How to Peel Tomatoes for Sauce
Tomato sauce prepared with whole tomatoes may have a fresher flavor than if it's made with canned tomatoes, but it requires additional work to ensure the best taste possible. While canned tomatoes do not contain peels, fresh tomatoes have peels that have a rough texture that can be distracting or unpleasant tasting in sauces. Since tomato peels are thin and slippery, it can be messy and difficult to remove the peel with your hands or a vegetable peeler, but applying heat and moisture can gently loosen it. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Whole fresh tomatoes
- Large pot
- Slotted spoon
- Large bowl
- 5 ice cubes
- Knife
- Spoon
Instructions
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1
Fill a large pot on your stovetop with water. Set the stove temperature to "high" and heat the water until it starts to vigorously boil.
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2
Fill a large bowl with cold water and add five large ice cubes into the water. Set the bowl side. Place the whole tomatoes right into the boiling water and let them heat for about one minute, just long enough to loosen the skins without cooking the tomato flesh.
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3
Scoop up the boiled tomatoes with a slotted spoon. Place them directly into the bowl of ice water and leave them there for at least five minutes or until they cool down enough for you to comfortably handle.
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4
Grab a tomato and pat it dry with a towel. Rub the outside of the tomato gently with your fingers to loosen it away from the tomato. Then completely pull off the skin and discard it.
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5
Repeat with the remaining tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and use a spoon to remove the inner seeds. Discard the seeds. Chop or otherwise prepare the tomatoes according to your tomato sauce recipe.
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Tips & Warnings
If your tomatoes have thick stems (such as vine ripe tomatoes), use a paring knife to cut around them. Scoop them out before boiling the tomatoes.
Always transfer the boiled tomatoes immediately into the ice water or they will continue heating, even without being in the hot water, and become mushy.
