped. I also buy shallots and soffritto the same way. I’m all for someone else doing the prep

 

[JAS_OH1]

I usually buy my white/yellow/brown onions pre-chopped. I also buy shallots and soffritto the same way. I’m all for someone else doing the prep

View attachment 125632

I dunno, I like fresh whenever possible, and white yellow onions have been inexpensive lately. I bought a 3 lb bag of yellow onions last week for $1. That's a really great price! Now that I finally broke out my chopper, no more tears.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I dunno, I like fresh whenever possible, and white yellow onions have been inexpensive lately. I bought a 3 lb bag of yellow onions last week for $1. That's a really great price! Now that I finally broke out my chopper, no more tears.

I like the frozen ones because they break down more quickly in the pan and I can sling everything in the slow cooker at speed

I do chop red onions myself a lot because some dishes do need that fresh edge to them but for the fast midweek throw it together meal I’m happy to have frozen ones.

You can by them prechopped in the fresh veg section here too. I just don’t like the look of them.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I like the frozen ones because they break down more quickly in the pan and I can sling everything in the slow cooker at speed

I do chop red onions myself a lot because some dishes do need that fresh edge to them but for the fast midweek throw it together meal I’m happy to have frozen ones.

You can by them prechopped in the fresh veg section here too. I just don’t like the look of them.

Hey, whatever works for you! Onions to me are not like other vegetables when frozen or chilled. I prefer to keep mine on the counter. I'm also a very frugal person, so getting them for .33 cents a pound is very appealing. My shallots or red onions I will pay more for because they are usually specific to fresh tomato salsa or something similar, but they also need to stay on the counter because they just have a better texture IMO).

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Hey, whatever works for you! Onions to me are not like other vegetables when frozen or chilled. I prefer to keep mine on the counter. I'm also a very frugal person, so getting them for .33 cents a pound is very appealing. My shallots or red onions I will pay more for because they are usually specific to fresh tomato salsa or something similar, but they also need to stay on the counter because they just have a better texture IMO).

Funny isn’t it because in general I don’t like frozen veg. I only tend to buy green beans and edamame frozen. I don’t much like what freezing does to the texture of other veg. Apart from chips