How to Peel Plums

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Peeled plums are perfect for pies, jam, cakes, and baby food. If you try to peel a plum by simply pulling back the skin, you'll end up with a sticky mess on your hands. Instead, blanch the plums and then place them in an ice bath or trim the skin off with a knife. These simple techniques are quick, easy, and will leave you with delicious plum flesh.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Blanching Plums

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  1. Choose a pot large enough to hold all your plums and fill it half full with water. It'll probably take about 10 minutes to boil. [1]
    • Place a lid on the pot to help the water to boil quicker.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Peel Plums
    Add water and ice to the bowl in a 50:50 ratio. This will act as an ice bath for the plums. [2]
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Peel Plums
    Use a paring knife to cut a cross hatch at the bottom of the plum (the side opposite the stem). Make each cut about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. This will make it easy to peel back the skin. [3]
    • Don’t worry about making the cut deep. Lightly cut through the skin of the plum and not too much into the flesh.
  4. Carefully place the plums into the pot of water. It is important not to leave the plums in the water for longer than 45 seconds because the flesh will go mushy and the plums will start to disintegrate. [4]
    • Always be careful when cooking with hot water to avoid burns.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Peel Plums
    Use a slotted spoon to transfer the plums from the boiling water into the ice bath. The icy water will help to pull the skin away from the flesh of the plums. Make sure that all the plums are fully submerged in the water. [5]
    • If some of the plums aren’t submerged in the ice bath, make another ice bath for them.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Peel Plums
    Place your finger under 1 of the little flaps formed by the "x" you sliced, and pull back the flap. The skin should easily come loose in 1 big strip. Keep pulling back the flaps on all four sides until you've completely peeled the plum. [6]
    • If there is still a little skin on the plum, use a paring knife to slice off any remaining skin.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Peel Plums
    Press the paring knife firmly into the flesh until it hits the stone and cut right around the plum. Keeping cutting until you have split the plum in half. [7]
    • If you don’t have a paring knife, use a sharp kitchen knife instead.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Peel Plums
    Hold 1 half of the plum in each hand. Firmly grip the halves and slowly turn them away from each other until one half of the plum comes loose from the stone. [8]
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Peel Plums
    Push a dessert spoon under the stone and then press the handle down to pop the stone out. If the stone won’t come out, push the spoon under the opposite side of the stone and then lever it out. [9]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using a Knife

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Peel Plums
    Place the plum on a chopping board and cut around the circumference of the plum. Use a teaspoon to pop the stone out of the plum. [10]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Peel Plums
    Cut each plum half lengthways to create a wedge. This makes the plum easier to peel. [11]
    • If your plum is particularly large, consider chopping each piece of plum into thirds.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Peel Plums
    Press the skin side of the plum firmly down against the chopping board. Carefully glide the knife as close to the skin as possible to remove the skin from the flesh. [12]
    • Compost the plum skin or use it in smoothies.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I get the pits out of a plum?
    Scrtdolphin135
    Community Answer
    Cut the plum into halves first and then quarters. Finally, slice out the stone.
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    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 3
  • Question
    Can I peel dried plums?
    Community Answer
    No, you can't peel dried plums.
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 2
  • Question
    Isn't there quite a lot of pectin in the stones? Is it a good idea to make the jam with the stones, then remove them later?
    Allison Schick
    Top Answerer
    The stones contain a compound called amygdalin, which breaks down into hydrogen cyanide when ingested. So it is not a good idea to eat them.
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      Things You'll Need

      Blanching Plums

      • Pot
      • Large bowl
      • Paring knife
      • Slotted spoon
      • Ice
      • Dessert spoon

      Using a Knife

      • Knife
      • Chopping board

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.parents.com/recipes/baby-food/how-to-make-plum-puree/
      2. ↑ https://www.parents.com/recipes/baby-food/how-to-make-plum-puree/
      3. ↑ https://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/plums-prunesbabyfoodrecipes.htm
      4. ↑ https://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/plums-prunesbabyfoodrecipes.htm
      5. ↑ https://www.parents.com/recipes/baby-food/how-to-make-plum-puree/
      6. ↑ https://www.parents.com/recipes/baby-food/how-to-make-plum-puree/
      7. ↑ https://food52.com/blog/7329-the-best-ways-to-pit-stone-fruit
      8. ↑ https://food52.com/blog/7329-the-best-ways-to-pit-stone-fruit
      9. ↑ https://food52.com/blog/7329-the-best-ways-to-pit-stone-fruit
      1. ↑ https://toriavey.com/how-to/how-to-peel-tomatoes/
      2. ↑ https://toriavey.com/how-to/how-to-peel-tomatoes/
      3. ↑ https://toriavey.com/how-to/how-to-peel-tomatoes/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To easily peel plums, use a paring knife to cut a small X in the bottom of each plum. Place the plums in a pot of boiling water for about 45 seconds, then carefully remove them with a slotted spoon. Immediately transfer the plums to a bowl of ice water and leave them there for about 5 minutes. Once they’ve chilled, slide your finger under one of the flaps formed by the X you cut, and peel the skin back. It should come away easily. Continue until you’ve removed all of the peel from the plums. Keep reading to learn how to remove the stone from the center of the plums!

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      • Audrey Owens

        Jun 6, 2016

        "I just picked about 15 plums from our tree and this article will helped me to store them properly and make plans ..." more
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