Do you like tomatoes? This is one of my favorite vegetables to eat all year long. Of course, nowadays in winter you can easily buy completely different vegetables, but your own, grown in garden beds, are much tastier and healthier.
And when the year is particularly fruitful, everyone strives to prepare them to the maximum, pickle them, and steep them in their own juice. But there is another great way - to freeze tomatoes raw. And in winter you can make pizza from them, add them to goulash or soups. In general, enjoy the gifts of nature all year round.
In principle, you can just take and freeze vegetables, or you can read the article first and avoid making some mistakes.
How to freeze tomatoes for the winter. 4 ways to freeze tomatoes
How to freeze tomatoes for the winter.
4 ways to freeze tomatoes How to prepare tomatoes for the winter without canning? After all, the seasonal tomato cannot be compared with what appears on supermarket shelves in winter. Imported vegetables grown with continuous chemicals do not have a bright aroma, and the content of vitamins and nutrients in them is very doubtful. To feed your family with natural tomatoes throughout the year, they can be prepared in the summer. To do this, you don’t need to screw the jars, boil the brine and stand at the hot stove.
Next we will talk about a way to preserve most vitamins, such as freezing . Yes, you can make preparations for the winter from tomatoes in this way. Under this condition, it will be possible to prepare pizza, soups, sauces and other dishes with the addition of healthy tomatoes.
Frozen tomato puree
During vegetable season, you can take care not to buy tomato paste. This preparation requires a blender and suitable plastic containers with lids.
The advantage of this recipe is that you don’t need to boil the tomato mass for hours, wasting valuable time and running up your electricity bills.
Frozen tomato puree
Required:
Preparation:
In this variation, tomatoes can be stored until next summer. But they usually end much faster.
Frozen tomato slices
This method is suitable for preparing pizza or merchant-style meat. Or other hot dishes, the recipe of which calls for the use of tomatoes cut into slices.
Frozen tomato slices
Required:
Preparation:
Frozen tomato pieces for stews or soups
This option involves freezing tomatoes cut into small slices.
Frozen tomato pieces for stews or soups
Required:
Preparation:
Whole frozen tomatoes
This method of freezing tomatoes is the easiest. You don't need to chop or chop anything.
Whole frozen tomatoes
Required:
Preparation:
Take ripe or even overripe tomatoes, preferably medium-sized.
Using whole frozen tomatoes is very easy. If necessary, take the required number of tomatoes. Allow time for the top layer to thaw, this will make it very easy to remove the skin. After removing the skin, wait until the whole tomato has melted and start using. These tomatoes can be added to stir-fry or simply added to soups or any dishes.
These four options for freezing tomatoes will help out any housewife who cares about healthy eating for her family in winter.
Source
What to do with green tomatoes
The problem of green tomatoes that have not had time to ripen is familiar to almost any gardener. American lovers of organically growing tomatoes in areas where the climate is similar to ours in central Russia are also concerned about the same problem.
I offer you a translation of an article from an English site dedicated to organic farming.
By autumn there are always green tomatoes on the stems. And you have to decide whether to leave them to ripen until frost or collect them green. But then there will be the problem of how to make them become ripe.
Most varieties of tomatoes require a temperature of at least +20C for final ripening. And we need several days with this temperature. But in the fall, the days become shorter and cooler, and measures must be taken to avoid losing the harvest of the last tomatoes of the season.
Here are some tips that will help keep your tomato plants healthy, allow your tomatoes to ripen on the bush, or tell you what to do with green tomatoes if you do have to pick them from the bushes just like that.
Do not panic! You didn't plan for your tomato bushes to live forever. So be grateful for the harvest you have already received.
At the end of the season, you should not spray your bushes with various preparations; it is better to tear off all diseased leaves and destroy them. Give the tomatoes one last dose of nutrition. A liquid infusion of compost or fishmeal will have a good effect on your tomato bushes.
If night temperatures drop below +18, do not expect new ovaries to appear on the bushes. To direct all the energy of the bush to ripening the fruits, pick off all the flowers on the bushes.
If the forecast predicts frost, cover the tomato bushes with a cloth or any covering material.
If there is no hope for good weather, then pull out the bushes with green fruits and hang them in a dry shed or garage. The fruits will continue to ripen. After pulling out the bushes, shake the soil thoroughly from the roots. Do not hang bushes in direct sunlight. But you can’t leave the bushes in complete darkness.
You can pick green tomatoes and store them at home.
1) Place the tomatoes on a sunny windowsill. Place them with the stem attachment point down.
2) Wrap each tomato in newspaper and place in a cardboard box. The number of layers should not be more than 2. Place the box in the dark, in a dry place and check the ripeness once a week. Usually it takes 3-4 weeks before the tomatoes ripen, but you need to carefully monitor them to see if they have begun to rot.
3) Place the green tomatoes in a paper bag and add the apple. The ethylene released by the apple will speed up the ripening of the tomatoes.
And to console you, I will tell you that there are many recipes for dishes made from green tomatoes.
These are the tips an American tomato lover gives to his compatriots. And I want to add that it is better to make any preparations in a comfortable kitchen. For example, inexpensive economy class kitchens are quite suitable for a country house or just a country house.
3) Place the green tomatoes in a paper bag and add the apple. The ethylene released by the apple will speed up the ripening of the tomatoes.
How to freeze fresh tomatoes for the winter in the freezer
In summer, tomatoes are the most delicious, aromatic and healthy, but in winter you don’t even want to try them. We are used to pickling and salting tomatoes, but it turns out you can simply freeze them. You may ask: how to freeze tomatoes for the winter in the freezer? It’s very simple, later in the recipe, I will offer you 3 options, and you choose which one you like best.
You should know that when frozen, tomatoes retain all their beneficial properties, because they cannot be heat treated and cannot be pickled in vinegar. This is also the easiest and fastest way to prepare for the winter. But first you must choose the best tomatoes; they must be ripe, but elastic, without dents and, especially, without rotten places. Before freezing, be sure to wash and dry them so that they do not stick together. And in the end, the main thing is to pack them hermetically so that air does not get into the bag, then they will not lose taste and moisture.
Tomatoes, frozen whole or twisted, can be added to soup, borscht, stewed cabbage, fried meat or vegetables, stews, and pasta. Now you definitely won't need store-bought tomato sauce. And frozen tomatoes in pieces can be used to make pizza, casseroles, pies, and hot salads.
Features and Tips
Unripe fruits contain a substance called solanine. It is poisonous to the body. There is more of it in bright green fruits than in light green ones.
- In small doses, solanine has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and has an antiviral effect.
- In large doses, it worsens the condition of the blood and can cause poisoning.
- Eating unripe tomatoes fresh is risky, so they must be heat-treated by blanching. In addition, blanching removes harmful substances - nitrites. Also, before freezing, it is better to soak vegetables in a saline solution for several hours. This procedure has the same effect as blanching. These tips will make green fruit safe to eat before you freeze it.
Like other vegetables, fruits are carefully selected for freezing. They should not show signs of rotting or dark spots. It is better that they have a light color. Then they are washed, removing any remaining dust and soil. Soak in saline solution for at least 2 hours. How can you properly freeze green tomatoes?
How to freeze tomatoes for the winter in the freezer 3 recipes
Recipe 1. Frozen crushed tomatoes in silicone mold
Even overripe, non-elastic fruits are suitable for this option. The main thing is to make sure you don’t get any rotten vegetables. I do not peel the skin, it is crushed, and the remains will become soft and will not spoil the taste of the dish. You can grind it using a meat grinder or blender.
For freezing, I use silicone muffin tins, they are large and one serving is enough to fill a dish. You can also take ice molds, but for me they are very small and to prepare a dish you need to use 4-5 of them at once, then more time is wasted on preparation. As for packaging, you can use sealed trays or bags.
You can add different spices to tomato juice: basil, garlic, salt, ground black pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, fresh herbs. Then you will have a fully flavourful dressing.
Preparation
Wash the tomatoes under running water, cut them into pieces so that it is convenient to chop them.
Grind the tomatoes using a meat grinder. If you don’t have a meat grinder, you can grind it using a juicer or blender.
Before pouring the liquid, place the silicone mold on a dense, flat surface, it can be: a board or a dish, then you can easily put the mold in the freezer without spilling the juice, I put it on a cutting board. Pour the liquid into molds and place in the freezer for 12 – 24 hours.
We take the tomato tablets out of the molds, put them in a regular bag, squeeze out all the air and seal it tightly. Store in the freezer. You can use tomato puree to prepare meat or vegetable stews, first courses, add them frozen. But if you want to prepare the sauce, then leave the tomato juice at room temperature and wait until it melts.
Kitchen tools
To prepare different types of fruits, you should stock up on some kitchen utensils that will help the process and simplify the task of preparing the product for freezing:
- a knife with notches on the blade. It is with the help of such a knife that you can cut tomatoes perfectly without crushing them, which will allow you to retain all the juice inside the pieces;
- plastic tray for placing frozen products in the freezer;
- containers for storing tomatoes, for example, a plastic container or plastic bags;
- paper towels to dry the tomatoes after washing;
- freezer for freezing;
- kitchen board for cutting tomatoes;
- deep bowls for intermediate storage of foods prepared for freezing.
Recipe 2. Frozen fresh whole tomatoes
Many people ask the question: how to freeze fresh tomatoes for the winter? The answer is simple - just completely. For this method, choose high-quality, dense fruits, because they need to be stored almost all year. After defrosting, their taste is almost as good as fresh tomatoes.
Preparation
We buy tomatoes that are not large in size, they should be a little larger than cherry tomatoes; by the way, cherry tomatoes also lend themselves well to freezing. If you have large tomatoes, you can cut them into wedges and freeze them in a bag.
We rinse them under running water, put them on a towel, and put another one on top, quickly wipe them off so that most of the water drains away. I don’t peel the peel, but if you don’t want it to end up in the dish, put the fruits in boiling water and remove the skin from each vegetable, then when freezing, don’t throw the tomatoes all together in a bag, otherwise they will stick together, freeze them separately from each other friend on the board or in a bowl.
We put the tomatoes in the bag in small portions, I usually put 10 pieces each. Why is it not advisable to freeze in large quantities? It’s just that when you unpack, air will get into the vegetables, they will no longer be hermetically sealed, and this spoils the preparation.
You can use whole frozen tomatoes to stuff them, add first and second courses, or simply bake them whole with meat. There is no need to defrost them, as they will only become soft if you plan to stuff them, and then it is advisable not to defrost them completely.
Recipe 3. Frozen tomatoes in pieces
Many people ask whether it is possible to freeze tomatoes in bunches? Of course, it is possible and even necessary, because they can be used to prepare various baked goods.
Take tomatoes that are dense in structure and rinse them under running water. Using a sharp knife, cut into round pieces no more than 1 cm wide, place them on a dish without excess juice, and place in the freezer for 3-5 hours. If you decide to prepare a large quantity, then you will need a tray. We put the first layer of tomatoes in the bottom, cover them with a plastic bag, preferably not whole, but half, then lay out the 2nd layer of tomatoes, and so on until the space in the tray runs out. After freezing, remove the film and place the tomato pieces into bags.
What can be made from frozen tomatoes?
Since frozen tomatoes will no longer be stored (exception: they can be frozen for processing), something needs to be done with them. And you can do anything. For example, I really love lecho. If you have pepper, you can cook it and close it for the winter. This is if there are a lot of tomatoes and they are red. You can use it on adjika, appetizers that contain tomatoes, there are a lot of them: squash caviar, eggplant caviar, borscht dressing, etc.
If there are not many tomatoes, then we limit ourselves to small portions of what I suggested making, or use them for sauce, for example, for pasta, or gravy for meat, cutlets (both meat, fish, and vegetables).
Since frozen tomatoes will no longer be stored (exception: they can be frozen for processing), something needs to be done with them. And you can do anything. For example, I really love lecho. If you have pepper, you can cook it and close it for the winter. This is if there are a lot of tomatoes and they are red. You can use it on adjika, appetizers that contain tomatoes, there are a lot of them: squash caviar, eggplant caviar, borscht dressing, etc.
Is it possible to freeze tomatoes for the winter?
During the harvest season, the price of tomatoes is the lowest of the year. If you do not grow tomato plantations, the beginning of autumn is a good time to buy juicy vegetables, freeze and eat until next summer. The taste of frozen fruits will change slightly if you use the shock mode. Vitamins and flavor are also preserved during defrosting.
Answering the question, is it possible to freeze tomatoes, definitely yes. The main advantage of the method is saving money, since in winter and early spring the price of vegetables in Central Russia is 2-3 times higher than in summer and autumn. The advantages include the speed of the process, in contrast to drying or preservation. The housewife’s task is to prepare the product and package it, then all that remains is to defrost it as needed.
Disadvantages of freezing include structural change in the crop. Vegetables are often used for subsequent heat treatment, such as soups and sauces. It is also important to monitor refrigeration equipment. A prolonged power outage will cause the vegetables to begin to melt, and re-freezing is prohibited.
The main reasons for freezing
Often the reasons for this phenomenon are errors in agricultural technology. For example, if seedlings are planted earlier than recommended for a given region, there is a high probability that they will be damaged by frost.
Poor preparation of seedlings can cause tomatoes to freeze: if hardening was not carried out when growing them, the plants will not be able to withstand the cold. The likelihood of freezing also increases if there is no mulch on the soil surface, which serves as a good cover for young plants, or if the soil itself is poorly prepared - shallowly dug and dense, not loosened. In this case, there is a possibility that not only the green parts, but also the root system will be damaged by the cold.
Selection and preparation of suitable fruits
Why is it important to focus on the variety when choosing fruits to freeze?
Suitable tomato for freezing
Overripe fruits wrinkle easily and have thin skin. Unripe green tomatoes are also not frozen, since after thawing the fruits become tasteless. In addition, solanine contained in green vegetables is not recommended for consumption by doctors. When selecting a product, it should not have putrefactive or yellow spots, signs of disease, damage in the form of cracks, or mold. A cut tomato increases the risk of bacterial infection.
Varietal names suitable for freezing:
Before choosing the storage method, the culture must be washed in cool water. Then dry on a towel so that no drops of moisture remain, which will turn into ice in the freezer.
Preparing tomatoes
Simple steps to protect frozen tomatoes
First of all, don't panic. Water the soil around the affected tomatoes with cool water, being careful not to touch the condensation on the green mass of the plants. Make a shade in the area so that the seedlings are hidden from the morning sun. To do this, build a structure of several arcs and a dark film. If you have agrofibre on your farm, use it.
When the seedlings warm up, spray them with a solution of Cytovit and Zircon. The preparations will restore the strength of the roots and make it easier for them to extract water and nutrients from the soil. Prepare a solution at the rate of 1 ml of each drug per 10 liters of liquid.
Freezing methods and how to do it
Kitchen utensils and items that are useful for preparing crops for freezing:
Whole fruits
A rational method for mini tomatoes, for example cherry varieties. But it is possible to use the method for medium-sized vegetables.
What to pay attention to:
The less space in the bags, the product is stored longer and ice does not form. A vacuum pump will help remove excess air.
Frozen tomatoes in bags
Whole vegetables can be frozen without any problems, but thawing takes a little longer than chopped vegetables. The peel comes off without any problems, but there is a way to freeze whole tomatoes without the peel:
Pre-peeling will speed up the preparation of dishes, for example when cooking soup.
Peeling tomatoes
In circles
Freezing tomatoes in slices is great for pizza. The cutting shape is suitable for omelettes and meat casseroles.
Preparing tomato slices for freezing
When the circles are frozen, carefully transfer them into bags without damaging the shape. Remove by selecting normal freezer mode. If you plan to freeze a large batch, then you can lay the layers on top of each other, but always on film or parchment.
If desired, the skin is removed before slicing. But it is worth keeping in mind that when defrosting, it will not be difficult to remove it. When freezing, thick food grade foil is used.
Preventing frost damage
Timely prevention of frost damage to tomatoes allows you to save the harvest and your own time. To prevent seedlings from being damaged when planted in open ground, the rows are covered with several layers of plastic film. Warm blankets or several sheets of cardboard are placed on top of it.
If a slight cooling is expected (about 0°C), the bush is covered with a paper cap. Each edge of the cap should fit tightly to the soil so that cold temperatures cannot penetrate the soil and freeze the root system.
When planting in a greenhouse, rags are thrown over the frame. They are not removed until the air temperature returns to normal. Plants are opened only after the temperature is above 12°C. If you harden the seedlings for several hours every day, they will be more resistant to temperature changes.
To protect tomatoes from frost, care should be taken to create shade for the tomatoes. Bushes should not be exposed to excessive sunlight. To avoid this, small metal arcs are installed in the area and covered with a dark-colored film. Agrofibre is also used for these purposes.
Before planting tomato seedlings, you should always monitor weather conditions in your area and find out short- and long-term forecasts. Protective measures (sheltering seedlings, heating the greenhouse, etc.) should be started if the temperature in the evening under a clear sky drops to +7 degrees. This means that there will be frost at dawn.
How to defrost correctly
Not everyone knows, but when defrosting there are nuances on how to use frozen tomatoes, when doing which you will be able to avoid melted porridge instead of circles.
Whole tomatoes must be defrosted; they can be cut only after thawing. Vegetables can be left at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Further slicing should be done before the juice begins to release; the tomatoes should only be melted. If you take out whole tomatoes the day before and put them in the refrigerator, then the next day it will not be difficult to remove the skin from them, but the shape will be lost.
There is no need to defrost the mugs at all. If using them for pizza, the frozen circles are placed on the dough before putting the dish in the oven.
Mashed potatoes or stuffed semi-finished products do not require defrosting. Puree or grated vegetables are added immediately to the container and heat-treated. If frozen tomato juice needs to be added to a vegetable smoothie, then it must first be left in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
For salads, use frozen tomatoes in pieces, which are added to the dish 5-10 minutes before serving. But if the tomatoes are too fleshy, the salad can be very watery, so use this advice carefully.
I no longer buy tomatoes in winter
Unfavorable temperature conditions
The first damage to seedlings appears when the air temperature drops to 0°C. With the onset of cold weather, tomatoes experience stress. As a result, all surface hairs rise and moisture forms on them. It is these drops of water that create a shield on the surface, preventing the inside of the trunk and leaves from freezing.
If the temperature drops to -1°C, all planting material dies, and it is no longer possible to revive the bushes.
Tomato is a plant with increased heat requirements. At temperatures below +15 degrees it does not bloom, at temperatures below +8 degrees it stops growing. A long stay at this temperature (10-15 days) leads to irreversible consequences and death of the plant.
Interesting: Preparing Horseradish at Home for the Winter
Basic rules for storage and use
The shelf life of the products is 12 months in conditions from -18 to -23°C. Recommendations for storing and using frozen tomatoes:
- Thawed vegetables cannot be re-frozen;
- an airtight storage container will not allow air and odors to enter;
- Do not freeze spoiled raw materials;
- indicate the freezing date on the package;
- Thawed raw materials are not washed.
The package with whole vegetables is placed on the far wall of the refrigerator, and the chopped raw materials are placed closer to the door. Choose bags with good freezer strength. As a rule, a snowflake is drawn on them.
Preparing for freezing
Before freezing tomatoes, you need to prepare them properly. In order for the finished product to be of high quality, the following is required:
- Wash the fruits thoroughly with clean running water.
- Dry well. You need to wait until the tomatoes dry or use a towel. But after wiping, it is still better to wait some time so that not a drop of liquid remains on the fruits. Residual moisture will cause the tomatoes to ice up, freeze to each other and become deformed.
- Prepare equipment: bowls, a sharp knife, a convenient cutting board, containers, bags, containers for pre-freezing.
- Select spices if desired.
- Marker to write freezing method and date on containers.
For slicing, it is better to use a knife with notches on the blade: with its help you can thinly slice tomatoes without bruising them or tearing the skin.
Containers for frozen vegetables should be small in size
This is important both for proper storage of the product and for ease of use during cooking.
For freezing, it is better to purchase special bags: they are durable and impenetrable.
It is important that moisture from the containers does not enter the freezer, which could damage the refrigerator. On the other hand, it is forbidden for air from the refrigerator compartment to get into bags of food.
Otherwise, oxidative processes will begin that will harm the workpieces.
Which tomatoes are suitable for freezing?
Not all tomatoes can be frozen. Green fruits are not suitable for such preparation, since it is impossible to prepare a tasty dish from them. Also, you should not take overripe or rotten tomatoes; after defrosting, they will turn into porridge with an unpleasant taste.
Before the procedure, tomatoes must be sorted and sorted by degree of ripeness.
To freeze tomato puree, you can choose slightly bruised, not very smooth, but soft tomatoes.
To freeze whole or cut into pieces tomatoes, you need to take dense, ripe fruits. Tomatoes are suitable for this:
- Small size;
- Dense and fleshy;
- Ripe, but not overripe;
- With small seed chambers;
- With a small amount of juice.
Advice! For freezing whole, it is better to choose tomatoes with thick skin, and for slicing - oblong ones.
The most suitable varieties:
- Cherry (all types);
- Rio Grande;
- De Barao;
- Sanka.
However, you can also harvest other varieties of tomatoes, the main thing is that they are dense, small or medium in size.
