Chef Shows The Real Way You're Supposed To Cut An Onion

Published October 5th, 2018

In today’s cooking tip you will learn how to cut an onion without crying. Before we begin, we need to find the part of the onion that causes us to cry, which is the root. The root is the end of the onion with about a dozen brown and yellow stems that lay flat on the surface of the onion.

Beneath the root is a small bulb, which you can carefully remove. The bulb and root release a gas when cut. The gas irritates our sinuses and makes us tear up. We need to cut the root and bulb out as a whole. The best method is to take your paring knife and carefully cut downward into the onion, about and inch or two away from the root.

Cut at an inward angle, about one third deep, and in a clockwise motion until the circle is complete. Once you have cut a complete circle, gently pull on the roots until the entire bulb is lifted free from the onion.

Once you have the root and bulb you should throw the entire thing in the trash. Don’t put it in the garbage disposal! Remove the onion’s skin with your fingers next. When the entire surface of the onion is white, cut the onion in half long-ways, as though you would be cutting through the root.

Lastly, dice the onion by cutting an onion half three times side-to-side, and as many times as you want lengthwise.