Yesterday I posted a recipe for matbucha, a Moroccan cooked tomato salad. When making this salad with fresh tomatoes (rather than canned), you want to use peeled tomatoes. After I posted the recipe, I suddenly thought I should post a little tutorial on how to peel tomatoes. You can’t exactly use a potato peeler, especially if they’re very ripe or soft. There are three easy ways to peel a tomato (that I know about), so I thought I’d write up a quick “how to” post. I’ve written the instructions and posted step-by-step photos below. With tomato season starting soon, it’s a helpful thing to know how to do.
So, why peel a tomato? Tomato skins, when cooked slowly in liquid or sauce, tend to separate from the soft tomato flesh. This can create a stringy, unappealing texture in an otherwise lovely sauce. Here are three simple ways you can peel a tomato. All of them are easy-peasy and take less than a minute per tomato.
In a few days, I’ll do a post about seeding tomatoes and another about roasting them– both are useful techniques to have under your belt. Can you tell I’ve got tomatoes on the brain? I’m really looking forward to the warm weather coming back. I can almost smell those fresh, ripe, sweet tomatoes at the farmer’s market…
How to Peel Tomatoes
Ingredients
- Tomatoes
Gas Flame Method
- Gas stovetop
- Fork
Boiling Water Method
- Pot of water
- Large bowl of ice water
- Sharp knife
- Slotted Spoon
Knife Method
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
Instructions
Gas Flame Method
- Using a gas flame is the easiest way to peel tomatoes, in my opinion. It also produces the best results. You will need a gas stovetop and a fork.
- Remove any stems that are still attached to your tomatoes. Rinse the tomatoes clean and pat dry. Spear the tomato with a fork at the top, where the stem core is visible.
- Turn the stovetop flame to medium-high. Hold the tomato an inch over the flame, turning slowly, until the skin begins to split and blister. It should take about 15-25 seconds for the skin to loosen all the way around the tomato. Don't hold it over the flame too long or it will start to cook the tomato.
- Place the tomato on a smooth surface and let it cool off enough for you to comfortably touch it. Begin peeling the skin where it split, making your way all around the tomato till all the skin is peeled off.
- Discard the skin and proceed with your recipe.
Boiling Water Method
- The boiling water method is useful for when you have a large batch of tomatoes to peel. You can process 3-4 tomatoes at a time using this method.
- Place a pot of water on the stove and let it come to a rolling boil. Place your bowl of ice water next to the stove so it is easily accessible. Rinse your tomatoes clean and remove any stems that are still attached.
- Using a sharp knife, slice a shallow X into the bottom of the tomato (opposite the stem side).
- Gently place the tomatoes into the boiling water. If you have several tomatoes, boil them in batches of 3-4 at a time.
- Boil the tomatoes until you see the X begin to split open wider, or for 25 seconds, whichever comes first. Do not boil them for longer than 25-30 seconds or they will begin to soften and cook.
- Remove the tomatoes immediately from the boiling water using a slotted spoon.
- Place the tomatoes directly into the bowl of ice water and let them cool off. This will help to stop any "cooking" that has started.
- Remove the tomatoes from the ice water. Begin peeling the skin at the X, pulling the skin back gently.
- Not much tomato flesh should come off with the skin-- if the flesh comes off or the tomato seems soft/mushy, you've cooked it a bit too long. Try cooking it for a shorter time on the next round.
- Discard the skin and proceed with your recipe.
Knife Method
- This is my least favorite method for peeling tomatoes because you can end up discarding some tomato flesh no matter how good you are with a knife. However, it's the only method that doesn't involve heating the tomatoes. I'm including it so you have all the options. Rinse your tomatoes and pat them dry. Slice the tomatoes into large wedges.
- Work with one tomato wedge at a time. Place a wedge on a cutting board, seed side facing up, skin side facing down. Press the tomato wedge firmly to the board to keep it stable. Using a sharp knife, starting at one tip of the wedge, slice the skin away from the tomato flesh. Keep the knife as close to the skin as possible, so you're slicing off the skin only and not slicing off the flesh of the tomato.
- Work your way from one tip of the tomato wedge to the other, until all the skin is removed from the wedge.
- Discard the skin and proceed with your recipe.
Thank you for this! After unsuccessfully trying to peel a tomato with a potato peeler, I googled “how to peel a tomato” and your page popped up. Have just successfully used the boiling method and it worked perfectly.
Thank you thank you thank you this is just the best !!!!
Fourth best way. Freezing!
Very helpful, and the stovetop boil-and-blanch method worked like a charm. Thank you so much!
Thank you, very clear & helpful!
I was so pleased to find her ideas for peeling fresh tomates! I will be back to check her recipes and tips out.
Quarter size chunks of tomatoes, seeded, fermented 2 days with a small amount of raw Kraut juice. You can lift the peels of with your fingers. I put chopped onions and a spoon full of cumin in mine when ferment.
Thank you, Tori. I am 68 yrs and learning to cook all over again since my husband was diagnosed with diverticulitis a few months ago and nearly had surgery. This is a tremendous help because he likes tomatoes and we raise a lot of them on our little farm.
My stepdad went through diverticulitis. Not fun!! Hope he feels better now.
Tori – My mother in law taught me another way to peel the tomaotes I wanted to share with you. You need only your clean and dry tomato and a paring knife. While holding the tomato, rub the blade of the paring knife over the skin of the tomato. Don’t cut through the skin, just rub the blade over it with the blade turned slightly to the side. The skin appears darker after rubbing the knife over it. After going over the entire tomato, break through the skin and the rest will peel off nicely!
Great tip Susan, thank you for sharing!
I did this and it worked perfectly! I’ve always done the boiling method. This was faster with and didn’t require a pot of water or an ice bath. Less mess! Thanks for sharing!
I used to throw the skins away, not anymore.
Tomato skins contain lycopene, it attacks free radicals in our bodies..
Instead, I drain the removed skins, place them on dehydrator trays, season with seasonings,and dehydrate til crisp.
I then grind them, place the powder in glass jars.
I use that all winter for soups, stews, stir fries, sandwiches, etc.
Nothing wasted that way.?
Great idea Susan!
thanks! and especially for including the one without flames. even though i wasted some, it’s the easiest psychologically