Freezing tomatoes is one method that my mother used besides canning. It's much easier to freeze tomatoes than it is to can them. It's also much cheaper, because you don't need to buy jars and lids.
All you need to do is make sure you have a fresh harvest of your favorite variety of tomatoes. They should be very ripe. Core them, squeeze the seeds out and pop them into a freezer bag. You should be able to fit at least 5 tomatoes into one large freezer bag. You can add a handful of fresh basil to the bag before removing the air out of the bag, sealing and freezing it.
Frozen tomatoes should be used within one year.
When ready to use for sauce you can remove your desired amount from the freezer and either thaw the tomatoes in the sink, or the microwave oven. You will have to discard the excess water as they are thawing. I also squeeze the moisture out of them a little just before putting them into the pan.
Once they are all thawed and the excess water is removed, you can make your tomato sauce. Frozen tomatoes can also be used in soups and stews.
I admire you for all your gardening and kitchen work, dear Lydia.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I neither can nor freeze, because I do not have a vegetable garden. Because I love tomatoes I buy them fresh all year round.
Wishing you a good Tuesday,
Eva
Hello Eva,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful complement. You can also freeze the tomatoes you buy.
Buying fresh tomatoes year round is wonderful. They are so good for you too.
Wishing you a great afternoon,
Lydia
oooh i'm a tomato feine!! (sp?) i just love them, and they're so healthy!! thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteHello Wendiva,
ReplyDeleteYour so welcome! They are very healthy for you.
Wishing you a sunny and happy day.
Lydia
This is a great tip! Thank you for your encouraging words... Thank you again for all your thoughtful comments, time and prayers during this difficult time.
ReplyDeleteblessings,
kari & kijsa
Hi Lydia,
ReplyDeleteI always prefer to use fresh tomatoes. And they are available the whole year too.
Do the frozen tomatoes taste same after a few days/months?
I know frozen cucumbers don't. So am just wondering about tomatoes.
Best wishes!
Nayana
Hello Keri and Kijsa,
ReplyDeleteYour very welcome.
You all have been in my prayers. I will also continue to keep you both and your family in my prayers.
Have a very pleasant day,
Lydia
Hello Nayana,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to my blog. Frozen tomatoes are best used in sauces and soups. You are very lucky to have fresh tomatoes all year round. We only have fresh locally grown tomatoes for 2 months out of the year.
I wouldn't recommend using frozen tomatoes in dishes that require fresh tomatoes.
I use fresh tomatoes from my garden for my sauce and salsas during the summer months, while at the same time freezing a lot of tomatoes to prepare for winter.
You would want to use frozen tomatoes within one year. For me this is not hard to do, because I make a lot of tomato sauce and minestrone.
I hope I was able to answer your question.
Have a nice day,
Lydia
Hi Lydia, I freeze tomatoes the same way you do except I don't squeeze out the seeds. I'll have to try it this year. I just love using them during the winter when all you can buy are the tasteless ones from the super market.
ReplyDeleteHello Judy, OMG! Your the first person I've met outside of my family that also freezes tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, the ones we have to spend a mint on in the winter are so tasteless they're almost a waist to eat. I too would much rather use my frozen tomatoes from the garden. Wishing you a pleasant day!
Lydia