How do I see SSL/TLS packet data in clear? Hey all I have a weird question (first time poster so forgive me if this is super newb)... 

I am wanting to see the inner workings of a SSL/TLS connection between a client and a server at the packet level (in the clear) in order to learn. Is there a way to do this where I will see all of the traffic including the handshake? 

Should I just setup a webserver that uses SSL/TLS and then use ssl strip &amp; tcpdump to grab the packet capture? Will that even work in order to grab the full connection in the clear?

I am not super familiar with the SSL/TLS stack and I would like to do this in order to learn how it works at a lower level.
Sure.  Yes, you can capture the packets and view them.  That'll work.  It's a useful, informative exercise.

You can use Wireshark (or some other packet capture tool) to capture the packets involved in the TLS handshake and view the captured  packets.  It'll show you the raw bytes, and also decode the handshake messages for you.  Wireshark has a nice GUI that might make it easier to use, so I recommend that as your first choice, if you haven't done anything like this before.

I don't see any reason why you'd use SSL strip.