What is the recommended method to chop an onion evenly?

Question

To chop an onion evenly, slice it vertically, then horizontally, finishing with crosswise cuts.

Answer 1

The recommended method to chop an onion evenly involves halving it, making horizontal cuts almost to the root, then vertical cuts, and finally chopping across to create uniform pieces.

Detailed Explanation:

Chopping an onion evenly ensures consistent cooking and flavor distribution. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Prepare the Onion: Peel the onion, leaving the root end intact. The root helps hold the onion together during chopping.

2. Halve the Onion: Cut the onion in half from the stem end to the root end.

3. Make Horizontal Cuts: Place one half flat-side down on the cutting board. Make several horizontal cuts into the onion, stopping about 1/4 inch from the root end. The number of cuts depends on how fine you want the chop.

4. Make Vertical Cuts: Now, make vertical cuts from the stem end towards the root end, again stopping about 1/4 inch from the root. The spacing of these cuts determines the size of the dice.

5. Chop Across: Finally, holding the onion firmly, chop across the onion from the stem end towards the root end. The pre-cut grid will create evenly sized pieces.

6. Repeat: Repeat the process with the other half of the onion.

Pro Tip:

To minimize tearing up while chopping onions, chill the onion in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before chopping. This slows down the release of the irritating compounds.