Is there a good use for tomato liquid?

Labradors2 · November 3, 2017

The time has come, to make tomato sauce, so yesterday I hauled out all my bags of frozen tomatoes and dunked them in hot water to remove the skins. I put them in colanders with bowls underneath to catch all the liquid in preparation for cooking them and canning the sauce on Saturday. (They are sitting in coolers, which is probably why it takes so long for them to thaw, but at least it keeps the fruit flies out!)

Does anyone have a good use for that lovely tomato liquid? I really hate to waste it and I think I could make soup with it, but don't want to overpower any recipe.

Thanks for any ideas/recipes

Linda

ContainerTed · November 3, 2017

When I make tomato juice, I always cook it down by about 30%. I'd set a pot on the side and keep the heat just high enough to make the contents "roll", but not "bubble" boil. This prevents burning and after a while, you've got some of the tastiest tomato juice you can make.

Labradors2 · November 3, 2017

Thanks a lot Ted. I just had a glass of the neat liquid and it was extremely tasty. I've read that one can make Bloody Mary's with it, but I don't drink them

Linda

encore · November 3, 2017

bloody mary mix! a woman says the best bloody mary she ever had was from the liquid, not the boiled down juice.

encore · November 3, 2017

lol you beat me to it while i was typing! lol

oakley · November 3, 2017

Yum. Give me all your juice and the skins. Good food value in the
skins and juice. Toss in blender and drink up. (Virgin Mary)
Or add to soups. Can be frozen to add at any time.

Skins can be dehydrated for powder.

MissS · November 3, 2017

Yes, make a nice healthy 'Virgin Mary', add to smoothies or reduce it and add to your sauce for a wonderful flavor. I never throw that out.

Worth1 · November 3, 2017

I bet it would be good in clam chowder.
Worth

KarenO · November 3, 2017

Reduce it a bit to concentrate the flavour, season with salt and pepper and use it anywhere you would use vegetable stick- soups, stews, gravy... etc. If there’s lots you can freeze or can it.
KarenO

Labradors2 · November 3, 2017

Thanks folks. Now I will feel even worse about tossing it down the sink

, and will have to freeze it for later use. There's lots of it, and all my cup-like containers are already in the freezer, full of asparagus water - saved for making soup..... Obviously, I don't make much soup in the summer! Guess I'll just have to break down and get some more containers!

Linda

ddsack · November 3, 2017

Linda, when I freeze my tomato sauce, I use quart zip-lock bags that I stand up in some square plastic containers of a size I like. Leave enough head space in the bag so you can fold it over flat to zip with no air pocket. After the bags freeze into a semi-cube shape, I take them out to stack and re-use the containers for another batch.

clkeiper · November 3, 2017

why not can it and put it in the cabinet? It doesn't need to be pressure canned, just a waterbath. for 35-40 minutes

**coronabarb** · November 3, 2017

I like to freeze liquids like that in a 9" square cake pan, then slide the frozen block into a ziploc bag. You can stack them flat or stand them up.

Karrr_Luda · March 2, 2018

I use it for making Borstch - tomato based soup instead of adding tomato juice if i have some. I just use my own scrap veggie broth with tomato liquid added (from frozen and cooked tomatoes), add potatoes, carrots, beets cut in matchsticks, a can of beans and lots of chopped cabbage-added in the end so it would not get too soft. Some sauteed dill with garlic (in any veg oil or olive oil) in the very end, salt and pepper to taste. I do salt my broth so not adding salt at the end. A bit late with the reply..

November 3, 2017	#1
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,894	Is there a good use for tomato liquid? The time has come, to make tomato sauce, so yesterday I hauled out all my bags of frozen tomatoes and dunked them in hot water to remove the skins. I put them in colanders with bowls underneath to catch all the liquid in preparation for cooking them and canning the sauce on Saturday. (They are sitting in coolers, which is probably why it takes so long for them to thaw, but at least it keeps the fruit flies out!) Does anyone have a good use for that lovely tomato liquid? I really hate to waste it and I think I could make soup with it, but don't want to overpower any recipe. Thanks for any ideas/recipes Linda Last edited by Labradors2; November 3, 2017 at 10:42 AM.

November 3, 2017	#2
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	When I make tomato juice, I always cook it down by about 30%. I'd set a pot on the side and keep the heat just high enough to make the contents "roll", but not "bubble" boil. This prevents burning and after a while, you've got some of the tastiest tomato juice you can make. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

November 3, 2017	#7
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,149	Yes, make a nice healthy 'Virgin Mary', add to smoothies or reduce it and add to your sauce for a wonderful flavor. I never throw that out. __________________ ~ Patti ~

November 3, 2017	#9
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	Reduce it a bit to concentrate the flavour, season with salt and pepper and use it anywhere you would use vegetable stick- soups, stews, gravy... etc. If there’s lots you can freeze or can it. KarenO Last edited by KarenO; November 3, 2017 at 04:19 PM.

November 3, 2017	#11
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	Linda, when I freeze my tomato sauce, I use quart zip-lock bags that I stand up in some square plastic containers of a size I like. Leave enough head space in the bag so you can fold it over flat to zip with no air pocket. After the bags freeze into a semi-cube shape, I take them out to stack and re-use the containers for another batch. __________________ Dee **************

November 3, 2017	#4
encore Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: wisconsin Posts: 536	bloody mary mix! a woman says the best bloody mary she ever had was from the liquid, not the boiled down juice.

November 3, 2017	#6
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	Yum. Give me all your juice and the skins. Good food value in the skins and juice. Toss in blender and drink up. (Virgin Mary) Or add to soups. Can be frozen to add at any time. Skins can be dehydrated for powder.

November 3, 2017	#8
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I bet it would be good in clam chowder. Worth

November 3, 2017	#12
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	why not can it and put it in the cabinet? It doesn't need to be pressure canned, just a waterbath. for 35-40 minutes __________________ carolyn k

November 3, 2017	#13
coronabarb Tomatoville® Recipe Keeper Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Roseburg, Oregon - zone 7 Posts: 2,821	I like to freeze liquids like that in a 9" square cake pan, then slide the frozen block into a ziploc bag. You can stack them flat or stand them up. __________________ Corona~Barb Now an Oregon gal

March 2, 2018	#14
Karrr_Luda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: USA NJ zone 6B Posts: 228	I use it for making Borstch - tomato based soup instead of adding tomato juice if i have some. I just use my own scrap veggie broth with tomato liquid added (from frozen and cooked tomatoes), add potatoes, carrots, beets cut in matchsticks, a can of beans and lots of chopped cabbage-added in the end so it would not get too soft. Some sauteed dill with garlic (in any veg oil or olive oil) in the very end, salt and pepper to taste. I do salt my broth so not adding salt at the end. A bit late with the reply.. __________________ (:>=