Why Peel and Core Tomatoes?

[m44]

When canning tomatoes why core and skin? I suppose it might be for texture, but must they be cored and peeled when canned?

 

[Loprraine]

I core them, because you don't want that hard tasteless thing in the middle in your sauce. I don't peel them, but the peel gets eliminated when I put them through the tomato press, as do the seeds. The skin can be tough, and I just don't wsnt it in there.

 

[bethzaring]

I core my tomatoes, just scoop out the area on top of the tomato where it was attached to the stem. I cut out anything that is not a red tomato. I do not skin them though. Most of my tomato canning starts with the tomatoes and other vegetables being buzzed in a blender. For juice, I liquify the tomato. For chili sauce, I buzz briefly to keep the tomato chunky.

 

[m44]

The reason I ask is that the salsa I make takes about a hour. I roast tomatoes, chili's, grlic and onions. I never core, skin or seed anything, just pulse everything in a food processor a few times. We realy like the flavor of the charred skins, the seeds don't bother us and the cores are chunked up that you never notice them. Given all that I see no reason to core the tomatoes, but every canning recipe that includes tomatoes says to peel and core. Just wondering if there was some 'health' reason you should core and peel.

Thanks

 

[Claire]

For some people the seeds and skins are not digestable (i.e., diverticulitis, which is very common in older people). Since I freeze rather than can, I do some seeding because it becomes very watery if I don't. I use a food mill, which pretty much takes the skin and core off. But if the skin, core and seeds don't bother you, go for it.

 

[cjs]

When I used to can whole tomatoes, yes I always skinned and cored. For salsas, chutneys or when using a food mill, it just depends.

 

[Candocook]

When you can them the heat of the process will cause the skins to separate from the "meat" and it just isn't very appetizing to come across a big wisp of tomato skin.