important tips from Anthony Bourdain for slicing onions

Chopping onions is one of those skills that always sets professional cooks apart from the rest of us hobbyists. Chefs are able to work quickly and easily. It’s one of those things that can make you cry, especially in your own kitchen. Not only will the chemical release of onions make you cry, but a simple accident with a knife on a chopping board can cause a severe cut that will make you cry uncontrollably.

There are many tutorials and instructions available that provide guidance and support. Anthony Bourdain is to add to the overall calm and stress-free look. The late chef and broadcaster shared some onion cutting tips that focus on minimizing the chance of damage when slicing alliums efficiently.

When chopping an onion, a common mistake made by home cooks is to try to hold the onion still by extending the fingers and thumb. However, this can be dangerous as it makes it easy to cut yourself with a sharp object. Instead, Bourdain suggests using a time-tested technique used by expert chefs, which involves curling the fingers and tucking the thumb at an angle to protect it from the blade. this hand The position means you can rotate the vegetable as needed, but it always keeps precious digits away from the sharp edge of the blade.

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Anthony Bourdain Advises A 45-Degree Angle And Curled Fingers

Anthony Bourdain started by peeling an onion, cutting off the top and bottom, and halving it to create a stable base on a cutting board while he was making a recipe on the Travel Channel. Then he places his hand in what the culinary world calls a “bear grip,” with his thumb tucked in and his fingers turned at a 45-degree angle.

Cutting the onion from top to bottom, almost but not all the way to the root—which Bourdain preserves whole—is the chef’s method of placing it firmly, cut side down. After slicing the vegetable in half horizontally, he flipped it over and cut it again, this time into medium dice. Maintaining a 45-degree angle, with bent fingers and a thumb that is kept out of the way is important.

When cutting, the knuckles of your hand contact the knife in the Bourdain method, which is used by chefs. When chopping, slicing or cubing vegetables for recipes, this significantly reduces the chance of major injury. Moreover, it Especially reducing the chance of “some serious damage” like amputation of the thumb. The worst thing is that the hand holding the onion can cut the skin between the upper and middle knuckles.

Other Top Tips To Slice Onions Like A Pro

First things first: If you want to cut vegetables like onions effectively, you need a sharp knife. A sharp knife makes cutting easier and reduces the chance of the blade slipping while cutting. Plus, since well-placed blades work more effectively, chances of watery eyes are reduced. A whetstone or sharpener is a simple technique for sharpening knives and avoiding onion-induced nicks while maintaining blade sharpness.

According to Anthony Bourdain, how can I improve my onion cutting skills? As he says on YouTube, “Practice, practice, practice, practice, practice,” the late chef advises to grab some cheap onions or other firm vegetables, like turnips, and keep practicing the method until you’re an expert.

After chopping onions, whether they are sliced, diced or minced, it is best to use them immediately. However, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to four days in an airtight container that is sealed if you want to make a batch ahead of time or have a lot left over after practicing cutting.

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