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pirateeye
04-Jan-08, 22:02
so i made sausage and mash with onion gravy for the family and i only used one large onion but the tears wouldn't stop flowing! i love onions and do use them quite a lot so anyone got any tips on stopping the tears? even just a little bit? is it even possible?
thank yoooou:)

karia
04-Jan-08, 22:04
so i made sausage and mash with onion gravy for the family and i only used one large onion but the tears wouldn't stop flowing! i love onions and do use them quite a lot so anyone got any tips on stopping the tears? even just a little bit? is it even possible?
thank yoooou:)

Chop em underwater or suck a lemon to confuse your senses...I prefer the first it stops the vapours getting to you!

TBH
04-Jan-08, 22:05
so i made sausage and mash with onion gravy for the family and i only used one large onion but the tears wouldn't stop flowing! i love onions and do use them quite a lot so anyone got any tips on stopping the tears? even just a little bit? is it even possible?
thank yoooou:)Try clenching a teaspoon between your teeth.;)

mums angels
04-Jan-08, 22:05
Its in the way you cut an onion that makes you cry i got a tip off a tv cooking programme showing you how to cut and onion that helps i've never cried sice :)

pretty hard to explain thou ...

karia
04-Jan-08, 22:07
Try clenching a teaspoon between your teeth.;)

How does that work?:confused

TBH
04-Jan-08, 22:07
Its in the way you cut an onion that makes you cry i got a tip off a tv cooking programme showing you how to cut and onion that helps i've never cried sice :)

pretty hard to explain thou ...Get someone else to chop them for you?[lol]

connieb19
04-Jan-08, 22:07
Keep them in the fridge.

lassieinfife
04-Jan-08, 22:08
peel onion chop in half but dont remove root till last.. find that usually works for me
:~(

TBH
04-Jan-08, 22:09
How does that work?:confused I have not got a clue but it really does work.

mums angels
04-Jan-08, 22:12
peel onion chop in half but dont remove root till last.. find that usually works for me
:~(
thats the idea i was getting at ..while in half cut toward the root but not through it then dice it across ..

karia
04-Jan-08, 22:44
I have not got a clue but it really does work.

I am curious to see if it works on the same principal as that stainless steel bar that you use instead of soap to remove garlic smells from your hands...sounds possible!

pirateeye
04-Jan-08, 22:45
thanks for all the replies, i learnt that root chopping thing a few years ago in cooking class in school but for some reason never picked it up and carried it home, i didn't know it stopped the tears though, may give it another go when i do the chowder
karia-how do you chop onions under water?:)
does a fridge dry out the onion juices/stingy spiky smells that sting or something? or am i a bit daft?lol

connieb19
04-Jan-08, 22:47
If you keep them in the fridge before chopping them they don't make you cry. :confused

TBH
04-Jan-08, 23:11
I am curious to see if it works on the same principal as that stainless steel bar that you use instead of soap to remove garlic smells from your hands...sounds possible!It's somethng that I had been told many years ago and I really don't know how it works but it does. Garlic and onions are related so maybe it does work on the same principal.

_Ju_
04-Jan-08, 23:18
It is the smell that makes you cry. At colder temperatures the smells "vaporise" less.
My trick is not to buy dutch onions ever-they are way to acrid. Second trick: chop them with a mouth full of water.

carasmam
04-Jan-08, 23:19
I wear contact lenses and never cry when I chop an onion with them in. They must block the vapours :)

TBH
04-Jan-08, 23:30
I wear contact lenses and never cry when I chop an onion with them in. They must block the vapours :)I knew I should have gone to specsavers.[lol]

rs 2k
04-Jan-08, 23:35
All u have to do and the answer is right under your nose :lol: sorry couldn't resist

Breathe through your mouth, it works really well, i do it all the time now and i never have watery eyes

Give it a try

NickInTheNorth
05-Jan-08, 12:06
Make sure you use a really sharp knife (much safer than using a blunt one anyway). If the knife needs forcing through the onion you will be spraying far more of the offending liquid into the air than if you use a good sharp one.

Julia
05-Jan-08, 14:31
I used to try the stainless steel teaspoon trick but always ended up dribbling down my front instead.

Personally I think breathing through your mouth or having a mouthful of water would work better, I will give it a try and let you know.

Not sure about chopping onions under water, peeling them yes, reminds me of an episode of Seinfeld where Kramer was preparing all his veg while having a shower.

Sandra_B
05-Jan-08, 15:27
I have tried this one and it worked for me...

burn a candle on your kitchen counter while you chop the onion.

pirateeye
05-Jan-08, 16:20
lots of tips to try thankyou
ok having a shower and preparing veg? gross!!

jings00
05-Jan-08, 17:25
I wear contact lenses and never cry when I chop an onion with them in. They must block the vapours :)


same here, but when i am wearin ma specs and am choppin ingans, boohoo!!!!

htwood
05-Jan-08, 17:59
It's the smell that makes our eyes water, so breathing thru the mouth is best prevention. Cold onions and sharp knives help too by minimizing how much onion vapor is sent into the air. (I lean away from chopping too)
My mother said to put tongue on roof of mouth to help remember to breathe that way. Maybe that's what the teaspoon thing is about.

MadPict
05-Jan-08, 18:39
Gripping the handle of a wooden spoon with your teeth and keeping the end of it wet helps....

Buttercup
05-Jan-08, 20:01
I am curious to see if it works on the same principal as that stainless steel bar that you use instead of soap to remove garlic smells from your hands...sounds possible!

I had one of these bars but found them a complete waste of money. You've to use cold water to wash your hands with it and found my hands were so cold that that's what was "killing the smell". Personally I find what works best is a good wash with soap and hot water then use one of these "no water" hand cleaners.

connieb19
05-Jan-08, 20:07
I had one of these bars but found them a complete waste of money. You've to use cold water to wash your hands with it and found my hands were so cold that that's what was "killing the smell". Personally I find what works best is a good wash with soap and hot water then use one of these "no water" hand cleaners.I was going to buy one of these bars. I instead I just wipe my hands on the taps with cold running water.

karia
05-Jan-08, 20:16
Gripping the handle of a wooden spoon with your teeth and keeping the end of it wet helps....

Yeah.. I'd imagine the toothache keeps your mind off it!:eek:

bekisman
05-Jan-08, 20:44
Hi my better half wears contact lenses and seems never to cry when 'doing' the onions.. BUT found this link: http://www.tellmehowto.net/howto/peel_onions_without_crying_156 (http://www.tellmehowto.net/howto/peel_onions_without_crying_156) got a few new ideas..
1)Also keep your mouth closed as much as possible. Another thing is if you have time, to refrigerate it for a couple hours before you chop it.
2)To stop yourself from crying, soak onions in water half an hour before you cut them and you'll have no tears!
3)Place a teaspoon in your mouth while cutting onions to stop thoses tears.
4)I always find that when I wear my contact lenses rather than my glasses, I absolutly don't cry when chopping onions. (This is about the only advantage of being short sighted!!).
5)Guaranteed no tears by chopping off the top of the onion,peeling back the skin,chop the onion with the roots intact then discard them..
6)To chop onions without your eyes watering, stick your tongue out and keep it out the whole time. the onion vapors go to whatever moisture is near so if it ends up on your tongue it won't end up in your eyes. it works!.
7)The glasses idea is OK but they're still not completely airtight. For a perfect fit I wear my kids' swimming goggles!.
8)I've found that if you chew gum while cuting onions it will eliminate the tears!.
9)Light a candle and place as close to the cutting area as possible. The flame with "burn up" the vapors from the onion. I have tried glasses - only worked some of the time for me. The leave root intact has never worked for me. I always refidgerate my onions and that doesn't make any difference for me. I have never not had the candle make a difference. It Helps SO much. I had gotten to the point that I would only chop onions in a processor until this hint from Martha Stewart was told to me. Works EVERY time. Now I can have chopped onions instead of mutilated by the processor onions. .
10)I've tried most of the things mentioned but i read somewhere that if you cut an onion ,dont cut near the pointy part. (the core) thats where most of the vapors are . also cut the onion a fast as you can without you cutting your self..
11)Suck the spoon bit of a teaspoon for some reason it really does help:-).
12)You can chew gum while cutting onions and you won't cry or get tears. .
13)Eat dry bread when chopping the onion..
14)Put a piece of bread on the tip of the paring knife when you chop onions...no more tears!!.

Tristan
05-Jan-08, 21:02
Chop the onoin near the cooker and turn the fume hood on. It should take out the worst of the chemical that is causing the eyes to water.
Also don't lean over the onion so the chemical isn't getting directly into your eyes.