Freezing Tomatoes

Many people grow tomato plants in their gardens, but what is to be done with all the tomatoes that spring from those plants? There are only so many tomatoes one can eat before it's time to freeze them. Freezing tomatoes isn't a hard task, but it is one that requires step-by-step instructions.

Any tomato will do the job as long as they are firm, but not overripe. Certain tomatoes do add some added flavor when freezing, such as beefsteak, roma, lemon boy yellow, and better boy. One of the first steps to getting ready to freeze tomatoes when making spaghetti sauce is to remove the skins. This is accomplished by boiling the tomatoes for no longer than 1 minute and immediately taking them out and placing them in ice cold water. The skin wrinkles and thus slides right off. It is extremely easy.

Next is to squeeze out the tomatoes and remove most of the seeds. This will eliminate having to cook them longer and also providing a thicker sauce. Once the tomatoes have been squeezed and drained, place them into vacuum seal bags or Ziploc freezer bag and seal. Make sure that all air pockets are out of the bag. Place tomatoes in the freezer for at least 2-3 hours before placing them in the very back of the freezer for long storage.

Now that the tomatoes are frozen, enjoying fresh tomatoes in the winter will be a breeze and will remind everyone of the fresh taste of summer!