Blanch Tomatoes
Blanching tomatoes, or boiling them briefly and then plunging them in icy water, is a technique that makes it easier to peel the tomatoes without turning them to mush. Recipes for tomato soup or sauce often require blanching the tomatoes as a first step. Read on to learn how to blanch tomatoes in no time at all.
- Prep time: 10-20 minutes
- Cook time: 1 minute
- Total time: 10-20 minutes
Contents
Steps
Detailed blanching technique
- Wash the tomatoes. Be sure to remove any dirt or debris on the tomatoes before you cook them.
- Trim the stems. Remove the green stems from the tomatoes, since you won't need those when you boil them.
- Cut an "x" in the bottom of the tomatoes. Making an "x" will allow the heat from the boiling water to enter the tomato and loosen the skin, making it very easy to peel. Use a sharp knife to cut an "x" in the bottom of each tomato you're blanching.
- Boil a large pot of water. Use a pot large enough to hold all of your tomatoes, and fill it about 3/4 of the way full. Salt the water to taste and bring it to a full boil.
- Prepare an ice water bath. Fill a large bowl with water and ice. You'll plunge the tomatoes in the ice bath to keep them from cooking too much after you boil them. This will prevent the tomatoes from getting mushy.
- Submerge the tomatoes in the boiling water. Cook them for 30 seconds.
- Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon. Make sure not to bring a lot of the boiling water with you.
- Plunge the tomatoes in the ice water. Leave them there for 30 seconds.
- Peel away the skin. Use a sharp knife to aid the process, sliding it under the skin and lifting. Be careful not to cut the tomato flesh.
- Finished.
Fast restaurant blanching technique
For a fast approach, try the one used in busy restaurants.
- Throw the tomatoes into boiling water. No need to make cuts, just clean and toss in.
- Boil. Don't cook more than a couple of minutes.
- When the skins start to split, throw them into a sink full of cold water. Adding ice is nice but if you don't have any, just the cold water will suffice.
- Peel when cool. Use as needed.
Warnings
- Make sure the knife you're using is sharp. Sharp knives are safer than dull ones because it requires less force to do the same job so you're less likely to slip and cut yourself. Still be careful and keep your fingers away!
Things You'll Need
- Water
- A large pot
- A medium sized bowl
- Ice
- A sharp knife
- A slotted spoon
