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August 26, 2008, 11:57 pm
Flag as Inappropriate katie  

Why do onions make you cry and is there a way to make it where they don't? Is it that some people are just more sensitive to the onion juice or the smell?

I asked a similar question here a few weeks ago, and since saw a show on Food Network that talked about this. It is the gases that are released when you cut into an onion that makes us cry. Put your onion into the freezer for up to an hour (I've done it for 15 minutes) to freeze the water a bit while you are cutting. It works wonders!

It also can help to hold the onion under running water while you are cutting it. This helps to rinse the juice and gases directly down the drain. It probably isn't as good as the freezing idea but it does help.

I have heard freezing does work well. I have never tried either ideas here, but will next time I cut one. I love onions and with holiday weekend coming up will be cooking out.

I know when I worked for McDonalds when I was in high school- I would go stand in the walk-in freezer for a bit- then go out and do the onions. I'm not sure why it worked- but it did.

The crying really does not bother me too much, but my mother has always done really well with the freezing technique.

Nothing seems to work with me, the smell just gets right up my nose and stings my eyes. I think I am possibly very onion sensitive.

Kris I remember doing that too. For some reason standing in the freezer takes the burn out of your eyes. I`m gonna try that freezer method . I have never tried that. Hope it works. I hate cutting onions.

my daughter read that if you cut an onion by teh head and leave the little end that ahs teh roots you dont cry.

So I tried it. I dont cut an onion anyother way.

I also did teh frozen onion things and that worked good. The little cells freeze.

Using only Vidalia or walla walla works even better. bermuda onions for some reason when you cut them from top to bottom starting at teh to part going to teh root part you do tear as bad either.

Oh and if you find a rellay good bargain on ionions, get some string and tie them on it and hang from a rafter. Doing it that way also prevents crying when you cut them.

I have always rinsed my onions while cutting them. This has worked very well to keep my eyes from stinging. I'm sure the freezing technique also works wonders. My eyes are so sensitive anyway that I'm willing to try almost anything.