Beyond Wonderful Barbara Adams: How To Perfect Knife Skills--Mince an Onion, Learn to Cook, Cooking Tips for Beginners and Advanced Cooks

HOW TO
Knife Skills: Mince an Onion

Prepping an onion is a fundamental skill no cook should be without. These instructions cover fine mincing, but the same technique can be applied to create a coarser cut. Just slice the vegetable at larger intervals.

Always use a good quality, professionally sharpened chef’s knife. The horizontal cuts required here are beyond hazardous when performed with a dull knife!


		1. Slice the onion in half from root to tip and peel, leaving the root end in place.

		2. Place half the onion cut-side down on a cutting board. Hold the onion in place with your left (or non-slicing) hand. Curl your fingers under to hold the food securely while protecting your fingertips from cuts. Slice and remove the top end of the onion.

		3. Cut the onion into thin slices from tip to root. Do not cut all the way through the root end, since leaving that portion intact helps hold the vegetable together as you work.

		4. Holding the sliced onion in place with your left hand, very carefully make horizontal slices from tip to root, forming a uniform “grid” of cuts through the vegetable.

		5. Finally, make uniform cuts across the grid to produce finely minced pieces. Use your left-hand fingers to hold the onion in place and to guide your knife as you work, scooting your fingers back across the vegetable with each progressive cut.

		Barbara Adams Beyond Wonderful Cooking Tips and Techniques.