Preventing tears when cutting onions is not an easy task. Fortunately, there are ways to remedy this situation, but not every solution works for everyone. Finding what works best for you may take some experimentation, but we've rounded up the best tips for keeping those tears at bay when cooking with onions.
Why do onions actually make us cry?
Let's be scientific for a moment:When you cut an onion, enzymes in the skin of the onion come into contact with air and turn into an eye-irritating chemical. Your cornea has free nerve endings that are connected to your central nervous system. When that chemical hits those free nerve endings, your central nervous system responds to that burning sensation by producing tears.
Cut it underwater
Fill a bowl with chilled water. Place the onion in the bowl and slice it below the surface of the water. It can be a bit cumbersome, but if you hold the onion tightly and angle the blade securely, the water will block those irritating enzymes from getting into the air, and thus your eyeballs.
Do it near an open flame
The reason this is effective is a bit of a mystery. The best hypothesis is that when the flames feed on oxygen, they draw the onion vapors away from your eyes and into the flames. While you can try a candle, you can also place your cutting board near the open flame of your gas stove ; be extra careful.
Put it in the fridge first Chilling the onion first, whether it's 30 minutes or 24 hours, can slow the chemical process that converts the enzymes into gases. Keep one in the fridge if you know you'll be using it soon. But don't keep your onions in the fridge; they are one of the foods that you should never keep in the fridge.
Freeze it if the fridge is not enough Maybe your eyes are really sensitive and the refrigerator cooling wasn't enough to protect your corneas. Freezing the onion can help. It gets even colder and that can further slow down the chemical process. Please note that the first layer may freeze a bit, so it may be more difficult to cut.
Keep your cutting blade sharp
You can also thank science for this:the sharper the knife, the cleaner the cut, the less damage to the cells in the onion and therefore less vapors that pass through those tear ducts.
Don't touch your face
This one should be obvious, but we'll keep it on the list for good measure. Wiping those tears away with your hand while you're cutting isn't the best move. You have an open onion on the table and you don't want direct contact with the enzymes.
Cut it under a vent or near a fan
Avoiding tears means minimizing the gases that cause those tears. Place your cutting board near a room fan. Taking these measures can blow the gases away as you cut.
Try lemon juice Lemon juice has many uses, such as polishing pans, removing odors from the microwave or killing bacteria in the dirtiest places in your kitchen. It can also be a useful way to reduce onion fumes. Rub a slice of lemon over your knife and slice. You may need to reapply some lemon juice while you're at it.
