We love onions. The National Onion Association says the average person consumes approximately 13.67 pounds per year. We know we eat a lot more than that. For that reason, we’ve chopped a lot of onions and studied up on chopping onions. In this Friday FYI, we’ll show you how to cut onions to the end so there is no waste.
To minimize tears, Gordon Ramsey recommends keeping the root on the onion intact as long as possible to prevent tears. The root is where the highest concentration of sulfuric compounds is contained. A sharp knife will also minimize the damage to the onion, which causes onions to release these compounds.
Dicing an onion to the end
- Start by trimming off the stem or top end of the onion. Next, remove the peel on the onion. Try to peel just the papery peel and leave as much of the outer layers intact, as they are rich in flavonoids, especially quercetin, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound. The outermost layers are also an excellent source of vitamin A, C and E.
- Next, use the just trimmed end as a flat base for you to keep the onion steady. Now, slice it in half from the root end to the stem end.
- Place the onion halves cut-side down, so they lie flat. Then, slice it 2 or 3 times through the width of the onion horizontally or parallel to the cutting board, starting from the bottom. See figure 1.
- Now, turn the onion so the root points away from you and slice layers from root end to stem end. However, don’t slice all the way through the root so that end is intact and the onion holds together. See figure 2.
- Finally, slice crosswise parallel to the first stem cut and keep slicing crosswise until you reach the root end. See figure 3.
- Then, once you slice to the point that you can’t hold the onion anymore, stop and turn the onion on the side you were slicing. See figure 4. Continue by slicing from the outer edge to the root on all three sides and then, you’re done! See figure 5.
Slicing onions
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 from above.
- Place the onion halves cut-side down, so they lie flat. For salads, you can slice them parallel to the first stem cut. However, onions sliced in this direction will break down and become mushy when cooked.
- If you want to cook the sliced onions, cut them along the grain to hold its shape. First, trim the root end and then slice them along the natural lines of the onion. See figure 6.
Now you’re done and ready to cook. And, now you also know how to cut onions without waste or tears. About those onion skins, you can wash them and place them in a cotton soup bag to be used when making soups. You can also throw the onion skins in the pot when cooking rice. They impart subtle flavor and all those good nutrients.
