Chopping Onions

Onions. They're a staple. They belong in almost every meal. Caramelized. Pureed. Cooked down to the bare essence. Raw. Pickled. Because they're so... prevalent, I thought it prudent to make a little video showing how to cut them. See below...

This may just seem like chopping really fast - sure - but it's more than that. It's important to remember three key things: Pinch grip, knuckle guide, fold when the onion is taller than it is wide. From there the speed will come naturally.

So to break it down:

1) The Pinch Grip: I feel that the pinch grip makes the knife an extension of your hand. You're not holding the knife, you are the knife. BE THE KNIFE. No but seriously, you need to do this for the best possible control over

yaw, pitch, roll, just like a plane.

2) Knuckle Guide: Pretty simple- with your fingertips tucked under (as in the video above). they provide the height guide. Knife against the knuckles to tell you where to cut. Move guide hand to control size of cut.

3) Topple the Tower: This one is obvious. When you're at the point where the onion is taller than wide, fold it down so the opposite is true. This helps you maintain quality and your skin.

Extras

Sharp knife. Think that sharp is safe - especially at speed. The technique above can be used on other vegetables as well. But if the knife is blunt, its more prone to slipping and cutting not the vegetable, but you.

Don't think speed, think rhythm. Hear the sound of your cuts, the knife hitting the board and start a beat. Focus on that, not moving fast. The better the rhythm, the easier you're able to speed it up.