Is it advisable to freeze tomatoes?
I have some tomatoes that might go bad soon. Do they freeze well? (E.g. taste, texture)
Best Answer
Tomatoes freeze well in terms of taste, but not in terms of texture. After thawing them, you should use them in soup, stews, etc. rather than eating them raw.
It could be useful to remove their skins and dicing them up prior to freezing.
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What is the best way to freeze fresh tomatoes?
Peel and Freeze the Tomatoes If desired, halve, slice, or chop tomatoes (you can also freeze whole tomatoes). Spoon the tomatoes into freezer containers or bags, leaving 1-inch headspace. Seal and label the container or bag. Freeze for up to 10 months.Why shouldnt you freeze tomatoes?
Cooling tomatoes below 54 degrees stops them from making some of the substances that contribute to their taste, according to researchers who dug into the genetic roots of the problem.Does freezing tomatoes ruin them?
You'll already ruin the texture of your tomatoes by freezing them once. If you refreeze them, you'll only ruin the texture further. Instead, try to defrost the amount you need at a time. The only exception here is if you freeze tomatoes, defrost them and then cook them into a sauce you then want to freeze.Can you freeze tomatoes raw?
To successfully freeze fresh raw tomatoes, you can: Slice tomatoes into at least 1/2-inch slices. Put slices on a cookie sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Remove slices and put them into freezer bags or containers.How to Freeze Tomatoes
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Answer 2
If you have to choose between throwing them out or freezing, go for freezing:
The texture will be way different as the tomatoes will get mushy. So when you ponder uses for them, think of what you would use canned / chopped tomatoes for. This also means preparing them a bit now is advisable: removing the peels (but could still "fish" them out later), perhaps coarsely chopping them.
The taste should remain largely unchanged, if frozen propperly, i.e. packed tightly and sealed well. Aim for a shorter storage time than the 8-12 months given for most fruit and vegetables. (Off the cuff I'd say 3-4 months, especially if they were close to spoiling when frozen.)
Another option would be incorporating them into a dish that freezes well, e.g. pasta sauce or tomato soup and freeze this - following the "cook once eat twice" principle.
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