A "cool" solution to chopping onions tear-free. - McCormick Test Kitchens
Do you become a sniffling, weeping mess every time you take a chef’s knife to a Vidalia? If so, you’re not alone. Blame it on synthase--the enzyme that causes the release of sulfenic acid into the air and the very thing that’s bringing you to tears. Lucky for you, we’ve got a tried-and-true method that will make food prep a lot less emotional.
What you need: Your freezer and any type of onion.
What you do: Stick your onion in the freezer about 15 minutes before chopping. (You’ll have to plan ahead a little to work this solution into overall food prep time.) And set a timer so you don’t forget about it--you don’t want the onion to get too hard. You might have to put in more elbow grease to peel and chop, and you might want to let the onion slices warm up to room temperature before cooking, but the chilled version shouldn’t affect the flavors of whatever you’re making.
Why it works: The theory is that a flash of cold prevents the release of the onion’s eye-irritating chemicals.
Voilà! Your mascara can now make it through dinner.
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