Grating Tomatoes

I have been seeing recipes involving tomatoes that have been run through a box grater.  Obviously created by someone who does not have to clean said grater.  I was turning the dregs of some pizza sauce into something I could use for sloppy Joes and decided to try it instead of peeling tomatoes and chopping them.

For technique, I'm following the example of a recent Quarantine Quitchen.  (Link should be for the PG version.)  Elizabeth used the wide-shred side of the box grater.  She didn't cut the tomato in half, though, so hers would have tomato skins in it.  Ideally, you end up with just the insides of the tomato.

There are two concerns to be aware of while grating tomatoes.  First is your fingers and nails.  As you get closer to the skin of the tomato, switch to the heel of your palm, to keep things flat.  If you can feel the core on the stem end, you're done.  The blossom end will feel flat when you need to stop.  The other concern is how juicy tomatoes really are.  Do yourself a favor and grate directly into a saucepan or a bowl.  Cutting boards, even those with a drainage rim, will not suffice.


This was a workout.  I used large, slightly crispy tomatoes.  Romas are probably softer and easier to grate.  It took at least as long as running the tomatoes through a food mill, but the grater was far easier to clean.

I really liked the texture of the tomatoes in the sauce, and it took half the time to cook it than if I had put chunks in there.  I guess I would do it again for the right recipe, but it was very tempting to call off the project and get out an electric gadget.