If you’re harvesting as many tomatoes as we are, you may also be struggling to put them into everyday meals right away. If you’re not into canning, or you just don’t have time, you can freeze those fresh tomatoes until you are able to dedicate a few hours to process them later. Freezing is one of the ways to preserve both the vibrant tomato colors and flavors. Before you get started, you will need to do a few things to prepare. First, fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. The water does not need to be boiling when you begin working with the tomatoes; however, it should be scalding hot. While the water is heating up, you can wash the tomatoes and gather a large bowl. Once the hot water is ready, fill the bowl with ice and add cold water. Set the bowl near your work area beside the stove. Step 1: Use a paring knife to gently score the bottom of the clean fruit. An X or + would create the best results, but even one shallow slit will be helpful. Be sure not to cut too deeply. You don’t want the tomato to cook through, nor do you want the seeds and juice to seep out during the process. Step 2: Place a few tomatoes at a time into the scalding water and let them sit for 2-3 minutes. I like to use a sieve to lower the fruit into the water to avoid splashing. You do not want this water to scald you! If you don’t have a sieve, a slotted spoon will work just fine. After about 2 minutes, you will notice the edges of the skin around the slits begin to curl. They are ready! Remove the tomatoes from the water. Step 3: Immediately place the tomatoes into the bowl of ice water. This will cool them down and prevent them from cooking. You may need to add more ice along the way or even change your water depending upon how many tomatoes you are peeling. The ice will melt and the water may become cloudy as juice seeps through the cracked and peeling skin. Step 4: Use the paring knife to slide the skin away from the tomatoes. It should come off easily. You will also need to remove the core of the tomato. Depending upon the variety, this may be a little difficult. Oddly shaped tomatoes or those with deep inward curves such as Cherokee Purple, Mushroom Basket or Costoluto Genovese will definitely be tricky. There are tools made just for this, but I prefer a knife. That’s how Grandma did it, and I didn’t have to pay for something else that will only have limited use in my kitchen. Once you remove the core, you are done! It’s that simple! Now your tomatoes are ready for whatever your next step is. They can go directly into the freezer for later use. You can juice them, can them, make spaghetti sauce, salsa, ketchup or barbecue sauce. This week, I’m trying tomato preserves. I don’t know how it’s going to turn out, because this will be a first. I’d love to hear about your favorite tomato preserving methods. Happy gardening!
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AuthorI'm a wife, mother, daughter, educator, writer and hobby farmer. Welcome to my world of simply living. Archives
December 2023
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