Why is freezing tomatoes the perfect way to preserve?
Juiced or diced: which should be used?
How long do frozen items last?
Watch how to freeze tomatoes
How to Freeze Tomatoes Recipe
Preserving can have numerous iterations. And thankfully, there’s more than one way to help preserve a fruit or vegetable for later use.
First, you usually think of canning: packing contents into jars, water bathing or pressure canning them until they’re sealed, and storing them in the pantry. This is a great way to keep food but what if that seems intimidating? The concept of canning food can be a lot if you’ve never done it before.
Thankfully, there’s an even easier method: freezing! Freezers allow for one of the quickest ways to preserve food. The preparation is easier, there’s no cooking involved, and the frozen fruit or vegetables taste fresh in the dead of winter.
Why is freezing tomatoes the perfect way to preserve?
Unlike canned juice or diced tomatoes, the freezer does not require citric acid to adjust the pH levels. At freezer temperatures, bacteria cannot grow on the tomatoes, which is traditionally the concern with canned goods.
It’s also a simpler process. Instead of heating the juice or tomato pieces and boiling them before pouring them into jars, freezing tomatoes only takes one step: peeling.
After they’re peeled, the tomatoes can either be diced or juiced and packed into an airtight freezer-ready container. If diced, some of the tomato liquid should be poured on top to prevent freezer burn, which is caused by air pockets between the tomatoes.
Juiced or diced: which should be used?
The best way to freeze the tomatoes really depends on how to tomatoes will be used when defrosted. If a lot of tomato juice is used in soups or stews, freeze the tomatoes as juice. If a lot of whole or diced tomatoes are needed for recipes, freeze them whole or diced.
If you preserve the type that you usually purchase, you’ll be more likely to use them. For me, I love to freeze chunky tomatoes because I use them for quick sauces and soups!
How long do frozen items last?
Nearly all freezers are self-defrosting, including refrigerator freezers. This means that frost does not build up in large pieces along the sides of the freezer. This also means the freezer temperature slowly increases and decreases to release any frost.
The drawback to this type of freezer is that the change in temperature may not keep contents as long. But these tomatoes will still keep for six to eight months.
If your garden is exploding with tomatoes and you want to save them for later, there's only one answer! Tomatoes can be frozen and kept for months in the freezer, pulled out for use whenever they're needed!
Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil. Remove the core and any blemishes of each tomato. Dip the tomatoes in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove from the water and cool until they can be handled, 2-3 minutes. Remove the skins, which should slip off easily.
1 lb tomatoes
Juice or dice tomatoes and pack them into airtight freezer containers, leaving one-inch headspace to allow for freezing expansion. Label, date, and store in the freezer for up to 8 months.
To use, thaw the tomatoes in the refrigerator one day before use. Use as any canned tomato.
Notes
The tomatoes listed yields 1 pint. For additional pints, simply increase the number of tomatoes, one for one.
You can freeze tomatoes whole, but cutting them will help them take up less room in the freezer. Plastic freezer bags work great for freezing fruits and vegetables.
It takes almost zero effort and is a great way to store indeterminate tomatoes until the end of the season so you can process them all at once. All you have to do is freeze them! That's right, you can just freeze the tomatoes whole in order to can them later with these easy steps!
Crush the tomatoes by hand or in a food processor or blender, depending on the consistency you're going for. Add the crushed tomatoes to an airtight, freezer-safe container, and transfer it to the freezer.
Once the tomatoes are frozen and you're ready to can them or cook them, take them out of the freezer and let them thaw completely. The tomatoes will look slightly wrinkly once they've thawed entirely. From there, the tomato skins will peel right off.
Store ripe tomatoes at room temperature on your counter for up to 1 week. Alternatively, store tomatoes in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, place tomatoes in a storage bin, then store them in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.
Tomatoes will last in the freezer for about six months. After that, they start to lose their flavor and might become freezer burnt. When you're ready to use your frozen tomatoes, just let them thaw at room temperature. Once they've defrosted, the skins peel right off!
The best methods for the long-term storage of tomatoes are canning, drying, or making canned preserves like salsa, pasta sauce, relish, or ketchup. Once the tomatoes are sealed in an airtight jar, they'll last you all winter and beyond.
However, frozen tomatoes do work well in sauces and stews. As you simmer the sauce or stew all that extra water will evaporate, leaving you with fresh tomato taste. Alternatively, you could consider cooking the tomatoes into a tomato sauce, and then freezing that.
Frozen tomatoes will retain their flavor for 12 months. This gives you plenty of time to thaw them to use in your favorite sauce, stew, or soup recipes. Frozen tomatoes lose their texture once they are thawed, so they are best used in recipes that don't require them to be in their original state – like marinara sauce.
Put your tomatoes into a pot of boiling water for 60–90 seconds. Once the tomato skins split open, transfer tomatoes into a bowl of ice water to cool. After taking them out, you'll find the skin is easy to strip away from the rest of the tomato.
Does freezing tomatoes change the flavor? While the freezer does impact a tomato's texture, it doesn't ruin its vibrant, acidic flavor. Some diehard canners will argue that canning tomatoes preserves more of the fresh flavor, and they may be right. But freezing tomatoes is a great alternative, and it's so much easier!
Make sure they are not more than ½” inch thick when slicing. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half; if they are extra large, cut them in quarters with your knife. Place the tomatoes on the trays, with space between each slice. If diced, separate as best as possible and avoid stacking for the best freeze-dried results.
Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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