# This is how you cut onions...



## ptolemy (Oct 7, 2013)




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## Keith Sinclair (Oct 7, 2013)

Thats exactly how I cut large amounts of onions it works.


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## CoqaVin (Oct 7, 2013)

just chew gum it works


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## 99Limited (Oct 7, 2013)

And all this time I thought you guys just used a Veg-O-Matic.


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## Jordanp (Oct 7, 2013)

Lol I've seen people at work do this it works really good but it looks really funny.


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## ThEoRy (Oct 7, 2013)

Stupid.

It's a chemical reaction. Just keep the onions cold prior to cutting and use a sharp knife. That's all.


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## knyfeknerd (Oct 7, 2013)

When I wear my contacts, it doesn't affect me at all.


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## Salty dog (Oct 7, 2013)

Seriously? People do this?


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## marc4pt0 (Oct 7, 2013)

Cut facing towards the hood system, and definitely have a sharp knife. And stop crying.


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## JohnnyChance (Oct 7, 2013)

Do onions still bother you guys? I rarely get irritated by them anymore. Not sure if it is because I have built up a tolerance to it or having sharper knives reduces the broken cells in the onion, but they just don't seem to bother me anymore.


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## eshua (Oct 7, 2013)

Hi reddit!


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## ecchef (Oct 7, 2013)

knyfeknerd said:


> When I wear my contacts, it doesn't affect me at all.


+1. Also helps with the occasional grease spit to the eyeball! :biggrin:


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## boomchakabowwow (Oct 7, 2013)

ThEoRy said:


> Stupid.
> 
> It's a chemical reaction. Just keep the onions cold prior to cutting and use a sharp knife. That's all.



huh? it is a chem reaction. and it is happening in your eyes. i tried ski goggles once and it worked. felt like a dork.

now i just get some kinda cross breeze going to minimize the drama.


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## ThEoRy (Oct 8, 2013)

I think it's stupid. Wrapping your face with plastic wrap? Stupid. The chemical reaction starts at the onions when the cells break and mix together, THEN they travel up to your eyes and create a sulfuric gas which your eyes try to flush away. Slow down the chemical reaction by storing your onions in the fridge and use a sharp knife so the cells don't get crushed and bruised together. Plastic wrap around the face, really?


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## Keith Sinclair (Oct 8, 2013)

I've made large quantities of Lomi Salmon for banquets many times.That's alot of onions.Sure peeling them & refrigerate helps.You don't dice 50# of tomato's & a half bag of onions with a dull knife.

Used plastic wrap it may be stupid,but it works,Also used swim goggles for large amounts of onions that must make me a complete idiot.


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## chefcomesback (Oct 8, 2013)

this reminded of a guy I had in my kitchen , he was chopping onions and he was in tears .I have asked him stick his head to freezer room every now and then . A while later he disappeared , when I went to walk-in I saw him having his cutting board set on crates chopping onions in the walk-in!!


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## Justin0505 (Oct 8, 2013)

Durrrrrr...............Just close your eyes!

Turning away also helps.

[video=youtube;-b2PdI8dO28]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b2PdI8dO28[/video]


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## Geo87 (Oct 8, 2013)

waw... Wrapping up your face is pretty crazy. 
I've found the following things to be true about onions and I promise I've cut ALOT. At one point 40kgs per week.

Sharp knives with quite polished , clean edges = clean cuts = less gas release= less tears . 
Old onions are worse . 
Some people are more sensitive than others. 

More often than not its from poor cutting technique, trying to push cut...
For onions I always have a very sharp knife with a decent amount of polish. I use a slicing action.
I can cut buckets and buckets of onions , not one tear.


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## Lefty (Oct 8, 2013)

I worked with a guy who kept a stainless spoon in his mouth. Apparently it deflected the gases away from his eyes, and he would never tear up. One day the guys got him to cut without the spoon, and he teared up like Terrell Owens when talking about Tony Romo.

Smaller, warm onions give me issues, so I started refrigerating them and it definitely helps.


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## Korin_Mari (Oct 8, 2013)

knyfeknerd said:


> When I wear my contacts, it doesn't affect me at all.



Same. I never realized how much it burns to cut onions until I decided to cook with glasses for a change... Never again.


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## boomchakabowwow (Oct 8, 2013)

ThEoRy said:


> I think it's stupid. Wrapping your face with plastic wrap? Stupid. The chemical reaction starts at the onions when the cells break and mix together, THEN they travel up to your eyes and create a sulfuric gas which your eyes try to flush away. Slow down the chemical reaction by storing your onions in the fridge and use a sharp knife so the cells don't get crushed and bruised together. Plastic wrap around the face, really?



i get it. you think the plastic part is stupid. i was commenting about the chem reaction part. how does a cold onion reduce the reaction?

as far as the plastic? dunno. maybe it was a joke for a photo? personally, i like his "out of the box" thinking. what is that saying? "necessity is the mother of all invention". 

onions dont bother me that much. some onions do affect me more..i've never really cared so much to note what changed..maybe the type of onion? my wife? it is like pepper spray for her.


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## swarth (Oct 8, 2013)

a dive mask works...or goggles.


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## Keith Sinclair (Oct 8, 2013)

It is very true that some people are less affected than others.Unfortunate for me I fall in the latter catagory:cry:


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## bahamaroot (Oct 8, 2013)

I'm just a home cook, I used to tear up like crazy. I have noticed since buying good knives and learning to keep them sharp I haven't had any trouble with the tears.


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## toddnmd (Oct 8, 2013)

boomchakabowwow said:


> i get it. you think the plastic part is stupid. i was commenting about the chem reaction part. how does a cold onion reduce the reaction?



There are many chemical reactions that happen faster at higher temperatures.

Found this: http://www.ehow.com/info_8244482_happens-chill-onion.html


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## ThEoRy (Oct 8, 2013)

boomchakabowwow said:


> i get it. you think the plastic part is stupid. i was commenting about the chem reaction part. how does a cold onion reduce the reaction?
> 
> as far as the plastic? dunno. maybe it was a joke for a photo? personally, i like his "out of the box" thinking. what is that saying? "necessity is the mother of all invention".
> 
> onions dont bother me that much. some onions do affect me more..i've never really cared so much to note what changed..maybe the type of onion? my wife? it is like pepper spray for her.




When molecules are cold, they move slower thus slowing down the mixing of the gasses and sh1t that be all collaboratin wit yo face and stuff. Science. **** yeah!!!


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## Talim (Oct 9, 2013)

Supposedly the chemicals are concentrated near the roots so cutting that last also lessens the time for any kind of reaction.


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## panda (Oct 10, 2013)

do it directly under a hood vent, more air circulation the less it's going to hurt if at all. and yes, sharp knife, smooth technique, not rampant loud obnoxious slam cuts...


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