I have tried many different ways to peel an onion without crying, but nothing has been fool proof. I even read where you can buy a pair of goggles to wear just for peeling onions. There has to be an easy way around this un-avoidable problem. My family likes onions in just about everything so I can’t just stop fixing onions. Sometimes, it can burn your eyes so bad that you have to walk away for a few minutes before you can see to continue to slice or dice.
Someone told me one time, while I am slicing onions, to slice them under running water. This has worked for me so far when I am slicing. But the problem starts when I peel the skin. I was watching a television show where they said to soak it for ten minutes in cold water. But first, you have to peel your onion before you can soak it. So that still doesn’t help. Then, I have heard that if you put an unlit match between your teeth while you peel your onion, you will not cry. Also, it has been said that if you put your onion in the refrigerator before you peel it, it will take the cry out. But this doesn’t work either.
I found this tip today:
Hold a metal spoon between your teeth while you peel the onion. It sounded like a pretty silly idea, but I tried it anyway. First of all, I didn’t do anything to the onion. I got it directly out of the bin. Then I put a metal spoon in my mouth, with the handle part in my teeth. I peeled away the skin, and no tears. I then sliced the whole onion and I couldn’t even smell it. I hadn’t shed one tear. It was great.
But I still wasn’t completely sold yet.
My kids love to help me cook. So when they came in from school this afternoon, I let them try it, after they got done laughing at my suggestion. My oldest tried first. He usually refuses to peel an onion because it burns his eyes so bad. He had a little bit of watering but other then that, he was fine. No burning.
Then I let my second to the oldest try it. He had a little more watering of the eyes than my oldest did. But, they both agreed that if I asked them to peel and slice an onion again, they would do it as long as they could put a spoon in their mouth.
Try this trick the next time you have to peel and slice or dice an onion. Let me know if it works for you or if you have other suggestions to share.