How to properly freeze tomatoes in the freezer
Tomatoes are best used for food in late summer and early autumn. During this time of the year, fresh tomatoes taste best. But some housewives try to freeze tomatoes in order to add them to various dishes even after the onset of cold weather. Consider how to freeze tomatoes properly at home.
Rules for freezing tomatoes in the freezer
Freezing whole fruits
There are many ways to freeze tomatoes in the freezer. This product is used by housewives both as a whole (for stuffing) and chopped (for salads, stews), so it is worth considering how best to freeze tomatoes so that they do not lose their unique beneficial properties.
Since the fruits are too watery, it is not always possible to maintain their structure and make sure that the vegetable does not lose its taste.
Like any other vegetables, tomatoes lend themselves to freezing whole. After defrosting, the tomatoes will be no worse than before this procedure. However, in order to get a quality frozen product, you need to follow the instructions:
- wash the fruits and dry them;
- put the fruits on a tray in 1 layer so that they do not lose their shape;
- put fresh tomatoes in the freezer;
- put frozen tomatoes in bags, removing air;
- place the blanks in the freezer.
Tatiana Orlova (Candidate of Agricultural Sciences):
For freezing whole fruits, cherry tomatoes and medium-sized cream weighing 50-60 g are best suited. They freeze quickly and can be defrosted just as quickly.
You can freeze whole tomatoes without the peel. To do this, a cruciform incision is made on the washed fruits in the upper part. Then the tomatoes are sent to boiling water so that the skin can be carefully removed from them. Tomatoes, already peeled, are laid out on a tray in the same way as in the previous case, frozen, and then packed in separate bags.
Tatiana Orlova (Candidate of Agricultural Sciences):
During the freezing process, the tomatoes should not touch each other, as they will stick together and lose their shape.
Freezing fruit in circles
With the addition of fresh vegetables, the dish is enriched with a rich taste and aroma. Consider how to properly freeze a tomato in circles.
At the preparatory stage, the hostess must thoroughly wash the tomatoes and dry them, after which you can start cutting the fruits. The width of each circle should be within 7 mm.
Follow the recommendations
After that, the tray is covered with cling film or parchment paper. On this tray, the circles are laid out so that they do not touch each other.
The workpiece must be in the freezer for at least 2 hours. But freezers work with different capacities, so the hostess must control this process on her own.
When the tomatoes are completely frozen, you can start packing them. As in the previous case, it is very important to remove excess air from the plastic bag.
Tatiana Orlova (Candidate of Agricultural Sciences):
Not all tomato varieties are suitable for processing. There are varieties for fresh consumption only.In the description of the variety on the package of seeds, the nature of use is usually indicated: for whole-fruit canning, for salads, for making tomato paste. Not all tomato varieties are suitable for freezing. Frozen tomato fruits should be dense, contain a large amount of sugars.
Freezing tomatoes in slices
You can also freeze tomatoes in slices. This is very convenient, because the product significantly reduces the amount of time spent. Let's take a look at how to freeze sliced fresh tomatoes.
- choose fleshy fruits with a minimum amount of moisture;
- rinse and dry the tomatoes completely;
- cut the fruits into medium-sized cubes;
- prepare small containers and small plastic bags.
You cannot defrost and use some of the tomatoes from the bag, and then freeze the rest again. In each container or bag, put the amount of product that is needed for 1 serving of the dish.
If you decide to freeze fresh fruits without a peel in the freezer, then you must first remove it from whole fruits.
Freezing tomatoes in the form of mashed potatoes
You can freeze tomatoes in the form of specially prepared tomato puree. This is the only freezing method that involves the use of any type of tomato, even the most juicy and watery. In this case, it is permissible to freeze overripe berries.
To freeze tomatoes in mashed potatoes, the fruits are thoroughly washed, peeled and cut into small pieces (1 tomato - into 6 pieces). After that, they are passed through a meat grinder or blender.
The mashed potatoes passed through a meat grinder or blender are packed in plastic containers.
When freezing, mashed potatoes increase in size, so you do not need to pour the mass to the brim, otherwise the container in the freezer will crack.
Liquid puree is also frozen in special trays for ice. Next, the tomato mixture is poured into molds and waited for it to completely freeze. This method is even more convenient, since the hostess will be able to get the required amount of puree.
Conclusion
If you properly freeze tomatoes or any other vegetable in the freezer, it will not lose its taste.
