Photo: SeluGallego (Shutterstock)
Tomato season is upon us. The heirlooms are rolling into famer’s markets and even gardens up in the northern reaches are starting to perk-up with summer’s prized gems. If you’re looking for a quick way to prepare tomatoes for a homemade sauce, a batch of gazpacho, or you’re just not about that tomato skin-life, all you need is an open flame and those tomato skins will come off in no time.
How to peel tomatoes using the stove
This tip is a speedy solution to replace the typical boil-and-peel technique. As recommended by J. Kenji López-Alt at Serious Eats, you just torch them over an open flame. Use a knife to score the bottom of the tomatoes with an “X,” then use some long metal tongs to rotate the tomato over a gas burner on your stovetop. (Keep your hands safe by gripping the tongs with an oven mitt in case the metal heats up.) The heat from the flame will cause the moisture under the skin of the tomato to evaporate, making the skin separate from the meat of the tomato. You can do the same thing with a mini blowtorch too.
Once you’ve torched most of the tomato’s skin, cool it off under cold running tap water. You’ll notice that the “X” has loosened up and maybe even peeled back a little. Use a paring knife to gently peel back the skin starting at that “X” and working your way around the whole tomato.
Tools you might need for torching tomatoes:
Don’t worry if your tomatoes have picked up a little char from the flames—this can add a roasted flavor to your tomatoes. You can even char your tomatoes on purpose and leave bits of the burnt skin behind to amplify that flavor in the finished dish. Try making a smoky tomato salsa or adding those charred tomatoes to a pot of chili.
