Pleas teach me how to chop an onion

[squashyhat]

I have rheumatoid arthritis so limited dexterity in my hands and no cheffy knife skills. I'm also left-handed if that makes a difference. I cannot chop an onion without bits going all over the work surface and floor, the knife skidding every which way despite being kept sharpened and bits of skin (both mine and the onion's) ending up in the pot. After 30 years of cooking I admit defeat - how do you do it?

Chopping onions is my most hated kitchen task. So I don't. I buy frozen chopped onion instead.

This is what you need.

It has changed my life!

Frozen chopped onion here too, it's brilliant!

Frozen chopped onion is the answer. Life's too short.

My way is sacrilege, but easy.

I chop the top and bottom end off the onion so it's flat each end. Balance it on the flat end to chop straight down the middle.

Then I place one half flat on the board with its 'insides' touching the board if that makes sense. Cut all the way through right to left a couple of times then top to bottom all the way along. All cuts vertical.

Does that make any sense?

I do what batteries does too.
I have seen combs similar to the product linked above being recommended though.

Having a super sharp knife helps a lot too. You don't have to use any pressure, it just slides through.

i do similar to batteriesallgone

top and tail, try not to cut too much off the root, cut in half from top to bottom, lay cut side down and then I slice into really fine half moons, and then once that half is done smoosh the half moons flat and then cut through them to give pieces

repeat for other side

use a big board, and a big knife....don't prat about with a teeny veg knife, you want a proper chef style knife.

I have a mini chopper as linked above
It's brilliant for anything, I hate chopping onions and just chop them in half and throw them in. Takes seconds
Good for making salsa and chopping carrots and garlic etc too

Another one here for bags of frozen chopped onions, and garlic and spinach! Slow cooker cooking is so simple these days.

OP I'm about to start cooking. Do you want me to take pictures? Or is it a method you've tried that doesn't work for you?

Ooh lots of ideas thanks. Batteries I have tried that method and get the right to left cuts ok. It's when I do the right angled verticals that it all goes to pot and the knife and onion skid all over the place. I promise you it's super-sharp - my DH does a lot of cooking and works the sharpener like a good 'un. Actually I may have just answered my own question...

that's why i don't do the right to left cuts.....it all goes to pot then as the structural integrity of the onion is shot to shit!

do the half moons and then run the knife through to chop them

You could make the right to lefts not all the way to one end. So the onion is still anchored together at that end. Then chop up to that point and either throw that bit of end away or put it on its side and chop it separately.

Best to keep the root end on when chopping as it stops all the layers separating out and gives you something to hold onto.

1 chop top off and cut in half down the vertical centre of the onion
2 peel skin and one outer layer off each half leaving root on
3 put flat cut edge on to board, make several small vertical cuts
4 chop horizontally til you reach the root end (discard root)
5 chop other half in the same way

Ahaah! Just watched the Jamie tutorial and read Glitterspy's post and realised I've been missing an essential step - the horizontal cuts! Plus I'm using a sort of sawing action rather than a straight down chop and fiddling around with the root end rather than just chucking it. Off to purchase several kilos of onions to practice - will report back

for most things, I don't find that there is any need to do the vertical chopping as the fact that the onion has layers takes care of the size of the chopped pieces. Also, wearing contact lens while chopping really helps with prevent the eyes from watering but as others have said, the very best thing is to buy frozen chopped onions

I'm lost now. Squashy I'm going to need you to post pictures.

Surely horizontal cuts are a recipe for slips and cuts... am afraid to attempt!

Batteries it's in the JO video. I guess you would only bother if you wanted really fine pieces. Anyway I tried it and it worked much better but the restricted movement in my fingers does mean it's hard to hold the onion steady, so I might look for some sort of pronged chopping board if such a thing exists. I think a heavier knife would also help me chop more cleanly without sawing.

Thanks to everyone for your help and suggestions

I have just remembered I used to have one of these which helped hold the onion steady. www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetable-Stainless-Slicing-Kitchen-Cutting/dp/B00V8CBAIK?tag=mumsnetforum-21 Not sure what happened to it so may well get another one.

Batteries if you don't need superfine chopped onions just skip the horizontal cuts. The onion bits will still be quite small.

I often joke that how to dice an onion is one of the few things I learnt at school which I use on a day to day basis.

I cut the top off the onion, leave the root end as this holds the onion togethe. Cut it in half vertically and then make vertical slits not all the way up to the root end. Then slice.

Except I don't do this anymore as i buy frozen chopped onions like many PPs! :o