Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

Information and discussion about canning and dehydrating tomatoes and other garden vegetables and fruits. DISCLAIMER: SOME RECIPES MAY NOT COMPLY WITH CURRENT FOOD SAFETY GUIDELINES - FOLLOW AT YOUR OWN RISK

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old April 28, 2015   #31
NarnianGarden
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Finland, EU
Posts: 2,550
Default

We also froze toms in several ziplog bags, and used them in sauces, soups, pie etc.
Good taste!
It is wonderful to have enough of harvest to stuff the freezer
What I'll try this coming season, is to mark on the bags what specific variety it has inside - instead of random shapes and colors. I'd love to have black, yellow, green and pink ones to choose from for future stews and soups...
NarnianGarden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old April 28, 2015   #32
ermentrude
Tomatovillian™
 
ermentrude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 34
Default

Last year I froze chunks in mason jars. I did keep different types of tomatoes in separate jars and used two different sizes of jar depending on how much I needed. As each type ripened, I could chop and add to the appropriate jar. I didn't grow a whole lot last year and didn't have a ton to freeze, but it was nice to pick a specific tomato out in January. I had frozen in ziplock bags before but finally had enough of leaking bags and made the investment in glass and the plastic lids.
ermentrude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 1, 2015   #33
BarbJ
Tomatovillian™
 
BarbJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: California, USA
Posts: 154
Default

I like to freeze them whole in bags. I think the skin helps prevent freezer burn, and it's sure easier.
As I'm only going to use them in sauces and stews, it works well. I take them out whole and frozen, rinse them under warm water and the skins slip right off. Chop and dump into the sauce. I've have them last for a year easy. My old neighbor first told me of this method.
BarbJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 9, 2015   #34
bower
Tomatovillian™
 
bower's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 6,794
Default

If you folks haven't made frozen tomato gazpacho yet, you should really try it. Random red tomatoes will make an ordinary gazpacho, but try pink or black or orange sweet ones and wow - so sweet and cold and fantastic with no cooking. If I lived in the south and those hot summers, I think I'd be freezing tomatoes just to treat myself on a hot day,

Last year I had an indoor cuke plant and made 1/2 cuke, 1/2 tomato gazpacho. No cukes this year so it's all tomato. I just put a tablespoon of olive oil and some grated garlic into the blender, chop the frozen tomatoes skin and all about 3/4 full, a dasth of red wine vinegar or lemon, and blend until the slushie is made. "Liquid summer".

Not all tomatoes lose their texture severely by freezing. The worst are fleshy tomatoes like pastes and hearts, best made into sauce. But lots of beefs and small tomatoes can be used straight from the freezer if chopped fine into a 'frozen pico' - with frozen peppers too and some fresh green onion of course.. cilantro, parsely or rosemary as available from the windowsill. It's not the same as fresh but still a great way to enjoy them in winter and so much better than anything bought. The sloppy juice at the bottom is a great drink, whether you strain it before or after serving.

I also made aspic from fresh-frozen tomato and pepper salsa by heating a little juice with the envelope of gelatin, then stir into the half frozen mush - sets quick in a couple hours. Yep, aspic! A retro food. You can slice it.

I also use frozen peppers and tomatoes sliced thin as toppings for pizza all winter. You can't tell them from fresh after baking. Peppers are best sliced up as soon as they come out of the deep freeze, tomatoes you have to wait just long enough for them to slice instead of crumbling.

I freeze lots of tomatoes whole, because at the peak season there's no time to be standing over a hot stove.
bower is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 10, 2015   #35
peebee
Tomatovillian™
 
peebee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 1,714
Default

A frozen tomato "slushie"?! That's a great idea and name for an icy gazpacho Bower, why did I never think of that one? Definitely going to be on my try-to list this summer, thanks!
peebee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 11, 2015   #36
NarnianGarden
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Finland, EU
Posts: 2,550
Default

Tomato slushie - thanks for the idea, bower! I'll definitely freeze more toms this year - provided I'll get my plants to bloom and set fruit.
NarnianGarden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old January 28, 2017   #37
Nan_PA_6b
Tomatovillian™
 
Nan_PA_6b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 3,194
Default

I'm a big fan of fried green tomatoes, so I took some of this year's tomatoes at first blush and sliced & froze the slices (single layer). You thaw them, and do just like you do with fresh: salt them & let them sit, drain off the excess liquid, dip in flour & fry in oil. No difference from fresh, except DH says the frozen ones have a slightly BETTER consistency.

Nan
Nan_PA_6b is offline   Reply With Quote
Old January 31, 2017   #38
guruofgardens
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: zone 5 Colorado
Posts: 942
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b View Post
I'm a big fan of fried green tomatoes, so I took some of this year's tomatoes at first blush and sliced & froze the slices (single layer). You thaw them, and do just like you do with fresh: salt them & let them sit, drain off the excess liquid, dip in flour & fry in oil. No difference from fresh, except DH says the frozen ones have a slightly BETTER consistency.

Nan
Looking forward to trying this! We love fried green tomatoes, too! I never would have thought of freezing them, but who has room in their freezer!?
guruofgardens is offline   Reply With Quote
Old January 31, 2017   #39
Nan_PA_6b
Tomatovillian™
 
Nan_PA_6b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 3,194
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by guruofgardens View Post
Looking forward to trying this! We love fried green tomatoes, too! I never would have thought of freezing them, but who has room in their freezer!?
Guru, there's ALWAYS room for tomatoes!
Nan
Nan_PA_6b is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:52 AM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★