The number one question I get asked in my cooking classes is, “How do you cut an onion?”

I get it. Onions are tricky. Not only do onions have the ability to make you sob uncontrollably when you cut them, but it can fall apart if you cut the onion the wrong way. You find yourself chasing bits of onion around on your cutting board as you are chopping and sniffling, pushing through the pain. Inevitably, you go to rub your eyes to wipe away the tears, and moments later, you realize your mistake — and feel the BURN.

Learning how to cut an onion the right way is one of the first things they teach you in culinary school. There are many different ways to cut an onion, and depending on which chef you ask, they will all tell you that their way is the easiest way to cut an onion.

In this guide, we will talk about the correct way to slice an onion, which end of an onion you cut first, the first step to cutting an onion and cooking tips on how to not cry when cutting onions. In no time, you’ll be chopping onions fast like a chef.

This post is all about how to cut an onion.

WHY DO ONIONS MAKE YOU CRY?

Cutting onions releases chemicals that irritate your eyes. Primarily, these chemical compounds are sulfur-containing molecules known scientifically as lachrymatory factor, or “LF”. When the onion is cut, the cell wall is “damaged”, triggering a stress response from the onion to release sulfuric LF molecules in the air.

The onion’s sulfur travels through your nose and to your eyes, coming in contact with the moisture in your eyes. Sulfuric acid is created, irritates the eyes, and triggers you to cry. This is your body’s response to dilute and flush out the sulfuric acid, causing irritation and discomfort.

As you continue to slice the onion, more of these sulfur chemicals are released. This continues to intensify your body’s response to cry.

HOW TO CUT AN ONION WITHOUT CRYING

Unfortunately, there is no way to 100% guarantee zero tears when working with onions. However, there are many ways to minimize crying when cutting an onion. The first of which — putting your onions in the freezer 30 minutes before you plan to use them.

Why on earth would I recommend this? The enzymes and sulfur in onions trigger a chemical response in our eyes, responsible for making us cry. By cooling the onions, you are slowing down the process of the onions releasing these enzymes and sulfur that they would at room temperature. Putting the onions in the refrigerator or freezer before slicing them will slow down the reaction of the sulfur being released.

You can also achieve this same result by dunking the onion in an ice bath for 10 minutes prior to cutting the it. Whichever way you choose to go about it, getting the onion cold will help prevent eye irritation because you are reducing the quantity of chemicals released by the onion when it is cut open.

However, don’t store your onions in the refrigerator as they absorb moisture. The moisture in the air in your refrigerator can get trapped under the papery skin of the onion which makes them get mushy and spoil faster.

The second biggest tip for cutting an onion without crying, is to use a sharp, high-quality chefs knife. My all-time favorite chefs knife is the Mac MTH-80.

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DOES CHEWING GUM HELP WHEN CUTTING AN ONION?

There are several other ways to not cry when cutting an onion. I’ve heard people recommend chewing gum, burning a candle nearby, or even running water from your sink will prevent you from crying when cutting an onion. None of these techniques work nearly as well as chilling your onions.

I’ll start by debunking the gum chewing. In professional kitchens, it’s unsanitary to chew gum while prepping food items, so this would never be an option for chefs. However, for the home cook, this may be helpful, as chewing gum can lessen the blow the enzymes in the onion have on your tear ducts. However, the chemical reaction is triggered in your eyes, not your nose or mouth, which means there is still a high probability of you crying when cutting onions.

Burning a candle while chopping onions can help prevent you from crying, as the flame helps burn off the sulfur compounds produced by the onion. Running water can also lessen the amount of sulfur that makes it to your eyes as it travels in the air. The sulfur in the lachrymatory factor can still travel through your nose and to your eyes and trigger the tear response, even with running water.

HOW TO CUT AN ONION FOR BURGERS

Start by peeling the onion, remove the outer skin of the, and cut off the top and bottom ends to discard them. Peel off the papery outer layers until you reach the fresh, clean layers underneath. I like to remove the first layer of the onion as well as it tends to be thin and flavorless.

Place the onion on its side on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice the onion crosswise into thin rings. The goal is to get slices that are about 1/2 inch thick. Once you’ve sliced the onion, gently separate the rings from each other. Do this by pulling the onion layers apart with your fingers and using the tip of the knife to loosen any rings that might be stuck together. If you plan to cook your burgers on the grill, read up on grilling for beginners tips.

HOW TO CUT AN ONION INTO STRIPS

The best way to cut an onion into strips starts with peeling the onion. Cut the onion in half from top to bottom, slicing through the root. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the onion halves. Place one half of the onion flat side down on the cutting board and slice it vertically through the onion. Make sure that all your slices are consistent in thickness for even cooking. Repeat this for the other half of the onion. This is the best technique for french onion soup.

HOW TO DICE AN ONION PROPERLY

Dicing an onion properly requires uniformity in your knife cuts and precision of knife skills. First start by prepping and peeling the onion. Cut off the stem end, but leave the root end intact, as this helps hold the onion together as you dice.

Take one half of the onion and place it flat side down on the cutting board. Place the palm of your non-dominant hand on the top of the onion with your fingers extended so you don’t slice yourself. Take the edge of the blade and begin to make horizontal slices into the onion. Start at the base of the onion against the cutting board (the widest part of the onion). Move the blade slowly towards the root, being sure not to slice through it; this keeps the onion intact. Repeat these horizontal slices about a 1/4 inch apart, working your way up the onion, towards the palm of your hand.

Make your vertical cuts by rotating the onion 90 degrees. Hold the onion together with the “3 finger knife rule”, using your pinky and thumb to grip the sides of the onion. Again, start at the root end and work towards the stem end, not cutting all the way through the root. Now, you can create your dice. Continue to hold the onion together with the “3 finger knife rule” — one of the basic ways to improve your knife skills. Make downward cuts, horizontal to the root of the onion. You’ll see that the onion falls away, into a small uniform dice. Discard the root of the onion.

HOW TO CUT AN ONION FOR FAJITAS

The first step to cutting an onion for fajitas, is to peel the onion. Remove the papery outer layer of the onion and cut off the top of the onion. Leave the root end of the onion in place, as this holds the onion together. Cut the onion in half lengthwise, from top to bottom, slicing through the root. You should now have two halves.

Place one half of the onion flat side down on the cutting board and slice it horizontally across the onion. Make sure that all your slices are consistent in thickness for even cooking. Repeat this for the other half of the onion.

HOW TO PEEL AN ONION QUICKLY

You can peel an onion quickly by cutting off the top stem end of the onion. Leave the root end (the “hairy” part) intact as this helps hold the onion together when you cut it. Score the onion with the tip of the blade, just going through the top papery layer. You should be able to easily peel off the outer layer, working your way around the onion until all the skin is removed. This is easier to do using a pairing knife or a utility knife. I like this utility knife, not only for onions but also for slicing delicate tomatoes.

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HOW TO CUT AN ONION Q&A

Do you cut all the way through an onion at first?

Unless you want to cut rings of your onion, you should cut through the root and top of the onion to get two halves.

Do you cut all the way through an onion at first if you are chopping it?

A good rule of thumb is to keep the root of the onion intact to ensure the onion does not fall apart as you are chopping it.

How do you make it easier to cut onions?

I always put my onions in the refrigerator before I cut them to make it easier. It helps to slow down the sulfur enzyme from being released and making you cry.

What is the first step when cutting an onion?

Always peel your onions before cutting them. The papery outer layer of. the onion is inedible.

Which end of an onion do you cut off first?

Cut off the top stem of the onion, but leave the root (the “hairy” end) intact.

How to cut a red onion?

You can cut a red onion the same way you would cut a yellow or white onion.

How to not cry when cutting onions?

The best way to not cry when cutting onions is to put them in the refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes prior to slicing. This slows down the release of the sulfur enzyme that is released from the onions and causes irritation to the eyes.

What is the correct way to slice an onion?

No matter which way you choose to slice an onion, you should always leave the root end intact.

This post is about how to cut an onion.

The post How To Cut An Onion Like a Chef and Minimize Tears appeared first on SophieFoodie.

Everyone, chefs included, should always be working on improving your knife skills. The basis of cooking starts with a foundation of good knife skills. With strong knife skills, you become more confident in the kitchen and cook more efficiently. Having your ingredients cut uniformly can streamline the cooking process and make meal preparation more manageable.

When your mise en place is cut uniformly, your food cooks more evenly, which impacts your flavor and final presentation of the dish. For all these reasons, cooking can become a more enjoyable process when you have strong knife skills.

So, how can you develop excellent knife skills? As a chef instructor, I get this question almost daily from my students. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore actionable tips and techniques on how to improve knife skills, empowering you to cook with confidence at home.

Once you learn knife cutting techniques, how to use a chefs knife, and how to hold a knife— your knife skills will improve, and soon you’ll be cutting fast like a chef!

This post is all about how to improve knife skills.

HOW TO IMPROVE KNIFE SKILLS — KNIFE CUTTING TECHNIQUES

If you want to improve your knife skills, you first need to learn the four basic knife cutting techniques. Mastering dicing, mincing, chiffonade, and julienne knife cuts serves as the foundation for improving your knife skills. Therefore, it is important to know the difference between them.

How to Dice

Dicing is a knife skill that breaks down whole products into a small square or a cube. The overall size can differ, but generally, the three most common dices are small, medium and large dice. Depending on what you are preparing in the kitchen, the knife skill you will utilize will be different. For example, a small dice (a 1/4 inch cube) would be better suited for a sauté or a sauce. Whereas, a large dice (a 3/4 inch cube) would be more appropriate for roasted vegetables.

The best knife for practicing your dicing knife skills is a Mac chefs knife.

MAC Chefs Knife - MIGHTY MTH-80 Professional Series Chefs Knife 200mm(7.8Inch)

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How to Mince

Mincing is a fine chop, into very small pieces. This knife cutting technique is best for ingredients very strong in flavor. Mincing ingredients ensures they will disperse evenly throughout your dish. Examples of ingredients that utilize this knife technique are garlic, preserved lemon and ginger.

The best knife for practicing your mincing knife skills is a Damascas steel chef knife.

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How to Chiffonade

Chiffonade is a knife cutting technique used for large leafy greens. It involves you stacking the leaves together and roll them up tightly. With your knife, you can create small “ribbons” of the product with quick, even slices. Chiffonade is a knife skill that could be used for large leaves of kale or swiss chard. You can use this knife cut to create smaller more delicate ribbons of basil or mint as well.

The best knife for practicing your chiffonade knife skills is a Santoku knife.

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How to Julienne

Julienne is a knife skill that creates small “matchsticks”, or long thin strips. These matchsticks are very small, at 1/8 inch in size. Knife cuts this small, also known as “precision cuts”, require the chef’s attention and showcase their skill. For this reason, precision cuts are done with the front portion of the blade. This allows the chef to see what they are doing more clearly. From a julienne, a chef can create a bruinose, which is the smallest dice, and typically used for garnishes.

The best knife for practicing your julienne knife skills is a Nakiri Knife.

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HOW TO IMPROVE KNIFE SKILLS — CHOPPING, DICING, & CUTTING

Mastering chopping, dicing, and cutting knife skills will improve your efficiency when cooking in the kitchen. Almost every chef will recommend that you practice these knife skills with a large bag of potatoes or apples. There is always a concern about food waste when practicing and improving your knife skills. One of my favorite cooking tips and tricks is to use your scraps to create mashed potatoes or apple sauce.

What is the difference between chopping and dicing? Chopping yields a rougher cut of ingredients, whereas dicing yields a more uniform and precise shape. If you were to read a recipe that asked for chopped onion, you would roughly chop to create chunks that are similar in size, but not in shape.

What is the difference between cutting and chopping? The term “cutting” in the culinary world is a verb, not an adjective. You would need more information on how to cut. For example, “cut into fine slices” or “cut into large cubes”.

HOW TO IMPROVE KNIFE SKILLS — HOW TO HOLD A KNIFE

There are many different ways to improve your knife skills, but starting with the correct way to hold a knife is paramount. The safest way to hold a knife is with a pinch grip, which is the way that all chefs hold a knife.

First, grip the knife with your dominant hand, firmly but not too tightly that you end up white-knuckling the blade. A firm grip will maintain control over the blade, minimizing accidents in the kitchen.

Next, “pinch” the blade by placing the spine of the blade in between your thumb and index finger, and holding the blade in between your finger and thumb pads near the heel of the blade. Your remaining three fingers should wrap around the handle of the knife for stability. By utilizing the pinch grip method when learning how to hold a knife, it becomes much easier to improve your knife skills.

All of this to say, be sure to find a chefs knife that works best for you. Test out several knives to see what knife is most comfortable for you to hold. I always love to recommend this chefs knife, as it is made from lightweight Japanese steel and holds a sharp edge.

HOW TO IMPROVE KNIFE SKILLS — HOW TO USE A CHEFS KNIFE

Learning how to use a chefs knife starts with the “three finger knife rule”, which is a safety guideline for knife handling. It helps to minimize the risk of cutting your fingers when using a knife to prep food.

The 3 Finger Knife Rule

First, curl your fingertips slightly on the non-dominant hand to create a bear claw, before bringing your fingertips inwards towards the palm of your hand. Next, position your thumb and pinky finger on either side of the product you are cutting, creating a firm grip and holding the product steady. Finally, bring your knife to your knuckles, using them as a guide for your slices.

Never allow the knife to leave your knuckles. This will maintain control over the path of the knife, creating clean, even knife cuts, improving your knife skills. By following the three finger knife rule, you reduce accidental cuts by keeping your product stable and your fingertips safely out of the way of the blade.

A majority of knife work is done with the middle and back of the blade, because this section of the blade is closest to you. When you use the section of the knife that is closest to you, you have the most control over your knife cuts, creating precise slices.

HOW TO IMPROVE KNIFE SKILLS — HOW TO CUT LIKE A CHEF

Now that we have uncovered the correct way to hold a knife and use a knife like a chef, we get to uncover the mystery of “How do chefs cut so fast?” The answer is simple: because the knife never leaves a chef’s knuckles, the tip of the blade never leaves the cutting board. This allows the chef to cut in a quick rocking motion with the knife.

The rocking motion is propelled with your elbow, which will push the knife forward. The wrist glides the knife up or down, but the shoulders remain steady and squared off, facing forward. Keeping your elbows tucked in and close to your torso allows you to have more control over the knife as well, as you find steadiness in your center of gravity. By combining a rocking motion, pinch grip, three finger knife rule together, you can improve your knife skills and use the knife to cut like a chef.

This all of course takes practice, and may not come as naturally as chefs make it seem to be. However, working towards improving your knife skills can add long-term value to your cooking abilities. Improving your knife skills compounds overtime, by improving efficiency in the kitchen, allowing you to accomplish more in less time. Every home cook’s goal is to enjoy cooking more, and when improving your knife skills becomes easier over time, your will!

HOW TO IMPROVE KNIFE SKILLS Q&A

What should I practice knife skills on?

Most culinary students grab 10 lbs of russet potatoes or apples to practice improving their knife skills on.

How can you develop excellent knife skills?

Focus on technique! Even when attempting to hold the knife with a pinch grip, or utilizing the 3 finger knife rule — if it feels uncomfortable because you are used to holding the knife a different way, keep practicing!

What is the importance of knife skills?

There are many reasons, but knife skills are important for creating efficiency in the kitchen. Good knife skills help you stay safe by holding the knife correctly, as well as creating better tasting and visually appealing food when your ingredients are cut uniformly.

How to practice knife skills without wasting food?

You can practice your knife skills on apples or potatoes, and use that product to make a large batch of mashed potatoes or applesauce. You don’t need to worry about messing up because you can simply cook down everything and either mash or puree it!

What are the 5 basic knife skills?

Slicing, dicing, chopping, mincing, and julienning are the 5 basic knife skills that provide a foundation of all other knife cuts.

What’s the best way to improve knife skills?

The best way to improve knife skills is to practice! You can practice on your own at home, or take a knife skills class with a local chef.

This post is about how to improve your knife skills.

The post How to Improve Knife Skills and Chop Fast Like a Chef appeared first on SophieFoodie.

Whether you are living on your own, with roommates, or with family— cooking at home can be difficult if you don’t have the fundamental culinary knowledge. With these cooking tips and tricks, you can easily transform the way you create delicious dishes when cooking at home.

As a home cook and professional chef myself, you are going to learn the best cooking tips and tricks that can save you time, energy, and money. From the steps taken to prepare your dishes, to the safest way to hold a knife, these cooking tips and tricks will change the way you cook at home forever.

This post is about cooking tips and tricks.

Top Cooking Tips and Tricks

1. Pick an Appropriate Cooking Oil

We have all heard the benefits of cooking with olive oil— how it is a healthy fat, contains lots of antioxidants, and how consuming olive oil has many health benefits. While all of this is true, it is important to know the appropriate time and place to use this oil. High-heat cooking is NOT one of those times.

When sautéing, grilling, searing, or frying, be sure to pick an oil with a high heat tolerance, otherwise known as a high smoke point cooking oil. Avocado oil, grapeseed oil, and canola oil are all fantastic high-temperature cooking oils, as they are colorless, odorless, and generally mild flavored. Avocado oil, in particular, shares a lot of those healthy benefits that olive oil does, and for that reason, it is my personal favorite.

If you do use olive oil for high-heat cooking, keep in mind that olive oil will burn quicker than the oils listed above. When olive oil burns, it releases a chemical called acrolein. Acrolein is created from the combustion of burning oil, has an unpleasant odor, and can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Save your expensive olive oils for salad dressings, baking, and roasting, where your cooking temperatures are lower and cooking times are usually slower.

2. Be Confident Substituting Ingredients

Have you ever been in the middle of cooking dinner and realized that you don’t have enough sour cream that the recipe calls for? Don’t worry— we’ve all been there. But don’t panic! Knowing the appropriate ingredient swaps for cooking can save your dinner. (By the way, I love using Greek yogurt or labneh as a swap for sour cream.)

Sometimes, there isn’t an appropriate ingredient replacement, and that’s okay too! Have the confidence the execute a dish to the best of your ability utilizing your pantry basics to level up the flavor of the dish. Cooking is an art— lean into your creativity to be bold with your dishes! And if it doesn’t work out, count it as a learning experience.

3. Knife Skills

Knife skills are the backbone of every great home cook and chef’s skills. When you are just beginning cooking, it may be a good idea to take a knife skills class, or at least practice your knife skills at home with a 5 lb bag of potatoes or apples (mashed potatoes and applesauce for dayyys).

In addition to practicing your knife cuts, the most important kitchen tip is to practice how to hold a kitchen knife. The pinch grip is the best way to hold a knife, as it is the safest and most efficient way to chop and slice when cooking. Start by pinching the blade with your thumb and pointer finger close to the heel of the blade. Next, wrap your remaining 3 fingers underneath the handle of the knife.

Your other hand should be in a claw, with your pinky and thumb pinching the product you are cutting on either side. Your 3 middle fingers should be tucked underneath themselves, protecting the fingertips. Move the blade of the knife to the knuckles of your non-dominate hand, and chop away!

4. A “Pinch” of Salt

I can not stress this enough— salt is your friend! Seasoning your food in layers is a crucial cooking tip for you to elevate your dish to restaurant level. But what is a pinch of salt? When you see this step in recipes, be sure to grab your salt with all of your fingers and thumb.

A dash of salt is when you grab the salt with your pointer finger and your thumb, which is a much smaller quantity than a pinch. Usually, a dash of salt is more appropriate for baking, when you need to watch your salt levels more carefully.

There are a variety of different salts, and it can be difficult to know what the best salt is for cooking. The best salt for cooking is kosher salt, and by far and away, chefs prefer Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. This kosher salt is flaky and fine, and easy to grab with your fingertips, and you can really feel how much salt you are grabbing. Because the flakes of salt are so fine, it has a high meltability, meaning it can evenly disperse flavor in your food.

5. Tasting as You Go

Just as it is important to season in layers, it is also just as important to taste your food as you go. This way you can self-correct, or adjust the flavor of the food, as it continues to cook, rather than rushing to correct any potential mistake at the end of the cooking process.

Tasting your dish in all of its stages helps you “get to know” your food and understand building flavor, outside of simply just reading the recipe. Keep in mind, that the flavors of the dish will change over time, particularly if you are braising or reducing the liquid in the pan. Flavors become more concentrated over time as the liquid evaporates.

6. “Mise En Place”

“Everything in it’s place” or “Gathering” or “Putting in it’s place”. To be honest with you, all chefs have different interpretations of this french phrase, but the basis is the same. Mise en place is such an easy kitchen hack. Before you begin cooking, you need to PREP. Think of it this way, would you start painting a picture if the colors of paint you intended to use are still in the paint tubes? Would you begin to clean the bathroom if the chemicals are still in the garage? The answer is NO. You simply can not begin the process of cooking without having all the necessary ingredients ready and at your disposal.

Not only is cooking all about timing (ie; sweating the onions for 5 minutes before adding in the wine), but having all the ingredients prepared ahead of time takes the stress out of the cooking process, keeps the kitchen cleaner, and allows you to create dishes quickly and effortlessly. Having your mise en place allows you to focus on the cooking process, instead of stressfully juggling and multi-tasking.

Before you even turn on the stove, you should make sure that all the vegetables are peeled and diced, all your cooking equipment is pulled out of the drawers and cabinets, and your ingredients are measured. I personally also like to have a spare mixing bowl on the counter for trash or food debris so I can clean up as I go.

7. Adjusting the Heat of Your Pan

When cooking ANYTHING on the stove, you will need to pre-heat your pans before adding your ingredients. This is an extremely important cooking tip everyone should know, as it helps your dish cook evenly by equally distributing the heat.

Hold your hand over the top of the pot or pan, about 4 to 5 inches away. I call this the “warm bath water” test. If the heat radiating from the pan feels like a warm bath, then you are ready to cook!

Additionally, you will never cook the entire dish throughout with the same level of heat. Depending on how many ingredients you have added to the pan, or what cooking technique you are doing, you will need to adjust the heat. For example, if you are reducing the liquid in the pan to make a sauce, you may want to have the heat on medium or medium high, rather than a low heat, as reducing a sauce on a low heat may take hours. If you are searing chicken breasts in a pan, you may want to start on a medium heat, but as you add more chicken to the pan, you will need to increase the temperature.

This post was intended to show you cooking tips and tricks that will transform the way you cook at home.

The post 7 Cooking Tips and Tricks for Effortless Cooking at Home appeared first on SophieFoodie.