The most reliable method is a brief blanch. Score an X on the bottom of the tomato, dip it in boiling water for about half a minute, and immediately transfer it to ice water; the skin curls back at the ends of the X and can be peeled off by hand. This works perfectly on ripe tomatoes but is harder with unripe ones. If you are only making sauce, there is a more practical method: cut the tomato in half and grate it.
A tomato’s skin is a thin but tough membrane attached to the flesh underneath. Boiling water loosens that bond: the heat softens the thin layer just beneath the skin, making it ready to separate. The X-shaped score gives the skin a starting point; as the skin heats, it begins to curl back from the ends of the cuts, showing where to grip it. The same method works just as well on thin-skinned fruit such as peaches and apricots. So peeling is not a cooking step; it only prepares the surface.
Here is the sequence. Score a shallow X on the bottom of the tomato, not the stem end; the knife should cut only the skin, not the flesh. Bring water to a boil and lower the tomatoes into it with a strainer. Half a minute is enough for most tomatoes. Once the skin curls back visibly at the ends of the X, remove the tomato immediately. Choose a wide pot and lower the tomatoes in small batches rather than all at once, or the water temperature will drop.
Do not skip the ice-water step. If a tomato from the hot water is left out, it continues to cook; the flesh softens, releases its juice, and falls apart in your hand when peeled. Ice water stops the cooking immediately and also speeds up the skin’s contraction. Transfer the tomatoes to cold water within a few seconds and take them out when they are cool enough to hold in your hand. Prepare the bowl of ice water on the counter in advance; if the water is not ready, the tomatoes will keep cooking while they wait. Add plenty of ice; cold tap water alone does not stop the cooking as quickly.
The method has a limit: ripeness. On a fully ripe tomato, the skin peels off in one piece. On an unripe or firm tomato, the skin clings more tightly to the flesh; you can extend the time a little, but a long boil will cook the flesh. So if you need to peel an unripe tomato, try another method. The same problem occurs with thick-skinned processing tomatoes, for which the time is also increased a little. Freezing and thawing is another option; the skin of a frozen tomato loosens on its own as it thaws.
If you are making sauce, there is a quicker method. Cut the tomato in half and rub the cut side against a coarse grater; the flesh passes through into a bowl while the skin stays in your palm as a flat piece. This method is quick and does not dirty a pot. Charring over a flame is another option; remove the tomato as soon as the skin blisters and peel it by hand. To protect your fingers when grating, hold the tomato by the stem end and do not press the last piece against the grater. Do not discard the skin left in your palm; dry it, grind it into a powder, and use it as a seasoning.
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