How to peel a plantain

Set up safely

Wash and dry the plantain. Use a stable cutting board and a sharp knife. Trim both ends, then cut the plantain into two shorter sections if that makes it easier to handle.

Keep your hands out of the blade’s path. The goal is to cut the thick peel, not make a deep cut through the flesh.

Peeling a green plantain

1. Make a shallow lengthwise slit along one ridge of the peel.
2. Add another slit on the opposite side if the skin is especially firm.
3. Use your thumb or the edge of a spoon to lift a strip of peel from the cut.
4. Work around the plantain, easing the skin away rather than pulling the whole peel off at once.
5. Trim any small patches that remain. Cut according to your recipe.

Peel first and then dry thoroughly if you are making tostones or chips.

Peeling a ripe plantain

A ripe peel usually releases more easily. Trim the ends, make one shallow slit, and gently remove the skin. Support the fruit as you work so the soft flesh does not break.

Cut ripe plantains with a clean blade and transfer the slices gently. They are ideal for sweet fried plantains or baking.

After peeling

Prepare the plantains close to cooking time. If they have been rinsed or kept in water, dry every surface before frying. Water meeting hot oil can splatter.

Find the next step in the cooking guide, or choose a recipe that matches your fruit’s ripeness.