{pro tip} How To: Core, De-Seed, and De-Stem an Apple Like a Pro
Of all the things I learned in culinary school, this is one of the most useful. File it under “why didn’t I ever think of doing that before?” Here is is: how to quickly and easily core, de-seed, and de-stem an apple–using your melon baller. (Full disclosure: I have never balled a melon–I just own the melon baller for apples.)
First, peel the apple. You can leave the little bit of awkward peel around the stem and the bottom thingy.
Cut the apple in half. Hold the apple in your non-dominant hand and put the baller in your dominant hand. (For these photos the apple is on the table because I don’t have three hands.) Then lay the melon baller flat side down around the seedy core.
Scoop the melon baller around to remove the seeds.
Now turn your attention to the 2 stem ends. The melon baller is the perfect tool to scoop those down and out.
There you have it. Ten seconds later, no injuries, and perfectly cored apples with nary a seed or stem in sight! Now you can get to chopping or slicing or whatever you were planning to do next.
Do you think a melon baller would do the job when trying to core an apple without cutting it in half? Like if you’re trying to fill it and bake it, for instance?
Camille, that is a good question but I must admit I have never attempted to core an apple without cutting it in half!
The Fuji apples I bought this week were SO sweet, I was thinking of doing baked apples also as Camille is describing. But I had not yet figured out how I would core them. My mom used to do it, fill with apple juice and brown sugar/cinnamon and then bake for 30-60 minutes. I’ll have to ask her.
I think people usually use an apple corer for that: http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-20181-Good-Grips-Corer/dp/B00004OCIQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1289941889&sr=1-2
But if you had a sharp paring knife I think you could get it done…