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Green Plantains peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds on top of a kitchen wooden board.
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5 from 1 vote

How to Peel Plantains

A step-by-step demonstration on how to peel plantains, quickly and easily. 
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: caribbean
Servings: 2 plantains
Author: Vanessa
Cost: $1

Equipment

  • Knife

Ingredients

  • 1 green plantain
  • 1 ripe, yellow plantain

Instructions

Green Plantains

  • Cut the ends of the plantains and very carefully run your knife through the peel lengthwise, without cutting into the flesh. Then, run the knife around the end's edge, about 1 inch, also without cutting into the flesh. Go lengthwise again in the other direction.
    running the plantain lengthwise through the plantain
  • Use your fingers to separate and detach the peel from the plantain. Repeat the steps to remove the rest of the skin.
    separate and detach the peel from the plantain using fingers
  • Plantains are ready to be cooked. Cut into 1-inch rounds to make tostones or thinly to make plantain chips.
    completely peeled plantain

Yellow Plantains

  • Cut the ends of the plantain, run your knife lengthwise through the skin of the plantain without cutting into the flesh, and finally, use your hands to pull the skin off.
    removing skin from yellow plantain

Notes

  • Ripe plantains are a lot easier to peel. After cut into, the skin will come off easily as a banana peel would.
  • Ripe plantains are mostly yellow with some black and are slightly firm to the touch. The more black the skin is, the more ripe the plantain.
  • If a plantain is unripe it will have green skin. You can still cook them but they will be more starchy and bland in flavor.
  • Plantains must always be cooked and not eaten raw.