Cutting Onions The Tear-Free Way

You’re planning on making a big pot of your favourite stew but you’re dreading it because you have to chop some onions and we all know how that goes. No one’s a fan of the sting and the subsequent watery eyes but this necessary evil is hard to escape. Onions are a big part of many of the meals we eat. Fortunately, there’s more than one way around this.

Cutting onions releases a gas that irritates the human eyes. The reason they tear up is because the eye is trying to wash away the substance it comes into contact with when you’re cutting onions. To make sure your eye does not come into contact with this gas, try one of the following:

Use Water

Water helps dissolve the gas producing compounds in the onion. You can cut your onions either under running tap water or a bowl of water. Alternatively, you can intermittently wash the edge of the knife you are using to cut your onion as it has the same effect.

Use a Freezer

The cells in a cold onion react slower when cut. Place your onions in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes, or the freezer for 10 minutes, before you have to cut them.

Use Goggles

You make look ridiculous cutting up onions with a pair of swimming goggles on your face but it is surely going to keep the irritating gas out of your eyes. If you’ve got a pair, put them on before you start dicing up your onions.

Use a Candle

Sulphur, a major component of the gas onions emit, is drawn to heat. By lighting a candle close to your chopping area, you’ll be redirecting the onion’s gas away from your eyes.

Use a Fan

If you’ve got a standing fan, angle it to blow at your onions when you’re cutting. Make sure to direct it away from your eyes. This was the gas is sent in the opposite direction from your eyes.

With these onion cutting hacks you won’t have to worry about your eyes tearing up next time you have to cut up some onions. You’ll be glad you tried these.