Freezing Cherry Tomatoes?

[Starlight]

Can it be done and if so how do you do it. I sitting here with hundreds and hundreds of cherry type tomatoes. I'll squish and ferment more to share, but already have thousands of seed from them and wondered if I couldn't try and freeze some of these guys.

Canning is not an option here. Also for the ones I remove the seeds from is their something I can do with all the meat and skins left over instead of tossing to the compost pile?

[Father'sDaughter]

If you're a pasta eater, search the web for fresh cherry tomato sauce -- there are tons of recipes out there.

If you're a bread eater, rough chopped cherry tomatoes mixed with garlic, salt, basil and olive oil makes a great topping for bruschetta.

[FarmerShawn]

Cut them in half, toss them with garlic chunks, onion chunks, fresh oregano if available, salt, pepper, and olive oil, spread in sheet pans, and roast in the oven, either a low (250) temp for a long time (2-3 hours or more) or at a higher temp (up to 450 or 500 F) for a shorter time. Keep checking for a bit of browning, either way. A bit of caramelization is crucial, but don't burn them. Let cool, pack in freezer bags, either strained, puréed, or not (chunky, our preference) and freeze. YUM! Best sauce for pasta or pizza ever!

[oakley]

I cut in half and roast as well.
Also just freeze whole for later roasting or to toss on pizza or egg tarts, quiche.

They freeze great whole in zip-locks. Last through the holidays. They stay loose and you can just grab a few. Or roast whole, still frozen on a sheet pan in the oven, low-ish heat. 275-300 for an hour or two. With some garlic cloves, shallots, red pepper, etc, and toss with pasta.

[rags57078]

I freeze them whole and use in chili and hotdishes

[AlittleSalt]

You can also put them in a zip-lock bag. Put them in whole and dry and use a straw to suck out extra air as you seal the bag and toss them in the freezer.

They also make for good slingshot ammo while frozen. (Maybe that would help fix Worth's deer problem?)

[PhilaGardener]

Last year I cut Sungolds in half and froze them on a cookie sheet before aggregating in a plastic container. (Just how I do berries.) Simple and easy. They were great on pizza all winter!

[Starlight]

Thanks so much everybody for all the ideas. When I did the first batch of squishing out seeds it took me 8 hours. That how many tomatoes I had to do, one at a time and I had mounds and mounds of skins and innards I threw on compost onl;y to watch critters drag off some to eat and I thought to myself, what a waste of good tomatoes.

I'm so glad I asked you all before I start de-seeding this next huge group. Will hold off til tomorrow on getting the seeds and go to corner store for freezer bags.

You all have me a very happy person.

[whistech]

Do you have a dehydrator? You can cut the tomatoes in half, dehydrate them, and the put them in ziplock bags. The dehydrated tomatoes makes tasty soup or you can soak them in olive oil for three or four days and have the best "sun dried" tomatoes you can imagine.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by whistech

Do you have a dehydrator? You can cut the tomatoes in half, dehydrate them, and the put them in ziplock bags. The dehydrated tomatoes makes tasty soup or you can soak them in olive oil for three or four days and have the best "sun dried" tomatoes you can imagine.

Neat! I have a friend's dehydrator I can use anytime I want.

Ok, can you please clarify for me the olive oil part? Do I just take whole tomatoes and put in olive oil and let sit for 3-4 days? Does the oil dry the tomatoes up or what else do I need to do?

[PhilaGardener]

I think they mean to soak the dried tomatoes in olive oil, but I'll let whistech answer.

[Susan66]

You could also blend them up and freeze tomato sauce.
Susan

[whistech]

You need to cut the tomatoes in half and dehydrate them. Store in a ziplock bag and when you want "sundried" tomatoes in olive oil, take some tomatoes out of the ziplock bag, put them in a container with a lid, pour extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes, covering by at least one half inch and let the container sit on the cabinet 3 or 4 days. The tomatoes will be ready to use anyway you would normally use sundried tomatoes. You can store the tomatoes in olive oil in the fridge for 2 or 3 weeks safely. I have stored them longer than that but I believe I read that 2 weeks was the safe amount of time they could be stored in the fridge.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by PhilaGardener

I think they mean to soak the dried tomatoes in olive oil, but I'll let whistech answer.

Can you tell I am not the best cook around.

Originally Posted by Susan66

You could also blend them up and freeze tomato sauce.
Susan

Thanks Susan! The idea of fresh tomato sauce on spaghetti come winter sounds lovely.

Originally Posted by whistech

You need to cut the tomatoes in half and dehydrate them. Store in a ziplock bag and when you want "sundried" tomatoes in olive oil, take some tomatoes out of the ziplock bag, put them in a container with a lid, pour extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes, covering by at least one half inch and let the container sit on the cabinet 3 or 4 days. The tomatoes will be ready to use anyway you would normally use sundried tomatoes. You can store the tomatoes in olive oil in the fridge for 2 or 3 weeks safely. I have stored them longer than that but I believe I read that 2 weeks was the safe amount of time they could be stored in the fridge.

Thanks for explaining! This is the first year I have ever had an abundance of tomatoes to work with. Trying to do this saving is new to me. Even with all the ones I am giving away to feed folks who can't grow or homebound I have oodles left and more still coming.

It's going to be so exciting to open the fridge come winter and find homegrown tomatoes that I know taste good instead of buying from corner store.

[PhilaGardener]

Be sure to let us know how they turn out!