Q. While I was working at a restaurant, one of our chefs was burned badly by a fryer. I happened to be in the kitchen when it happened, and the manager screamed, “get me a fresh onion out of the walk-in refrigerator.”
I didn’t ask questions; I just got it. He asked me to cut it in half and give it to him, which I did. He squeezed the fresh onion juice on the chef’s burn. What was amazing is not only that it calmed the awful pain, but also that the burned skin NEVER BLISTERED!
The manager later explained to me that it must be a fresh-cut onion. I proved that later when, in another restaurant, I got burned and I reached for onions that were cut up that morning. That didn’t work, so then I had to cut a fresh onion. Seconds count when it comes to a burn.
That happened back in the 80s and I have sworn by it every time. It always works! Something about the chemical of the onion juice works wonders.
A. Thank you for sharing your experience. We have heard of using cut onion on wasp or bee stings, but not on a burn. First aid for a burn is soaking it in cold water immediately. After that, if the skin is intact, a home remedy such as cut onion might be worth a try. Soy sauce is another kitchen remedy for burns. Obviously, a severe burn requires medical attention.
