How to 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 getting them mushy. Recipes for tomato soup or sauce often require blanching the tomatoes as a first step.
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Ingredients
- Tomatoes
- Salt
- Water
- Ice Cold Water
Method
- Wash the tomatoes. Be sure to remove any dirt on the tomatoes before you cook them.
- Trim the stems. Remove the green stems from the tomatoes.
- With a sharp knife cut an “x” in the bottom of each 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.
- Boil plenty of water in a large pot, enough to hold all of your tomatoes, and fill it about 3/4 of the way full. Add 1 tsp salt to the water 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 stop 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, using a sharp knife to aid the process.
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