Slicing an onion

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zuludog

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I like to think that I'm a reasonable cook, but for years I've never managed a neat or professional way to slice an onion, I usually just hack away at it till it looks right

Well, I was determined to have something useful to show for the Lockdown, so after looking at a cookery book, and several YouTube videos I've been practising whenever I cook a suitable meal, based on Gordon Ramsay's method.
After 6 weeks or so I reckon I've cracked it, and can only get better in the future

One thing that helped was to use a smaller knife
When you see professional chefs on TV and YouTube they use large chef's knives, probably around 10"/250mm
Even though I think I'm fairly capable at handling a knife I swallowed a bit of manly pride & image, and changed to a 6"/150mm blade; that made it much easier.
Needless to say, it was very sharp
 
I think different recipes call for different slicing techniques. For onion rings, obviously, you've to to slice them across the equator, so to speak, but for French onion soup, the preference seems to be more pole-to-pole, in order to get onion "ribs."
 
TastyReuben said:
but for French onion soup, the preference seems to be more pole-to-pole, in order to get onion "ribs."
Click to expand...

I never knew that!

zuludog said:
When you see professional chefs on TV and YouTube they use large chef's knives, probably around 10"/250mm
Click to expand...

I use a large knife, super sharp. And I use the chefs method of gripping the onion half with knuckles bentforward to protect fingertips. I've been doing it for years now but still I'm not anywhere near the speed of professionals.

zuludog - do you have a video link to the method you are using?
 
I also use a large chef's knife for most slicing/dicing/chopping tasks. I find that gripping up close to the heel gives me a lot more control for more precise work.
 
zuludog - do you have a video link to the method you are using?
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Sorry, but my computer skills are even worse than my cooking, and I don't know how to post a link

But Search YouTube for 'how to slice an onion' and there are lots of videos. I watched several and they were all worthwhile

The one I used mainly was -
'How to finely chop an onion - Gordon Ramsay' by Gordon Ramsay

The onions I was using were small. I think I would have found it easier if I'd used larger Spanish onions, which also tend to come apart more easily
 
Ah, I took it you wanted to slice an onion, not chop/dice one.

Either way, for chopping/dicing, that's what I do, except I palm the top of the onion and make the horizontal cuts first.
 
morning glory said:
I never knew that!
Click to expand...

Yes, I was half watching an ode to Julia yesterday, and the onion rib method was how she cut them for French onion soup. Apparently, the onions aren't as apt to fall apart when caramelizing. Quite a few well known chefs were making commentary on her and clips of The French Chef (all very positive BTW).
 
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medtran49 said:
Yes, I was half watching an ode to Julia yesterday, and the onion rib method was how she cut them for French onion soup. Apparently, the onions aren't as apt to fall apart when caramelizing. Quite a few well known chefs were making commentary on her and clips of The French Chefs (all very positive BTW).
Click to expand...
Sara Moulton (another non-celebrity chef whom I hold in high regard) likes to tell a story about how she recommended someone to work for/with Julia Child, and after this person had spent the day with Julia, Sara asked if she'd be hiring her.

"No, I don't think so..."

"Really?!?! Why not?!"

"Well, dear, she sliced the onions wrong..."

:laugh:

Love JC! ❤
 
morning glory said:
Are you using a pc? I will PM you some instructions. Its easy!
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Yes, I have a PC. It's one of my son's cast offs, and it's getting a bit tired and clunky
I should really try to catch up, and I think that when the shops are open again I'll just get something new with the latest Windows, and a couple of For Dummies/For Seniors books
 
I too use rib cut for onion bhajees, and pretty much dice everything else. I cut in half like video above then I cut opposite way then dice, I never do the horizontal slicing as above. I get perfect diced onions. I saw on a cooking show years ago, that you need to perfect diced onions in exact squares. I do pretty well with mine. My mum was a lefty, she couldn't cut straight to save herself. I've always been aware of cutting bread straight, my mums used to be on a 30 deg angle, she was a shocker, god rest her.

Russ
 
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