Onions

Put your onions in the freezer for about 10 minutes before slicing.

I'm pretty sensitve to them too, and the goggle idea is sounding better and better! I saw an ad for onion goggles in a magazine just today, and immediately thought of this thread!

It's worth it!  It is a bit weird because my eyes feel fine, but I get that weird tingle in my nose from the fumes.  My brain has a hard time figuring out how to deal with it, but I can chop onions without having to practically hose off my face to get the fumes out of my eyes!

YAY!  Did you just put the whole onion in the freezer without peeling it or did you peel it and split it first (I would think this would make the freezer stink of onions)?

No, I just put all my onions (whole and unpeeled) in the ice box (I call the fridge an ice box) overnight. I will be keeping them in there from now on. I got room I can keep several onions in there. The freezer? Ain't got room for anything in there.

It's worth it!  It is a bit weird because my eyes feel fine, but I get that weird tingle in my nose from the fumes.  My brain has a hard time figuring out how to deal with it, but I can chop onions without having to practically hose off my face to get the fumes out of my eyes!

Funny that, I didn't tear up but my I DID get that tingle thing going on in my nose which indicates my eyes should have been gushing but they didn't even get moist. I was pleasently surprised when that's all I got.

Put your onions in the freezer for about 10 minutes before slicing.

That'd be a good idea but I tend to forget things. But worth knowing for the future.


Again thanks for all the tips and advice. It's great.

Well I just chopped up some onions that had been stored in the ice box.

And NO TEARS!!!!! Unreal. I am impressed.

No silver spoons (doesn't suit my class  ), no goggles, no fancy practical choppers, just me, a chopping board and the onions. YEA!

Yay!  So glad it worked for you.   

Just to say I am still keeping 4-5 onions in the ice box (fridge) and I have not had one  single ity bity tear!!!
I am truly amazed. I have reduced any preparation time by at least 10-15 minutes by not crying and having to stop and regroup.

IT'S GREAT!!  Thanks historyenne!

I always keep onions in the fridge (mainly because they tend to go bad quicker out of the fridge) and never have a tear. I can remember having bad reactions when I lived at home (with my parents) but not since I've lived on my own. I never realized that was the trick! I've also heard (from Alton Brown) to rinse onions under the tap once you cut it in half (getting ready to chop it). That gets rid of a lot of the offending juices apparently.

Anyone have any suggestions for chopping chiles while we are at it? They make my throat itch when I chop them, oddly enough, it gives me sort of a tickly cough and need to clear my throat. I should really start wearing gloves, too, as my fingers always burn for days after I touch a chile, no matter what kind it is. I guess I'm just really sensitive to them, even though I like to eat them! 

I forget where I saw this (some cookery program), but it really works.

If you put a stainless steel teaspoon in your mouth, and hold it in there while you chop--no tears!!

A closed safety pin works as well.