Tomato skins, when cooked, can taste a little bitter and have the texture of thin plastic. Using peeled tomatoes in recipes creates a smooth richer sauce that preserves their sweet, tangy taste. Canned peeled tomatoes are always an option but I prefer to peel my own using this quick and simple technique especially when, during the summer, fresh tomatoes are available and packed with flavor.
A printable list of directions is at the end of this post.
Step 1: Wash tomatoes and remove their green stems. Using a sharp knife, cut a shallow X on the bottom of each tomato on the side without the stem.
Step 2: Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Set aside.
Step 3: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over a medium flame. Make sure to have enough water in the pot to cover all tomatoes.
Step 4: Gently lower tomatoes, one by one, into the boiling water using a slotted spoon. Boil for 30 secs.
Step 5: One by one, gently transfer tomatoes from the boiling water using a slotted spoon to the bowl of ice water. Set aside for 5 minutes. This process is called “blanching”.
Step 6: Remove tomatoes from the ice water and place in an empty bowl or on a cutting board. The tomatoes should be firm and their skins should be wrinkled and already peeling back.
Step 7: Using your fingers, gently pull back on the corners created by the X to peel back the skins. Use a sharp knife for the pieces of skin that may not peel as easily but be careful not to squeeze the tomatoes too much. You want to preserve their juices.
Once peeled, the tomatoes can be chopped or pureed and are ready for any recipe that calls for a rich tomato sauce. Stay tuned for a recipe!
~Anjali
How To Peel Tomatoes
Ingredients
- A bunch of tomatoes
Directions
- Wash tomatoes and remove their green stems. Using a sharp knife, cut a shallow X on the bottom of each tomato on the side without the stem.
- Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over a medium flame. Make sure to have enough water in the pot to cover all tomatoes.
- Gently lower tomatoes, one by one, into the boiling water using a slotted spoon. Boil for 30 secs.
- One by one, gently transfer tomatoes from the boiling water using a slotted spoon to the bowl of ice water. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Remove tomatoes from the ice water and place in an empty bowl or on a cutting board. The tomatoes should be firm and their skins should be wrinkled and already peeling back.
- Using your fingers, gently pull back on the corners created by the X to peel back the skins. Use a sharp knife for the pieces of skin that may not peel as easily but be careful not to squeeze the tomatoes too much. You want to preserve their juices.
- Once peeled, the tomatoes can be chopped or pureed and are ready for any recipe that calls for a rich tomato sauce.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
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