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Preparing tomatoes for a recipe may require you to seed, core, slice or peel them. Coring a whole tomato is useful when you want to cut fresh tomatoes or slice them thinly. Seeding and coring the tomato is better when you want to avoid absorbing the moisture of the tomato into a dish.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:Coring a Whole Tomato
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1Wash your tomato under cool running water.
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2Pat it dry with a towel. Water on the skin’s surface can cause your grip to slip.Advertisement
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3Remove the stem from the top of the tomato.
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4Set the tomato on a cutting board, with the top section facing up. If you are coring a tomato that has a pointy tip, you can tilt it to one side and core it at an angle.
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5Insert a very sharp paring knife into the top of the tomato. Insert the knife tip at an angle of approximately 25 degrees from a vertical axis. Push the knife down approximately ½ to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) at this angle.
- Stop inserting the knife when you think the tip of your knife is at the center point of your tomato.
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6Hold the tomato firmly and cut in a circular motion while turning the fruit. When you reach your starting point, you can pick up the tomato core and dispose of it. [1]Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:Coring and Seeding Tomatoes
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1Place your washed tomato on a cutting board. Place it stem side up.
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2Slice the tomato in half vertically from the top. Hold the tomato together with your other hand and slice it into fourths.
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3Let the 4 tomato slices open onto the cutting board.
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4Use your knife to slice from the top of the tomato toward the bottom. Cut the white core away from the sides of the tomato. The knife blade should scrape lightly against the inside wall of the tomato.
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5Repeat with the 3 remaining sections. Discard the seeds and white core. Slice the cored tomato or cut it into smaller pieces. [2]Advertisement
Warnings
- Be careful when working with sharp knives. Knives that are sharp enough to cut tomatoes are a safety risk to people working hastily or without proper knife skills.Thanks!
Things You'll Need
- Water
- Tomatoes
- Sharp paring knife
References
About This Article
To core a tomato, start by rinsing it off with fresh water to get rid of dirt and debris. Pat the tomato dry, then pull off the stem with your fingers. Place the tomato upright on a cutting board, then insert a paring knife into the top center and push the blade in about 1/2 an inch deep. Hold the tomato firmly with your other hand and use the knife to cut a small circle around the center. Once you complete the circle, pull out the core and discard it! For more tips, including how to seed tomatoes, read on!
