Once your tomatoes are produce and you start out to harvest them , you ’ll no doubt inquire how you could keep those tomatoes for the wintertime . Food conservation is a acquirement that has become rare in our grocery store society with 24/7 entree to unfermented fruits and vegetables no matter the time of year .
Yet preserving your home harvesting is easy and can make for a fun family activity as well . Plus , you get to savour your sweet , homegrown tomato plant all year long !
Ways to Preserve Tomatoes
There are many ways to preserve tomatoes and each has advantages and disadvantages . Here are the most popular .
Canning Tomatoes
Canning is a pop method , but it ’s not about tin cans – alternatively it ’s about bottling . This is an excellent agency to keep all kinds of food , not just tomatoes , preserved for years . The key to bottling tomatoes is to get them done when fresh and ripe ( there are also pickle methods for light-green tomatoes ) and to add lemon tree juice ( about 2 tablespoons per dry quart of tomato ) for keep the pH grade low enough to keep bacterium from grow . Canning require only basic tools and stewing water supply . you could also pre - make several favorite tomato recipes like pasta sauces , cut or diced tomatoes , tomato soup , or just can the tomatoes whole .
Freezing Tomatoes
Freezing might be the most democratic method used today because of its simplicity and the fact that almost every menage has access to a deep freezer . frosty tomato lose their texture , however , so they will only be suitable for cooking when melt . Whole tomatoes , grizzle , juiced , or pre - made tomato dishes can all be frozen easily .
Drying Tomatoes
dry tomato is another very democratic method acting and is the tawdry and simplest to do . Just edit the love apple thinly and put out into the sun ( or utilize a dehydrator ) to dry thoroughly . They become crispy and similar to potato chip in consistence , but they can be easily rehydrated ( just immerse in piss ) or used decay or as whole slices on sandwich , in soups , on salad , and more ! For the frugal who do not have a plenty of equipment and would prefer a simple method , this is the way to go .
Pickling Tomatoes
Pickling is another popular method acting , particularly for unripened green tomatoes . Most of the caveats with canning are included here , but vinegar ( preferably apple cider acetum ) is used rather than lemon juice . Pickled love apple are preserved in grain , but will lose some flavor ( or have it replaced with a more acidic , punchy tone ) .
Pickled tomatoes are pop for use as fry , chopped salad additives , and in many formula for chile and other dishes . Most pickled tomato are preserve whole , as the skin acts as a roadblock to some of the acetum ’s calibre . The longer pickled love apple sit before enjoyment , the mushier and less Lycopersicon esculentum flavored they ’ll be when used . Most picklers expect to utilize their tomatoes within a year , but they can technically last for several years .
Tomato Preserves
Tomato keep are standardized to tinned or pickled love apple , but are most often put up as tomato paste or jam . Yes , you scan right : tomato jam . It ’s really very good . Several recipes are out there for this method and , like the other canning methods , it ’s dependent on acid levels to stay clean .
Tomato Preserving Tips
No matter your choose preservation method acting , be sure to mark your containers so that you have it away when the tomatoes were put up for later use . This let you rotate the sr. ones out and keep running of what was made and when . Labels that let in the case of tomato ( variety , commonwealth when preserved , etc . ) are also a great idea .
Want to learn more about preserving tomatoes?
See these helpful resource : Resources for Home Preserving Tomatoesfrom National Center for Home Food PreservationCanning Tomatoes and Tomato Productsfrom Colorado State University Extension
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