How to freeze tomatoes for the winter at home

Freezing green tomatoes

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Juicy, appetizing tomatoes are loved and grown by many gardeners and gardeners. To be able to enjoy delicious vegetables at any time of the year, they are usually preserved for the winter in various ways, spending a lot of time and effort on this. And they often forget that freezing tomatoes is a quick, easy and affordable way to preserve your harvest at home.

Freezing as a method of preparing tomatoes is becoming increasingly popular among domestic housewives

What tomatoes can be frozen

First, it’s worth determining which tomatoes are suitable for frozen storage. There are no special restrictions here. It is important to select ripe fruits, since green tomatoes do not retain their taste when frozen and subsequently thawed. In addition, you need to immediately separate overripe vegetables that are starting to spoil.

If the fruit has bruises, cracks on the surface of the skin and is soft enough, it should be stored in a mashed, pureed form. Therefore, before freezing tomatoes, divide them into groups according to their degree of ripeness.

For placing in the freezer whole or cut into slices, it is necessary to select fruits, guided by the following recommendations:

tomatoes should not be very large;
they must have a strong skin and be quite fleshy, which guarantees a small content of water inside;
the fruits must be ripe;
It is necessary to choose those varieties that have small seed chambers.

If you plan to freeze whole tomatoes, you'll need ones with firm skin. If you want to store them cut, you can use oval-shaped fruits.

Varieties suitable for this type of storage:

Cherry;
Rio Grande;
De Barao;
Sanka.

As well as other small varieties with elastic fruits.

How to freeze tomatoes in slices?

Another option for freezing tomatoes is in slices. Vegetables in this form can be used when preparing snacks and scrambled eggs.

Wash the vegetables, cut into circles using a special knife (knife with a curved blade, saw blade, etc.)

You will need a special knife

Wrap the board in film or foil and place tomato slices on it in one layer.
Place the vegetables to freeze, and after they are frozen, place them in a bag or container, close tightly, label and store in the freezer.

Preparing tomatoes for freezing

If you do not want to be disappointed with the result, then when preparing fruits for freezing you must strictly follow certain recommendations:

Tomatoes should be washed well with water.
After washing, the fruits must be thoroughly dried. You can wipe them with a towel or soft paper. Make sure the vegetables are completely dry, as the slightest amount of water can cause them to warp in the freezer.
Prepare in advance all the tools necessary for freezing: a well-sharpened knife, cutting board, containers or bags for pre-treatment at low temperatures.
You can also use some spices.
Label containers to be frozen with the processing date.
When cutting tomatoes, it is recommended to use a serrated knife. It is more suitable for these fruits because it does not wrinkle their skin.

It is better to place prepared vegetables in small containers or bags. This will allow the fruits to be stored longer, it will be more convenient to place them in the refrigerator, and use them for cooking after defrosting.

I always take special bags designed specifically for freezing food, as I am confident in their strength. Remember that moisture trapped inside containers can damage your freezer, so it is important to take care to prevent this from happening. Air from the refrigerator should not get inside containers or bags so as not to harm the vegetables.

Slicing methods

It is worth deciding in advance what dishes you want to add frozen tomatoes to - the type of cutting of vegetables will depend on this.

If you plan to use them in hot dishes, for example, in soups, vegetable stews, omelettes, then it is better to immediately cut the tomatoes into square slices.

For sandwiches and pizza, cutting into slices is more suitable.

The fruits, crushed to a puree consistency, will be ideal for the subsequent preparation of a variety of sauces, soups, gravies and main courses.

Whole frozen tomatoes are convenient for preparing various stuffed dishes and casseroles.

If you can’t decide in advance which recipes you’ll later need frozen tomatoes in, don’t worry - if you freeze the fruits whole, you can chop them after defrosting.

On our website you can also find useful information about what you can cook from tomatoes.

How to choose fruits to freeze for the winter

How to properly freeze tomatoes at home? Very simple! It is only important to choose the right fruits and follow proven recipes step by step. Frozen tomatoes will be an excellent analogue to various pickles: in frosty times they are used to prepare pizza, pasta, sauces, first and second courses, as well as pies and salads.

Many gardeners are mistaken in believing that tomatoes are not suitable for freezing, as they contain a lot of liquid, which risks turning into ice. To avoid the problem, you must follow some rules when processing the product.

Firm, fresh tomatoes of any color, recently ripe and picked from the garden, are suitable for freezing. It is better to choose those varieties of tomatoes whose fruits contain more pulp than juice and have a thick skin. Be sure to make sure that there are no signs of rotting or other damage.

Note. Ideally, no more than 6 hours should pass between harvesting and freezing vegetables. This will increase the possibility of preserving the beneficial properties of the product to the maximum extent.

It is not recommended to take unripe and overripe garden produce for freezing: they will quickly lose their taste.

Photo pixabay/neelam279: tomatoes for freezing for the winter.

Storage temperature

It is believed that the optimal temperature for this type of tomato storage should not exceed -20°C. If your freezer allows it, freezing can be done at -30°C. In any case, it is recommended to select the lowest possible temperature.

If you decide to store whole vegetables in the refrigerator, you must first freeze them completely and then place them in special containers. Fruits cut into slices do not need to be subjected to additional freezing, but can be immediately placed in containers and then placed in the freezer.

Freezing whole tomatoes

So, you have selected tomatoes that are small in size, regular in shape, and have thick skins to freeze whole. Now the fruits must be washed well and dried thoroughly.

After these simple operations, the tomatoes can be evenly distributed in one layer on any type of tray or tray and placed in the freezer.

It usually takes one day for the fruits to completely freeze.

If you wish, you can freeze the tomatoes without the skins. To do this you need:

make a small cut crosswise at the stalk of the tomato, being careful not to damage its flesh;
place the fruit first in boiling water for 30 seconds, and then in cold water for a few more seconds;
Carefully remove the loose skin;
place the peeled tomatoes on a prepared tray covered with cling film, so that the fruits do not touch each other;
place the tray in the freezer for 12-15 hours.

The frozen tomatoes can then be distributed into special food bags suitable for use in the refrigerator. Try to remove as much air as possible from bags or containers and close them very tightly.

How to freeze whole tomatoes?

You can freeze whole tomatoes, and it is very simple and profitable. You can always defrost such a product and cut it the way you need, grind it into puree or stuff it. The only disadvantage of this kind of freezing is that whole tomatoes take up a lot of space in the freezer.

Choose ripe, not bursting, not very large tomatoes. Small tomatoes like cherry tomatoes are ideal for freezing whole. The main thing is to take meaty, but not very juicy vegetables.
Wash them thoroughly, dry them, and be sure to remove the stalks.
Choose a container in which you will freeze vegetables. This can be a ziplock bag, plastic or glass container.
Place the tomatoes in a bag or container. Do not fill the bag to the top; place the tomatoes in a container, be it plastic or glass, at a short distance from each other, leaving at least a few free centimeters under the lid.
If you are freezing vegetables in a bag, release the air from it and zip it, if in a container, place the tomatoes and close the lid.
Label the container and send it to freeze.

Whole
You can also freeze whole tomatoes in several stages:

To begin, place the pre-prepared vegetables on a cutting board and place in the freezer until completely frozen.
Then put the tomatoes in a bag, close it, label it and put it in the freezer.

You can freeze tomatoes without skin in the same way. To do this, prepare the vegetables in the previously indicated way, then make a shallow cut on each one and place it in hot water. Then pour cold water over the vegetables and remove the skins, dry the tomatoes and freeze as described above.

Freezing in slices

There are no special size requirements for freezing slices - you will still need to cut them before storing. It is best to select the meatiest tomatoes.

Cutting into small pieces

You choose to freeze tomatoes in cubes or slices, based on your preferences and the dishes for which you plan to use the preparations. Whether to leave the skin on the tomatoes or not is also a matter of taste. Personally, I try to remove it in advance because it will most likely separate from the pulp when cooking and will not look very good when served.

The juice that remains after cutting tomatoes can be collected in a separate container and used independently.

The crushed fruits should be immediately placed in containers and placed in the freezer.

Slicing

If you want to freeze tomatoes cut into slices, then choose medium-sized fruits and try not to make the slices too thin, because they may fall apart. I believe that the most optimal thickness for this type of cutting is about one centimeter.

Place the round slices on a tray or tray so that they do not touch each other. You can lay out the tomatoes in two or three layers if you have too many of them. In this case, it is recommended to cover each layer with cling film so that later the slices can be easily separated.

First, the workpiece must be placed in the freezer for half a day, and then it should be divided into separate bags or containers.

Freezing stuffed tomatoes

Stuffed tomatoes are a tasty and fairly simple dish that always produces a positive effect on guests. If you like tomatoes prepared this way, you can make frozen ones and enjoy them even in winter.

Select the strongest tomatoes with the correct shape and large enough size. Carefully cut off the bottom of the tomato and remove the core. Then place the minced meat inside the fruit - depending on your preferences, it can be meat, vegetable or even mushroom.

Such semi-finished products are frozen in two stages: first on an open tray, then in special containers.

Remember that you cannot salt the dish before freezing - all seasonings are added during the cooking process in the oven.

Freezing tomato puree

Freezing pureed tomatoes is a great option if you have a lot of irregularly shaped or bruised tomatoes. In winter, such preparation will be a good help for the housewife in preparing tomato paste and many hot dishes.

To make tomato puree:

remove the stalk and those parts of the fruit that have already begun to deteriorate;
cut the pulp into slices;
grind the slices in a blender;
place the resulting mass in small containers, such as ice trays, cookies or jelly;
place the containers in the freezer for 12 hours;
transfer the frozen puree into special bags or containers and place them back in the freezer.

If you don't have enough ready-made molds, you can make them yourself from food-grade plastic. Take cups or bottles and cut them into containers of the required volume.

The best ways to freeze tomatoes at home

To prevent tomatoes from becoming shapeless and tasteless when frozen, you need to learn how to store them correctly. There are many different ways to freeze tomatoes at home:

Whole fruits.
Slices without peel.
Pizza slices.
In pieces.
In the form of tomato puree, frozen in molds.
Stuffed tomatoes.
Freezing tomatoes and peppers.
In the form of tomato juice.

Each housewife has her own freezing method. It is important to choose the best one for yourself, which will help diversify your favorite dish.

Whole fruits

Freezing whole fruits is quite simple. Cherry and Slivka tomato varieties are suitable for this freezing option.

Simply wash the vegetables under cool water and place them on paper towels to absorb the moisture. You can pre-freeze tomatoes. Then you should put the tomatoes in bags designed specifically for freezing and put them in the freezer for storage.

Slices without peel

The red vegetable can also be frozen without the peel. This method is used because after freezing the peel becomes harder, some people do not like this.

To properly freeze peeled tomatoes, do the following:

wash the vegetables thoroughly;
remove stems from vegetables;
Dip the tomatoes in boiling water for half a minute, then rinse them with cold water;
peel tomatoes;
place the vegetables on film, covering the top with cellophane;
pre-freeze vegetables in the freezer for 24 hours;
Pack the frozen tomatoes in portions into freezer bags and place them in the freezer for further freezing.

In the future, frozen vegetables can be used to prepare first courses and salads. And also for stuffing.

Pizza slices

Freezing tomatoes in slices is very useful for making quick pizzas and sandwiches. For this freezing option, it is enough to rinse the tomatoes well under cool water and let them dry. Then prepare the slices into thin circles and place them on cling film in the freezer. After preliminary freezing, place the circles in special bags for long-term storage.

Pieces

For this freezing method, you need to choose fleshy tomatoes with a hard skin. Cutting is done into cubes or thin slices. If you wish, you can peel the tomatoes. Vegetables are immediately distributed into freezer bags. Frozen tomato pieces are added directly to dishes without requiring prior defrosting.

Tomato puree, frozen in molds

For this freezing method, juicy, even slightly overripe tomatoes are used. Tomatoes are crushed in a meat grinder or using a blender. The finished tomato puree is poured into molds. Ordinary silicone molds for cupcakes or ice are used as molds.

To avoid the tomato leaking out of the mold, do not pour the puree to the very edge. Tomato puree is frozen for 8-10 hours, then removed from the molds in the form of frozen pieces and placed in portioned bags.

Freezing stuffed tomatoes

Hard fruits are suitable for stuffing. Stuffing tomatoes begins with cutting out the core of the fruit. For stuffing, any filling is used, at the request of the hostess. It can be meat, mushroom, vegetable filling.

Stuffed tomatoes are laid out on a board, placed in the freezer, and pre-frozen. Then the vegetables are put into bags and placed in the freezer for further freezing.

In the freezer with pepper

Tomatoes and peppers together will be a very tasty addition to food. They can be stuffed and frozen together and the results will be amazing. The same steps are carried out with peppers as with tomatoes. It should be thoroughly washed, dried, cored, and placed in the freezer. Since peppers are much firmer in texture than tomatoes, you don't need to freeze them first.

Before freezing tomatoes and peppers, you should perform a number of steps:

Prepare juice from tomatoes.
Grind the pepper.
Combine pepper with tomato juice.
Pour into molds.
Store in the freezer.

Tomato juice

Most resourceful housewives immediately turn the tomatoes into tomato juice and freeze it. To do this, whole tomatoes are washed well under running water, cut into pieces and crushed using a blender. The finished juice is poured into molds and placed in the freezer.

Tomato juice perfectly diversifies any dish. In liquid form, tomatoes retain much more vitamins and beneficial properties.

Defrosting rules

When defrosting whole tomatoes, place them in the bottom compartment of the refrigerator used for storing fresh vegetables and fruits. In this case, you will retain the maximum amount of vitamins and juice contained in the fruits. Defrosting at room temperature will only take about half an hour, but the beneficial substances will be partially lost.

Frozen slices or tomato puree do not need to be specially defrosted - they can be immediately added to the prepared dish.

Remember that thawed tomatoes must be used immediately for food, since freezing them again is not recommended: this will not only lead to a complete loss of taste and beneficial properties, but will also be dangerous to your health.

Selection and preparation of suitable fruits

Why is it important to focus on the variety when choosing fruits to freeze?

Early-ripening and early varieties are not as sweet as mid-ripening and late varieties, so when defrosted their taste is blander.
Tomatoes should not contain a lot of water; preference should be given to meaty varieties.

Suitable tomato for freezing
Overripe fruits are easily wrinkled 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:

Bull's heart
Hercules,
Black Prince,
Mikado,
The Tsar Bell.

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