The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

(Nandana) #1

—perhaps if I’d used an unreasonably small amount
of onion in an unreasonably large container it would
have diluted it more efficiently. Air-drying led to
milder flavor, but also to dried out onions and a
papery texture.
The best method turned out to be the fastest and
easiest: just rinse away all those extra-pungent
compounds under running water—warm water. The
speed of chemical and physical reactions increases
with temperature. Using warm water causes onions
to release their volatile compounds faster—about 45
seconds is enough to rid even the most pungent
onions of their kick.
The next question on your mind might be, but
doesn’t hot water make the onion go all limp?
Nope. Even if you use the hottest tap water, it
generally comes out at around 140° to 150°F or so.
Pectin, the main carbohydrate “glue” that holds
plant cells together, doesn’t break down until around
183°F. There are other bits of the onion that, given
enough time, will begin to soften at hot tap water
temperatures, but it takes a long, long time.
Don’t worry, your onions are safe here.

Free download pdf