The Sog-Free Sandwich Tomato Starts With A Seasoning Trick

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What's worse than biting into a perfectly assembled sandwich and getting a mouthful of watery tomato mush? Nothing, honestly. So let those days be a thing of the past with our quick fix to the dreaded soggy tomato that starts before you even begin to assemble your meal.

Start off by slicing your tomatoes, giving them a little dusting of salt, then placing them in a quick brine of vinegar, olive oil, and sugar. Yes, sugar. Stay with us. Let them sit there for five minutes before draining off all the liquid, and what you'll be left with are tomato slices that somehow taste more like ... a tomato. It's juicy yet drier and fully seasoned, as if the fruit just had a glow-up. This marinade trick is one of the things you need for the best tomato sandwich of your life, so if you're not already a convert, you're about to be.

Now, we believe this works so well because salt draws out additional moisture from the tomato through osmosis, which you later drain away to be left with a much drier fruit. The added sugar and vinegar help to create a beautiful sweet and acidic balance that brings out all the best natural flavors, while olive oil is there to help all those flavors cling to the fruit. And this trick will definitely work better with tomatoes left at room temperature, so take them out of the fridge in advance. If you didn't already know, room-temperature tomatoes just taste better.

Even if you nail the marinating trick, a tomato in a sandwich is only as good as how it's cut. If you're going for thin and even coverage, use a serrated knife to slice the tomato into thin rounds and layer them generously. But if you want a thicker effect, cut it into wedges. If you want your tomato experience to feel more like a salsa, then dice it up as small as you can manage. And if you're unsure how to navigate your tomato slices, think about the structure of your sandwich overall. A really soft roll, for example, won't be able to handle thick-cut rounds as well as a crusty baguette or sourdough will. 

There are, of course, specific methods to properly slice, dice, and wedge a tomato, and we have a guide for that for anyone interested. But when it comes to cutting, a good serrated knife makes all the difference. You can even get special knives created just for tomatoes, such as the Omesata serrated tomato slicing knife, which has a comfortable grip and is made from durable stainless steel.

When it comes to tomatoes in sandwiches, don't let yourself be limited to just the Caprese. On their own, they can actually be standout fillings, especially if you pair them with some unexpected toppings. For example, try assembling a thick-cut tomato sandwich with some miso-mayo and a drizzle of chili crisp. Perfect every time.