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Freezing Tomatoes for Year-Round Enjoyment

Making the Most Out of Your Tomatoes

One fruit people love to grow and buy is tomatoes. Unfortunately, once tomatoes ripen, they don’t last too long. There is a way to keep them fresh longer though. You can simply freeze them.

Steps to Freezing Tomatoes

Freezing tomatoes stops them from ripening and rotting. It’s like stopping time for the tomatoes. When you defrost them, you have ones that are at the same level of ripeness they were when you first froze them. But keep in mind that defrosted tomatoes shouldn’t be used as fresh tomatoes, just for cooking.

To freeze tomatoes, you’ll need just two items:

  • Tomatoes
  • Freezer bags

Then you’ll need to follow these steps:

  1. Tomatoes are in season from June through September (though you can get them year-round at the grocery store thanks to different growing locations). This is when you should start freezing them.
  2. Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and wipe them dry.
  3. There’s no need to remove the skins because they will come right off when you defrost them later.
  4. If you are freezing many tomatoes, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer for a couple of hours. This ensures they will freeze without being bruised by others next to them in a bag.
  5. Once they are slightly frozen, you can remove them from the freezer and place them in the freezer bags. It’s wise to place the freezer bag down and have one layer of tomatoes rather than throwing them in all together.
  6. Place the bag in the back of your freezer because it’s the coldest part.

That’s it! When you’re ready to use them, remove as many tomatoes as you need and defrost them in the microwave or at room temperature if you’re not in a rush.

Tips for Freezing

1.You can freeze all types of tomatoes.

2.Don’t store tomatoes in the refrigerator. It causes them to lose flavor. If you can’t freeze them immediately, place them on a counter upside down with the stem on the counter.

3.Frozen tomatoes are good for 10 months.

4.Frozen tomatoes are good for sauces, purees, and soups rather than salads. They will fall apart when you defrost them, so they don’t hold up well in salads. They also don’t have that right-from-the-garden taste.

Now that you know how to freeze tomatoes, don’t worry about buying too many or having an overabundance of them in your garden. Gather as many as you can because you’ll appreciate your efforts when you sit down to have tasty tomato sauce in the middle of the cold, winter months.

Noelle Renee Allen

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