Rachael Ray's Simple 2-Step Hack Cuts Onions In A Snap
Right up there with grating cheese or mincing garlic, chopping onions is arguably one of the most-hated cooking tasks. Not only is it tedious and slightly treacherous — who hasn't almost sliced their finger when trying to dice an onion? — it also makes you cry. We aren't just talking about tears of frustration. We're also talking about tears that are caused by the release of synthase, a chemical compound that mixes with the sulfur in an onion and creates a gas that irritates the gland in your eyes that forms tears (via Self). It's annoying and can even be painful, which you know if you've ever experienced a burning sensation while cutting an onion.
While crying is unfortunately just part of onion chopping, Rachael Ray has an easy solution for dicing the pungent veggie. The celebrity chef and cookbook author recently shared what she calls "a 'Ta-Da!!' two-step trick for perfectly sliced onions every time" on Instagram. It's something worth trying, especially since a OnePoll survey in 2020 found that 67% of Americans who learned new cooking hacks say those skills stuck with them (via People). Here's how Rachael recommends cutting an onion.
Rachael Ray demonstrated her onion hack on Instagram
If you've ever struggled to slice an onion, Rachael Ray is here to help. On Instagram, she posted a video of her two-step secret. "Slice through, cut the end off, and you have a sliced onion!" Rachael says in her quick clip. Essentially, she cuts through the onion in a way that leaves a bit attached at the root so it doesn't fall apart. After she's finished, she chops off the root and is left with perfect slices (you can use the same hack for dicing, as well). People are big fans of Rachael's trick. "Million dollar lesson," one person commented, while another dubbed the chopping hack a "game changer." Note that the blogger behind A Couple Cooks recommends slicing parallel to the root end for the easiest cutting.
As for the worst part of cutting an onion — which, of course, is the tears — Rachael says there's really no way to actually prevent it, but that you can use it to your advantage. "If you look all teary, people are going to want to help you and do the dishes for you!" she previously explained on the "Rachael Ray Show. Now that's some advice we can work with!