How To Freeze Tomatoes
Every tomato gardener knows that the taste of home-grown tomatoes is far superior to the dullness of commercially grown varieties found in the supermarkets. The reason for the contrast in taste is simple. Commercial tomato farmers grow varieties that have been specifically bred and engineered to have longer shelve lives, and this often comes at the expense of compromised taste and quality.
If you grow tomatoes you may have had a large amount of fruits (and yes...a tomato is a fruit) ripening at or about the same time. Don't let your tomatoes spoil! Frozen tomatoes will lock in that fresh picked flavor, and keep for about a year. So now you can enjoy the taste of summer even on a cold winter day!
Freezing tomatoes is a piece of cake, and will only take a few minutes. Follow the steps below, and preserve those tasty fruits!
- Remove The Stems From Your Tomatoes.
- In A Large Pot, Bring 4 Quarts Of Water To A Rapid Boil.
- Place Your Fresh Tomatoes (A Few At A Time) Into The Boiling Water. Using a large slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes after about 30 seconds. (This step is used to allow for easy skin-removal, not intended to cook the tomato)
- Immediately Chill Your Tomatoes Upon Removal From The Boiling Water. Have a large bowl or sink filled with ice-water prepared. As soon as you remove the tomatoes from the hot water, plunge them into the ice-cold water. This will prevent the tomatoes from undesirably cooking.
- Remove The Skin From Your Tomatoes. Now that your tomatoes have spent a short time in the boiling water, and were immediately chilled afterward, the skins will literally slide right off.
- Remove The Cores From Your Tomatoes. A sharp serrated knife will be helpful.
- Cut Tomatoes If Desired. Your tomatoes are now prepared for freezing. You can freeze them as whole, halved or quartered tomatoes.
- Package Your Tomatoes And Place Them In The Freezer. Vacuum sealers are desired, but zipper style freezer bags will also work. If using zipper bags, try to remove as much air as possible from the bag before zipping it shut.