Core
To core is to cut out the tough center of a fruit or vegetable, such as the seeds of an apple, the stem of a tomato or the heart of a cabbage.
Also called Cored, Coring.
To core means to remove the hard or woody center of a fruit or vegetable. The core is the part you would not want to eat: the seed case of an apple or pear, the stem end of a tomato, the thick heart of a cabbage or lettuce, or the fibrous center of a pineapple.
How to do it
For apples and pears:
- Cut the fruit in half from stem to base.
- Scoop out the seeds and tough center with a melon baller or a small spoon, or cut a V-shaped notch on each side of it with a paring knife.
- Cut out the stem and the dry flower end.
For whole apples you want to bake, push an apple corer down through the center and twist it out.
For tomatoes, push the tip of a paring knife in at an angle next to the stem and turn the tomato to cut out a small cone.
For cabbage and lettuce, cut the head into quarters through the stem, then cut the hard triangle of core off each quarter at an angle.
For pineapple, cut off the skin, cut the fruit into quarters lengthwise, then slice the hard strip of core off each quarter.
For bell peppers (peppers in the UK), cut around the stem, pull it out with the seeds attached, then seed the inside.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the tough part of the core in an apple or pear. It stays woody even after baking.
- Coring apples too early. Cut apples brown in air. Toss them in a little lemon juice or cook them soon.
- Cutting out too big a wedge and wasting good flesh.
- Taking the core out of a cabbage before you cut it into wedges for roasting. The core holds the leaves together. Leave some on each wedge.
In recipes
"Peeled and cored" apples have both the skin and the center removed. A "cored tomato" has only the stem end taken out, not the seeds. For strawberries the same job is usually called hulling, and for cherries and stone fruit it is called pitting.
Recipes that use this technique
10 recipes from the sites we collect.
Cranberry Chicken Salad on Apple Slices
www.skinnytaste.com · 15 min
French Apple Tart
www.onceuponachef.com · 90 min
Poached Pears
www.onceuponachef.com · 60 min
Delightfully Baked Apples
www.skinnytaste.com · 35 min
Donut-Shaped Apple Snacks
www.skinnytaste.com · 15 min
Caramelized Apple Onion Soup
www.skinnytaste.com · 80 min
Slow Cooker Applesauce
www.skinnytaste.com · 375 min
Baked Apples
www.onceuponachef.com · 75 min
Whole Wheat Honey Apple Bundt Cake
pinchofyum.com · 90 min
Old Fashioned Whole Wheat Apple Pancakes
pinchofyum.com · 25 min
Related terms
- SeedTo seed is to remove the seeds and pith from fruit and vegetables such as chilies, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and pomegranates.
- HullTo hull a strawberry is to remove its green leafy cap and the hard white core under it. The word also means taking the outer husk off seeds and grains.
- PitTo pit is to take the hard stone out of fruit such as cherries, olives, peaches, plums, dates and avocados, using a knife, a pitter or your fingers.
- PeelTo peel is to remove the skin or rind from fruit and vegetables with a peeler, a knife, your fingers or a quick blanch, keeping as much flesh as you can.
- Paring knifeA paring knife is a small knife with an 8 to 10 cm blade for peeling, trimming, coring and other detailed work. Here is how to use it safely.