Depending on the thickness and taste, fruit and vegetable peels are sometimes eaten, such as with apples. In some cases, the peel is unpleasant or inedible, in which case it is removed and discarded, such as with bananas or potatoes. In the case of citrus fruits, the peel is bitter and generally not eaten raw, but may be used in cooking. The outermost, colored part of the peel is called the zest, which can be peeled off and used in recipes for its tangy flavor.
Like every budding chef who starts out the routine task of peeling, my peeling career began with an ancient swivel-blade peeler and some carrots. The peeler of my youth is still the most commonly available, is still inexpensive (I even saw one recently at the Dollar Store!), and is still perfectly designed for the job it's meant to do. It was a simple tool with a contoured metal handle, which is really an open, easy-to-grip frame that provides a stable holder for the steel rod that, in turn, secures the blade. The curved blade is pointed at the top, the better to carve out unwanted potato eyes, and has a slit down the center. Since both sides of the interior slit are sharp, the peeler works equally well for righties and lefties.
I was 23 before I realized that there were other types of peelers. I was intrigued by the top-bladed “harp” peeler but quickly relegated it to the yard sale heap because I could never master the proper motion and ended up with a frustrated pile of mutilated potatoes. Then I found it. The only peeler I will use forevermore. The stationary-blade peeler is as close as you can get to a knife and still have the convenience of the curved, slit-down-the-center righty or lefty blade. On this no-nonsense tool, the blade is mounted straight up on a handle that can be made of any manner of high-tech materials or the standard metal, plastic, or wood. The peel fruits or vegetables using a vegetable peeler, firmly grasp the produce in one hand and hold the peeler in your other hand.
Slant the peeler downward and slowly peel the skin away. Continue the process with the top and bottom of the produce making sure to remove all unwanted skin. Using the pointy tip of the peeler, extract any unwanted blemishes or growth (like a potato’s “eyes”) by simply gouging the tip into the produce and twisting with your wrist.
The use of a peeler or paring knife to cut a very thin layer of peel from fruits and vegetables is true. Peeling or paring allows for precision and minimizes waste, and is suitable for both food preparation and scientific experiments involving plants. Thus the statement is true.
Explanation: The question asks whether you should use a peeler or paring knife to cut a very thin layer of peel from fruits and vegetables, like when preparing an onion or puncturing the peel of a lemon. The answer to this question is true. Using a peeler or paring knife is the correct way to remove a thin layer of peel from fruits and vegetables. These tools are specifically designed to peel with precision and minimize waste. For example, when you need to remove just the epidermis of an onion, which is a thin membrane-like layer, or when puncturing the skin of a lemon to insert different metals for a science experiment. And my favorite chore to skip is peeling vegetables. (I know I could skip peeling carrots, but I don’t like the taste of carrot peels. Fortunately, my kids do the peeling. Peeling raw vegetables means throwing out a large percentage of your food, since the vegetable comes off with the peel. Try weighing a pound of potatoes before and after peeling. Un-peeling saves time and money.
Winter squash and pumpkin. I got excited to learn that those tough peels on winter squash, the ones you need to wrestle with your chopping knife, are edible. This includes peel from butternut, acorn, and pumpkin squashes. All you need to do is cook the squash long enough to get soft. My other favorite un-peeling secret works for the people who don’t like peel. First, roast or cook the vegetable. When it is finished, remove the peel in a thin layer. This method works for beets, turnips, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. I may even try it for carrots.
When should you peel? Sometimes the peel is cracked, wrinkled or dirty. If I can’t get off the dirt with scrubbing, or the peel is thick and unappetizing, I peel. Our beets are full of dirt, and cracked around the stems. Sometimes there is more dirt than vegetables. I soak them and scrub them as well as possible. I would look the other way, but I like to use the cooking water from beets in my recipes. You can always strain the cooking water with a cheesecloth to get rid of dirt that doesn’t get scrubbed off. Fortunately many vegetables, like turnips and squash, have smooth skin that is easily scrubbed clean. Some vegetables have wax or other coatings. Onions and garlic. Mark Bittman says the peel falls away when you start to cut them, as with garlic. Garlic and onion peel are annoying to find in your food. Broccoli and cauliflower. Bittman also peels broccoli stalks. I haven’t cooked broccoli in a while, but I do enjoy cauliflower. I cut the stalk into quarters lengthwise, including the peel. I love eating it that way. Peel is pretty. It adds texture and color.
- Peels can add flavor (zest) or be removed for texture and safety.
- Traditional swivel-blade peelers vs stationary-blade peelers offer different controls.
- Strategies include peeling before or after cooking, depending on the vegetable.
Practical tips and common scenarios
To peel with precision, grip the produce firmly and angle the peeler downward to remove skin smoothly. When dealing with blemishes, use the tip to gouge them out and twist to clean the area. For waxed or coated skins, thorough scrubbing helps reduce waste, and in some cases, cooking the vegetable first can make peeling easier and preserve more of the edible portion.
Some vegetables benefit from leaving thin layers of peel on, such as winter squash and pumpkins, where the edible skin adds texture and nutrients when cooked long enough. In other cases, citrus zest provides vibrant flavor without the bitterness of raw peel. The decision to peel or not to peel should balance flavor, texture, and waste considerations.
How to Use a Vegetable Peeler
| Vegetable | Peeling Recommendation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Carrots | Thin peel or skip | Peels often tasty; trimming eyes |
| Potatoes | Thin layer, remove eyes | Waste reduction by peeling carefully |
| Winter squash | Peel edible when cooked | Butternut, acorn, pumpkin |
| Onion/Garlic | Peel away | Peels can contaminate dish |
| Citrus | Peel for zest; avoid raw | Bitter if eaten raw |