5 Ways to Store Tomatoes : Methods to preserve the harvest
http://www.peakprosperity.com/wsidblog/79606/5-ways-store-tomatoes#comments
by Peak Prosperity
With bumper crops and sporadic weather conditions, figuring out what to do with your pile of tomatoes can sometimes be a challenge. Being creative and having a variety of methods to put away and store the value of those wonderful fruit will give you months, if not years worth of enjoyment from your summer and fall harvests.
Here are 5 ways to store your tomatoes for future use and ease you through the cold winter months with tomato goodness.
Short Term Storage
It is never fun to awaken one morning to find out the weather report was horribly wrong and the minor threat of frosted turn out to be seriously detrimental to your garden. If there is the threat of freezing temperatures that will wipe out your plants and leave you with Popsicle fruit on the vine, consider pulling the entire plant (if not too unwieldy) from the ground and hanging it upside down in a place that is cool and dry. Perhaps an area of the garage or basement that you won't mind getting a little dirty and allowing the remaining fruit to ripen on the vine. This method will allow fruit to continue to be viable for a few weeks longs.
You can also do a mass picking and ripen the green fruit inside in a number of ways:
- Wrap up green tomatoes in tissue or newspaper and place them in a box with a lid. Don't stack more that 2 layers deep as the weight will damage the fruit on the bottom as they ripen. Then things can get ugly and wet and that in not fun either. Place the box in a dark, dry spot and check on it periodically.
- Place green tomatoes in a brown paper bag with a ripe apple or any other fruit that produces ethylene gas. The gas will speed up ripening while in the bag. Check often on your progress.
Dehydrating
A simple and easy method to store your tomatoes is dehydrating them either via the sun or with an electric dehydrator. Cherry tomatoes work best when when sliced in half and a X is scored on the back of the skin. They are great on pizzas and in omelets (slightly re-hydrated). Bigger tomatoes should be dehydrated in slices of 1/4 inch thick. If properly dried (dry but pliable) and stored in airtight containers these tomatoes will last over a year and will be available and ready for you to snack on and use.
Sun Drying can take a little extra effort and monitoring as temperature fluctuations and changing weather conditions can affect your end result. It can sometimes take a number of days to get tomatoes sun dried fully but having a non-electric option for drying is good to have.
Freezing
Freezing is another fast and simple way to store your tomatoes. You can either blanch them first or peel them later, when you are ready to use them. To blanch - plunge whole tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds or so. Remove and gently place them into a bowl of ice water for about 30 seconds. The ice bath cools the tomatoes, making them easier to handle. The skins should peel right off, if not then return to the boiling water for another 15-30 seconds. Tomatoes can also be frozen whole, or cored and sliced in half or quarters. When ready to use, simply place the frozen, unpeeled tomatoes under warm water. The skins should peel right off. Keep in mind that the more packed a freezer is, the more efficient it will run. It will also stay colder longer in the power goes out.
Canning
Canning is probably the most energy and labor intensive way to store your tomatoes. It is also the one that will preserve your tomatoes the longest. Great for putting up whole, chopped, sauced, and paste tomatoes. Due to the higher acid content, the water bath method of canning can be used here but make sure to follow the directions of your canning equipment and all ingredients in your sauce.
Sharing with Community
I find that one of the best ways to store the wealth of my tomato harvest is to give the bounty of the vine to friends and neighbors. A gift of vine ripened and ready tomatoes is truly a wonderful present to those who have not been able to grow for themselves and can also open up folks to new varieties and flavors.
I like to give an assortment of types (Cherry, Salad sized, Slicers) to give as much flexibility in preparation as possible. It really provides a great opportunity to building community and to discuss ways to build resiliency. Share a recipe or new method of cooking them. Sharing with a neighbor might even inspire a new garden patch to be planted or a person to switch to organic heirloom varieties (because they do taste better). There are lots of possibilities when one comes bearing gifts of fresh produce.
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