Culinary tearjerker (5)
I believe the answer is:
onion
'culinary tearjerker' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for onion that I've seen before include "Alliaceous plant" , "Cause of tears" , "Tear-jerking bulb" , "One may be set" , "Type of allium" .)