skip to main content

Do I have to take the skin off tomatoes?

15 years ago

This is my first year with a garden, and I have tomatoes coming out of my ears. I want to make some spaghetti sauce, and found several recipes online. Some here:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,canned_spaghetti_sauce,FF.html

and 1 on the pick-your-own website. My question is - do I really have to peel the tomatoes? I've got a million things going on at the moment and lots to do and don't necessarily feel like taking those extra steps - but I will if its absolutely necessary? Also, some recipes say to squeeze all the juice out of the tomates, and some don't.... what gives with that?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

digdirt2
15 years ago
You'll regret it if you don't remove them, sorry. See previous discussions on this linked below.

Also, please be sure you are using a tested and safe canning recipe. Many on the net are NOT safe recipes for canning. Use the approved recipe in the Ball Blue Book or the one from NCHFP the National Center for Home Food Processing. There are also many recipes here that a search will pull up.

The recommendation for pre-squeezing is so you will have a thicker sauce. It gets rid of much of the water in the fruit up front and can save you lots of time in cooking down the sauce.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Why remove tomato skins discussions...
0
karen_b
15 years ago
Pressed for time...as the tomatoes ripen throughout the summer try the following. Wash the tomatoes, cut off the stem end and any blemishes, cut in half lengthwise, squeeze out as much seed & juice as you can (but you can skip this), place in a gallon size ziplock bag and freeze until you have time to make sauce. Continue these steps until the season is over. Then when you have time to make your sauce thaw the tomatoes in the fridge, then drain in a colander, then cook tomatoes until soft (so straining will be easier) and strain through a food mill and make your sauce per recipe.

I've been making tomato sauce like this for years
0
Related Discussions
Why do my tomatoes skin look wrinkled?
Q
Comments (3)
I googled "mountain fresh tomatoes" and found a photo of the fruits at a commercial site. They look to be a smooth fruit on a hybrid plant, so my own guess would be your skins may be wrinkling from either overwatering or inconsistent watering. Is that a possibility?
...See More
Freeze favas raw with the skin on? Skin off? Cooked?
Q
Comments (8)
I have grown lots of varieties over the years. For Autumn sowing it's usually Aquadulce Claudia, or a version therof. For Spring sowing I've grown Witkiem major and Witkiem manita, Masterpiece Green Longpod, Bunyards Exhibition, Dreadnought and Jubilee Hysor. I've not grown any of the Windsors (of which there are several kinds). Favas (broad beans over here) are widely grown and maybe there are more to choose from here. To eat them at their best and without skinning the beans need to be small - no bigger than your thumbnail preferably. And the pods should be bright green and soft with the beans only just discernable through the skin. Here is a link that might be useful: Info on broad beans
...See More
Skins on or skins off?
Q
Comments (12)
I leave the peel on if I'm making the salad for us here at home. If you simmer the potatoes until they're not quite done, rinse them quickly in cold water (to cool the skins but not the potato)and then allow the residual heat to finish cooking the center of the potato,then let them cool completely before cutting, the skins won't peel off when you cut them. We like the skins. But, many people don't, so if I'm making it for a crowd, I go ahead and skin them after cooking. I always add celery, and have never had a problem with it getting watery. I wonder if it's because I don't add any salt, letting people do that for themselves? However, if that's a problem, and one is out of celery seed, perhaps mincing the celery leaves would be another way to get the flavor without the moisture.
...See More
Do we have to take old shingles off?
Q
Comments (9)
There are numerous reasons not to do a roof over, besides the reasons already stated. A roof over should be nested when installed to the existing, and not bridge the existing. Some more reasons not to roof over the existing besides what others posted; - Any existing step flashing at junctures will not land where it should when properly nested. One of the common methods I've seen used for this (which I absolutely despise is to apply sealant instead of new flashing). If the proper step flashing method were to be used, for some it gets in over their head. - You can not install ice/water guard on a roof over. I've seen ice/water guard installed on top of existing shingles. It bakes between the layers of shingles, and is against the proper installation methods required by the manufacturer. Besides, it's a useless waste of excellent material, since if it did work it would only prevent water intrusion between the layers of shingles. - As already pointed out, it should be noted in the inspection when you go to sell. It would be a bigger expense to tear off two layers instead of one. If I were a potential buyer, I would expect a considerable discount for this very reason. I would not throw away money by having a roof over.
...See More
bucktales
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks. Thats a great idea. I think next year I'll prep them in batches so I don't have so much work to do all at once.
0

Related Stories

DECORATING GUIDES Take the Chill Off With Cozy Winter Textures

By Becky Harris

Stay warm this fall and winter with your favorite applications of velvet, wool and knits and plenty of woodsy accents

DECORATING GUIDES Top It Off: Wallpapered Ceilings Take the Eye High

By Mary Jo Bowling

Check out these rooms to see the difference a wallpapered ceiling makes

ARCHITECTURE Houzz Tour: Fresh Ideas in a Former Tomato Packing Shed

A formerly metal-clad structure is now a beautiful wood home designed to capture the light and preserve open space

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard

LIFE Kitchen Traditions: Tomato Season Meets a Family Legacy

By Tiffany Carboni

Somewhere a Sicilian great-great-grandmother is smiling at a bowl of American-made sauce

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Victorian's Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep

A London home keeps its historic facade but is otherwise rebuilt to be a model of modern energy-efficiency

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 17 Wandering Paths That Take Joy in the Journey

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Explore secondary paths that are full of nuance and add intrigue to the landscape

GARDENING GUIDES 13 Risks to Take for True Garden Rewards

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Go ahead, be a rebel. Breaking rules in the garden can lead to more happiness, creativity and connection with the earth

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Modernism Takes a Natural Turn in Pennsylvania

By Lauren Piasecki/Black Cherry Design

Generous wood throughout and woodsy sights outdoors soften and warm this home’s modern lines

ECLECTIC HOMES Houzz Tour: Taking a Hamptons Cottage Beyond the Ordinary

By Mary Jo Bowling

Unusual details, including a blue roof and bold wallpaper, give a New York vacation home that extra-special something

Sponsored

More Discussions

Help with macaroni and cheese.

78

What have you put up? 2024 version

18

Ball pints.....

1

What are you harvesting "now" 2024?

19

How do you dehydrate garlic?

2