You’ve got everything set up – wine is chilling, the table is set and now all you have to do is try out that great new recipe – if you can make it through cutting your onions without crying.
While they bring many dishes to life, onions have caused many a chef embarrassing tears and smudged mascara on the way to culinary delights. However, some hacks recently released by Livestrong may put a stop to onion-based waterworks once and for all and enjoy the health benefits of these pungent vegetables.
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Lifetime Café chef Ryan Doge gave the digital health and lifestyle publication six keys to a tear-free encounter with onions.
These include: using a sharp knife, fanning those fumes away from your eyes (with your hand or a fan), wearing goggles or an eye shield, keeping onions cold before putting them under the knife, removing the onion root first and keeping recently sliced onions face down, if possible.
Chef Alton Brown is partial to the fan approach, according to a January tweet.
Once an onion is cut, it produces a chemical irritant called syn-Propanethial-S-oxide, explains the American Chemical Society. This chemical stimulates tear glands in your eyes to release ears.
"Sensitivity to onions varies from person to person," said Dodge. Therefore, different methods from his list may work differently for different people, according to Livestrong.
While some people swear by spritzing their cutting board with vinegar to slow down onion crying jags, Dodge isn’t a believer in the method, as vinegar could impact how onions taste.
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This May, BonAppetit also tackled the age-old onion crying dilemma. The outlet also recommends thorough hand washing after gutting onions, including a rub down with fresh lemon.
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