It doesn't seem like it should be hard to cut a tomato: get a tomato and apply a knife,
right?
But it's not so simple, thanks to the structure of these plump red fruits.
Tomatoes have cores.
If that core is removed, you'll encounter clumps of tomato seeds coming loose from the
acidic flesh until you're left with a mushy mess.
So how do you cut a tomato the right way for neat, circular slices to lay across a sandwich
or firm little wedges to add a little color to a salad?
Well, one reason you may have been ending up with a cutting board that's a mess of tomato
guts is if you're using the wrong knife.
"There are many different types of knife, which I'm going to list for you right now."
"This is very interesting!"
What you want is something with a serrated blade, the kind you find on steak, bread,
or boning knives.
You can use a straight blade, but if you do, make sure it's extra sharp, or it won't get
through the tomato's relatively tough skin.
Using a dull blade is a mistake many people make, and it's also a sure way to end up with
a bruised tomato and a big mess to clean up.
Once you have a serrated or super-sharp knife, you're going to use the core of the tomato,
that firm bit that runs from the stemmed top to the bottom, to your advantage.
If you want to cut tomato slices, The Kitchn recommends situating your clean, de-stemmed
tomato sideways on the board, and then trimming the top away.
Make your slices as parallel to that as you can, with whatever thickness you prefer.
For wedges, start the same way, by trimming the stem remnant away, before situating the
tomato vertically on the cutting board.
Then cut your tomato in half, place the halves flat side down, and then cut straight from
stem-end to bottom to quarter your tomato.
If you want smaller wedges, simply repeat the process and make them eighths.
Just make sure you're always cutting vertically through the core to keep the wedges well-structured.
If you want diced tomatoes for salad, simply cut some tomato slices, lay them out flat
on your cutting board, and cut them into the desired cube size.
Just one extra step and you're done.
Of course, there are definitely more ways to cut up a tomato, and if diced, sliced,
or wedged isn't what your dish is calling for, then use some creativity.
But follow these basic techniques for tomatoes that are always well cut.
Certain recipes may benefit from a tomato that has been deseeded.
And yes, that can be a lot of seeds to remove.
But before you throw your hands up in frustration and reach for the phone to order take out,
hold up a second.
Getting those seeds out of a tomato isn't all that difficult if you know what you're
doing.
Depending on how large your tomato is, MyRecipes recommends beginning by cutting it into six
to eight wedges without first removing the core . Once you have those wedges cut, hold
a wedge by the core and carefully slice out the tomato's seed pocket.
You could also cut the tomato in half, and then slice inward and around the inside of
the tomato.
You can then use a spoon to scoop the seeded portion out.
But what about peeling?
Tomato peels can be unpleasant to eat in certain recipes, such as pasta sauces, so peeling
your tomatoes is often recommended.
A tomato's skin is incredibly thin, so you won't be peeling it the same way you might
an apple.
Using a sharp knife, slice an X onto the bottom of each tomato and place them in a colander.
Then boil some water and pour it over the tomatoes, which will loosen up the skin.
After that, you can easily peel the tomatoes, starting at the X.
Then you can dice and slice away.
With the right knife and the right technique, you'll soon be cutting your fresh tomatoes
perfectly every time.
Then you can put them to good use in tons of tasty recipes.
"What do you want on it?"
"Oh, just tomatoes is fine."
"Just tomatoes?
Just a tomato sandwich?"
"Yes."
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