video : Feature
How to Dice an OnionEasy steps to do it safely and neatly |
Getting an onion from its natural state—round, layered, and slightly slippery—to neatly diced is only part of the problem. That other problem—the one that makes us weep, literally—has plenty of solutions. Try leaving the root end intact when you chop, as Regan shows here. A refrigerated onion will hold its juices better, which will stave off your tears. Or perhaps use the only really fail-safe method: goggles.
Associate food editor Regan Burns walks through the steps to dice an onion. Goggles not included.
Why are the horizontal cuts necessary? Because of the layering of the onion, won't the vertical cuts length- and cross-wise suffice to create an even dicing? (Nice video, by the by. All the steps were clear and easy to follow. The scene was well lit and the sound quality good. Thanks!)
Good question, Emma. It's true for that some of the layers, especially the inner layers, the horizontal cuts aren't extremely necessary. But inevitably, you'll end up with some long pieces, especially from the sides of the outer layers, and cutting in horizontally prevents much of that.
Try it without and you'll still get decent dices, but you'll see what I mean. Thanks for commenting!
First, I love the videos; they're very well done. I just wanted to add that although this is the standard taught in culinary schools, I learned another method for dicing an onion from the Zuni Cafe cookbook that I find to be much easier and safer, albeit less uniform. Basically it's the same except you cut off the ends and make the even cuts crosswise. Then you push the slices down flat, (sort of like pushing down standing dominoes) and dice from there. To each their own. ;-)
I recommend using the thinnest blade you have in the kitchen to make the horizontal cuts. You could see in the video where Regan had problems getting the blade far enough into the onion, about half of it got wasted.
Also, it's a good idea to make the difficult horizontal cuts first, then the easy vertical cuts.
while this is the classic way of dicing a onion I find it be the safest and least wasteful. Besides it is faster to cut a large amt. with this technique.
Watching someone put their fingers this much at risk causes a visceral response. The "horizontal cuts" portion is not the way I was taught in a commercial kitchen. Cutting towards your fingers with nothing but the onion to slow the blade down is potentially dangerous. Bracing the onion with your holding hand on top (not holding on the root side) is safer. Use your palm to stabilize the onion with fingers outstretched and completely out of harms way. Alternately the onion can be reoriented so the the horizontal becomes vertical and the cutting board is what sees the edge of the knife and not your sweet finger tips.
Variety is the spice of life and everything, but your video seems like a dangerous technique. Ouch. Is Band Aid a potential advertiser?
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hope embed comments work, otherwise:
http://www.youtube.com/v/2OZaKozSgn0
as per how i was taught according to the french method to achieve a proper dice(yes, there is an actual measurement for a dice)
Thanks for the videos.
FYI, watching Mario Batali on tv as one alternate example, I notice that he doesn't do the horizontal cuts at all.
I do the horizontals myself but I do those first with my fingers gathered above on the top, then the I do the vertical and finally the cross cuts. The area near the stem, I simply chop into small pieces.
I agree with the comment about cutting in, toward your hand as an innappropriate, potentially dangerous technique.
My method is to cut the onion in half, then remove the inedible material (root end) with a small "V" cut. I then segment the half-onion by making (at least) the first outer cuts radially-towards the center. They can all be cut radially, but towards the middle of the onion doesn't matter as much. Those can be cut straight down, if you prefer. With a few radial cuts on each side, there are no thick strips and no need to cut horizontally, or towards your palm.
I then cut perpindicularly, cutting the whole half onion. As I get towards the end, where the onion slivers are hard to hold (with my five fingers) and it is trying to collapse in a pile, I apply light pressure with my fingers, towards the blade, as I cut, to better hold the little pile together as long as I can. When I get to where I cannot hold onto the slivers of onion, I just mince the small remaining amount. This does require (or really helps to have) a sharp, thin blade. I use a Shun Santuko. A wide or dull blade tends to drive the onion apart and cause the slices to dissentigrate. Also, tipping the knife up (handle way up) as you make the first slices through onion, tends to not disturb it as much. The slices tend to stay stuck together better. Thus I am able to remove the root part first. This technique requies a little more skill and deftness of touch and surrounding and containing the slivers might be more difficult for a person with small hands. Again, a really good knife makes it easier.