I agree with the food mill option.
While it is true that you can throw the tomatoes in a blender or use a boat motor, sometimes want a smoother finished product. If you are growing a lot of tomatoes then a food mill is worth the investment. I have seen mills as high as $150 but last year I got mine on sale for less than $30 and I am very happy with it.
It absolutely speeds up the canning process!
Give yourself a break and don't peel them. Skins are good for you. Do we peel tomatoes for BLTs? Fresh tomato basil sauce? Insalata Caprese? If you really have a problem with the skins, use a stick blender.
I agree with HalfPint, a good food mill will take care of that problem. You might still want to push the mess through a strainer (tamis) to eliminate stray seeds. But peeling is actually very easy. With a sharp knife score a tiny X at the base of the tomato, then drop into boiling water. The skins will after about thirty seconds begin to show cracks. Drop them into ice water and peel.
If you don't mind eating skins, just leave them in the sauce! (I mind, so I just cook the tomatoes until softened and press them through a ricer or food mill so I don't have to peel each individual tomato.)
Two good ways to get around the tomato-peeling issue: 1.) Puree the tomatoes in a food processor, or 2.) Grate tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater--the skins will come off in your hand. Also, if you don't mind the extra step, freeze tomatoes whole, then thaw them and pop the skins off. If you have a lot of freezer space, you can store them frozen and just make sauce as you need it.
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While it is true that you can throw the tomatoes in a blender or use a boat motor, sometimes want a smoother finished product. If you are growing a lot of tomatoes then a food mill is worth the investment. I have seen mills as high as $150 but last year I got mine on sale for less than $30 and I am very happy with it.
It absolutely speeds up the canning process!
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