Peel a Mango
Mangoes are tropical fruits that are enjoyed all over the world. Whether you're eating the mango by itself or putting it in a salad or a main course, you need to peel it correctly first. Follow these steps for peeling a mango in a few easy ways.
Contents
Steps
Peeling a Mango with a Knife
- Position the mango vertically on a cutting board. Hold the stem with one hand. It should be on top.
- Use a very sharp knife to make a shallow cut under the skin of the mango from its top. Hold the knife steadily with your free hand.
- Slice off a thin strip of mango skin, cutting away from your body. Slice the strips toward the cutting board.
- Try to make thin and shallow cuts to avoid leaving too much mango flesh on the skin.
- Repeat the process until you have stripped the mango of its skin. Then, cut off any remaining skin.
Peeling a Mango with a Vegetable Peeler
- Put the mango on a cutting board.
- Use the vegetable peeler to remove slices of mango skin until the skin is almost gone. Use the vegetable peeler to remove the skin off the mango just as you would to take the skin off a cucumber.
- Hold on to the top or sides of the mango and cut thin slices away from your hand.
- Once you've peeled the mango successfully, only the skin on the top and bottom should remain.
- Use a knife to cut off the top and bottom of the mango.
Peeling a Mango by Hand
- Pick a mango to peel that is already ripe. You can easily find the ripe ones by touching or smelling them. Perfectly ripe mangoes are slightly soft and give off a sweet, fruity aroma.
- This technique will only work if the mango is incredibly soft.
- Put the mango on a cutting board. This will help you avoid making a mess as you peel the fruit.
- Find the mango's stem end. Your mango may not still have an actual stem, but you shouldn't have any trouble seeing where it used to be. The stem end is a short black nub on one of the poles of the fruit.
- Slowly remove a section of its peel. If the by-hand method is still not working, use a knife to cut into the flesh, and then use your hand to peel it off.
- When you're peeling the mango, try to take off full chunks. Don't allow small pieces of your mango to tear off or cling to the fruit.
- If you have trouble separating the mango from the skin, just remove the mango from the peel with your teeth, and enjoy its taste.
- Rotate the mango and peel off another side. You can rotate it to the left or right side, whichever you prefer, as long as you are able to take off long strips of its peel.
- If your hands get slippery from the juice and it's difficult to hold the mango, wipe them off on a paper towel periodically.
- Peel away any skin that remains on the mango. Hold the mango carefully to avoid squishing or damaging any delicate peeled parts.
- You should now have a peeled mango. Insert a fork so that you can eat your mango without getting juice all over yourself.
- You can eat the mango whole, or cut slice it into a bowl and eat it with a fork.
Tips
- You'll know when a mango is ripe because it will be soft and will give to your touch, just as an avocado or pear would.
- Always remember to wash the mango before you peel or cut it.
- Learn to eat a mango in a variety of foods. You will love mango even more once you appreciate how versatile it is.
- The skin of the mango can get stuck in your teeth, so be prepared to floss after you eat it. This is especially true of the skin near the pit.
- If the mango is a reddish orange, it is most likely ripe.
Things You'll Need
- Ripe mango
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Vegetable peeler (optional)
