How to Peel a Tomato

It took me years to figure out how to properly and easily peel a tomato.  Once I learned how, though, it's been smooth sailing ever since!  Last weekend, I peeled and chopped 25 pounds of tomatoes in about 2 hours.  This method is tried and true--and can be used for other produce too.  I peel peaches and nectarines with the same method. 

First you need to clean your tomatoes.  Once you've done that, score a shallow "X" in the bottom of the tomato.  You want to break the skin, but not go so far as to make juices squirt out.

Then place a few tomatoes into a large pot of boiling water.  Let them boil for about 30 seconds to one minute.  You just want the skin to start peeling away where you scored the tomato.

This is about what it should look like:

Once the skin starts to peel, remove the tomatoes with a large slotted spoon to a large bowl full of ice water.  Let the tomatoes sit for a few minutes until they are completely cooled--this will stop the cooking.

At this point, the skins should slide right off, leaving you with perfectly beautiful and peeled tomatoes!

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