No Cry Onion Cutting Tip

First cone out the root core. Flickr/MShades

We go through a bunch of onions at the BBQ Tricks test kitchens and we’re always looking for ways to keep from embarrassing ourselves in front of other good ole boy barbecue cook teams.   So we’ve been wondering if there was an easy way to avoid crying every time we cut an onion.

Lots of suggestions out there. You can wear swim goggles (and some do) or chop in front of a fan or cut under water… probably works.  We’ve even heard that clenching a smoking wooden match stick in your front teeth helps (kinda embarrassing) .   but when we saw this old Life Hacker post it got our attention.

The idea is suggestion is to avoid the toxic fumes you first  just cut out the root end in a cone.    That’s where the “gland” for the toxic fumes are.  Make the cut about a third of the diameter of the onion and about a third deep.  Once it’s out dispose of it immediately and get to choppin’ like “normal.

Other suggestions include  are using milder onions (like a sweet onion from Vidalia, Georgia) or wiping you knife with lemon juice before cutting.

BS?   Do you have a  way that works for you?  Share with us in the comments below.