How to Chop an Onion
Use a sharp knife., Do it the easiest and safest way if you're not an expert., Let the onion do some of the work for you., Peel off the loose, dry skin on the outside of the onion. , Chop off the stem (the pointy end) of the onion., Cut the onion in...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use a sharp knife.
It may seen counterintuitive at first, but a sharp knife is safer than a dull blade.
Dull knives not only mash instead of slice into foods, they slip more easily, especially on round, slick foods like onions.
But dull knives are still plenty sharp enough to cut you. -
Step 2: Do it the easiest and safest way if you're not an expert.
Many chefs and experienced cooks chop onions in part by making horizontal slices parallel to the cutting board
-- and under their hands and towards their wrists.
It works quite well when done properly, but can also cause serious injury if you make a mistake.
For the home cook, then, especially if you're a little wary about having a sharp knife in your hand, stick to the methods listed below., Onions are built a bit like the earth
-- ever-larger spherical layers surrounding a core
-- except with the North and South poles (the stem and root ends) holding everything together.
The onion wants to come apart once you start cutting into it, so if you attack it in the right way this falling apart will do much of the chopping for you. ,, Cut off enough so that you can stand the onion up on that flat spot. , Stand it up on the flat spot, steady it with your free hand, and carefully but forcefully slice down through the root end. , Work with one half of the onion at a time from this point forward. , Place the flat side of the onion half down on the board, with the root facing away from you.
Hold the onion with your free hand, pierce it with the tip of the knife near the root end, then push the rest of the knife down through the onion.
Leave enough of the root end intact to hold the onion together.
Make parallel cuts across the onion at the width you desire
-- roughly 1/4 inch is usually considered "chopped." -
Step 3: Let the onion do some of the work for you.
-
Step 4: Peel off the loose
-
Step 5: dry skin on the outside of the onion.
-
Step 6: Chop off the stem (the pointy end) of the onion.
-
Step 7: Cut the onion in half.
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Step 8: Peel off any additional loose
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Step 9: papery
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Step 10: or discolored layers.
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Step 11: Cut slices from (but not through) the root end to (and through) the cut off stem end.
Detailed Guide
It may seen counterintuitive at first, but a sharp knife is safer than a dull blade.
Dull knives not only mash instead of slice into foods, they slip more easily, especially on round, slick foods like onions.
But dull knives are still plenty sharp enough to cut you.
Many chefs and experienced cooks chop onions in part by making horizontal slices parallel to the cutting board
-- and under their hands and towards their wrists.
It works quite well when done properly, but can also cause serious injury if you make a mistake.
For the home cook, then, especially if you're a little wary about having a sharp knife in your hand, stick to the methods listed below., Onions are built a bit like the earth
-- ever-larger spherical layers surrounding a core
-- except with the North and South poles (the stem and root ends) holding everything together.
The onion wants to come apart once you start cutting into it, so if you attack it in the right way this falling apart will do much of the chopping for you. ,, Cut off enough so that you can stand the onion up on that flat spot. , Stand it up on the flat spot, steady it with your free hand, and carefully but forcefully slice down through the root end. , Work with one half of the onion at a time from this point forward. , Place the flat side of the onion half down on the board, with the root facing away from you.
Hold the onion with your free hand, pierce it with the tip of the knife near the root end, then push the rest of the knife down through the onion.
Leave enough of the root end intact to hold the onion together.
Make parallel cuts across the onion at the width you desire
-- roughly 1/4 inch is usually considered "chopped."
About the Author
Sara Diaz
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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