How To Freeze Tomatoes: The Go-To Guide to Freezing Your Tomato Harvest

Frozen tomatoes retain their color and an outsized proportion of their nutrients. However, their texture becomes mushy, though they will still be utilized in cooking.

Here’s what you would like to understand to freeze tomatoes:

SELECTING TOMATOES TO FREEZE

Only use tomatoes in peak condition. Overripe fruit won’t taste nearly as good or keep as long.

Remember, once you thaw your tomatoes their original shape and texture won’t matter. Freeze your best-tasting tomatoes. Heirloom varieties like Pink Brandywine, Golden Jubilee, Cherokee Purple and dozens of others could also be odd-shaped or soft, but they have a tendency to possess rich and sophisticated flavors. Include some paste tomatoes like Roma, Amish Paste, Opalka, etc. if you would like to finish up with a thick spaghetti sauce.

High-acid tomatoes work better for canning. Low- and high-acid tomatoes are equally safe to freeze.

FREEZING FRESH TOMATOES

The quickest and easiest method to urge your tomatoes into the freezer is just to wipe them clean, cut away stems and therefore the tough green-and-white core under the stems and set the whole on baking sheets within the freezer. Once they’ve frozen you’ll pack them into plastic bags–don’t stuff the luggage too full. Label them with the date and seal them tightly. When you’re able to use them take them out and run them under warm water. As they thaw their skins will crack and may be peeled off. Don’t leave this too late or your tomatoes will have became piles of goo and therefore the peeling process is going to be messy indeed.

If you would like your tomatoes to be able to use once you get them out, you’ll get to process them a touch more before freezing. Drop your tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds approximately, until their skins crack. Pull tomatoes out with a slotted spoon and take away both the peel and therefore the core. Also, cut away any blemishes. Pack into containers leaving one inch of headspace empty at the highest (because liquids expand as they freeze, and juice is not any exception.)

FREEZING STEWED TOMATOES

If you would like your tomatoes cooked down and prepared to travel into your recipe as soon as you thaw them, dip them in boiling water as described above, peel and core them, then cut them into halves or quarters and cook them over low heat for 10-20 minutes or until they’re tender and blended. Set the pot of stewed tomatoes into a sink or larger pot filled with cold water to chill it as rapidly as possible. Pour the cooled tomatoes into containers leaving one inch of headspace empty at the highest. Label with the date, seal and freeze.

FREEZING juice 

Wash tomatoes and take away stems, cores, and blemishes. Cook tomatoes as quickly as possible after cutting into them if you don’t want your juice to separate. Quarter them into a saucepan; turn it on as soon because the first tomato is quartered and convey to a boil promptly. Keep adding tomato quarters, keep the pot boiling and keep stirring it. Crush tomatoes within the pot as you go. Simmer for five minutes after adding the last tomatoes. Then press tomatoes through a sieve to get rid of skins and seeds. you’ll add 1 teaspoon of salt to every quart of tomatoes, or not–it’s a matter of taste. Pour into containers leaving 1″ of headspace, label with the date, seal and freeze.

FREEZING OTHER TOMATO PRODUCTS

Tomato sauce, chili, and catsup also can be frozen. Prepare them within the usual way. Cool them quickly, pour them into containers leaving 1″ of headspace, cover, label with the date, and freeze.

USING FROZEN TOMATOES

Tomatoes will keep for about 8 months within the freezer. Once thawed, they will be utilized in sauces, soups, and casseroles. If you’re substituting stewed tomatoes or chopped whole tomatoes for spaghetti sauce during a recipe, you’ll get to add an ingredient to bring your tomatoes to the specified thickness. If you freeze an outsized proportion of paste tomatoes this might not be necessary.

How To Freeze Tomatoes: The Go-To Guide to Freezing Your Tomato Harvest

One thought on “How To Freeze Tomatoes: The Go-To Guide to Freezing Your Tomato Harvest

  1. Mary Macon says:

    Thank you for the information.

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