Should indoor ripened tomatoes be used for sauce?
I was talking with a person about getting all my green tomatoes in and ripening them for one last batch of sauce. She told me as a matter of safety that you shouldn't use tomatoes that were picked green for any sauce but couldn't explain why. It was just something she was told and and that's what she does. Is their any credibility to this? I usually just let everything ripen on the vine but we have a lot and the squirrels are beating us to most of them now as temperatures are getting lower.
Best Answer
I've never heard that. I have picked end of season tomatoes when they were green and let them ripen and used them for any purpose that I would normally use ripe tomatoes. And I know others who do also. It's much better than losing them to a frost or to animals.
If there is any downside, it would be that they might not be as flavorful as vine-ripened, but that still beats losing them.
Also consider that most of what we get in grocery stores come from large farms where they are picked green.
Just for the sake of saying it, many stores now also sell vine-ripened or locally grown tomatoes but they do cost more.
Pictures about "Should indoor ripened tomatoes be used for sauce?"
Do tomatoes need to be ripe for sauce?
Green or unripe tomatoes are perfectly fine to eat, but they lend themselves to different sorts of recipes: the Southern classic \u2013 fried green tomato \u2013 chutneys, relishes, marmalades and jams, to salsas, sauces, soups, casseroles and even salads. And because they are so firm, they hold up on the grill or in the smoker.Do tomatoes taste better if ripened on the vine?
Do vine-ripened tomatoes taste better? We have all enjoyed the vine-ripe flavor of fresh tomatoes from the garden, but does a tomato have to remain on the vine until it is completely ripe to develop that wonderful flavor? The answer is no. Although many will debate this answer, it is true from a scientific standpoint.Do tomatoes ripen better inside or outside?
Consider picking and ripening your green tomatoes indoors to give them a fighting chance. If you're seeing a bit of red on those green tomatoes, picking them individually and bringing them inside may be the best chance for ripening tomatoes. Like many fruits, tomatoes continue to ripen once they've been picked.Can tomatoes be ripened indoors?
Not to worry! You can coax the ripening process from green to red when tomatoes are taken indoors. (Tomatoes actually need warmth and not sun to ripen.) So turn your tomatoes from green to red inside is to keep them warm (an indoor temperature of about 70\xba F is perfect).How to Ripen Green Tomatoes Indoors
More answers regarding should indoor ripened tomatoes be used for sauce?
Answer 2
Yes, when they are not ripened on the vine, the acid level is lower (more basic) and therefore less safe for canning. If you will use the sauce right away no problem. Freezing the sauce would also be safe.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Lisa, Artem Beliaikin, Dana Tentis, Ella Olsson