Can someone remind me of the technique for chopping onions that avoids stinging, weepy, hurty eyes.

[Slubberdegullion]

Because whilst creating my mega vat of apple chutney this morning, and blinded by the pain and tears whilst onion chopping, I sliced the tip of my thumb off.

And this piglet plaster is doing a rubbish job of containing the blood.

OW!

Er, underwater works, OR shove them in the food processor, espec. if doing in bulk.

Mmmmm, chutney

I leave the root on while I'm chopping them and that seems to do the trick.

Ooh look

hum whilst chopping,

I've heard that you can put them in the freezer for half an hour or so. This freezes the juice which is what causes the tears.

Sorry about your thumb!

My Mum always said: hold a bit of bread in your mouth while you are chopping. It seems to work -- not 100%, but about 85%.

Great link LL

my technique is foolproof
wear contact lenses

Righto, excellent link lapin,
Ta v much to you all.

Next vat I will:

Put onions in freezer

Put on glasses and swimming goggles over the top

Chew gum whilst holding wooden spoon between teeth

Light candle

Boil some water

Hum (probably a harvesty song, we plough the fields and scatter maybe)

Leave root on

Have run out of contacts. Might put on my mothers massive 70's sunglasses though.

Swimming goggles. You look ridiculous but pain free. I find it is the only way, but I am very suseptible to onions (and any related items, even leeks ).

Or buy ready chopped from the supermarket

Slubs - and please take a photo for us while you are doing all that

It's triple eye ball protection then

glasses, swimming goggles and 70's sun glasses (or a combo of the above that fits and allows me to actually see the onion).

Very sharp knofe & goggles

I will have plenty of opportunity to test all the suggestions.

Each mega vat requires (amongst other things) 2kg of apples and 6 onions.

I have sitting in my garage a massive (fit a badger corpse in) size of eski, and 3 buckets full of cooking apples. This first batch used up one third of a bucket.

Any one want some apple chutney? There's plenty going spare.

I'll trade you for a bucket of sweet chestnuts - I have 2 (buckets). Marron glace, here we come!

If you don't wear contact lenses you can make some by cutting little circles out of cling-film and putting them on your eyeballs.

lol Boco, v. Viz

I'll leave the cling film contacts as a final resort I think.

mmm to sweet chestnuts, harvested by your own fair hand lapin?

i think you're supposed to do it next to a running cold tap. can't see why that'd help though...

Lady, maybe the downward water catches the upward shooting acidy onion micro droplets.

Would mostly make me want to have a pee that one.

I'm intrigued about the wooden spoon/slice of bread in mouth. I have no idea how that one works.