Simple Steps to Freezing Tomatoes

Freezing tomatoes when at their peak of flavor is a great way to enjoy summer’s bounty out-of-season. Tomatoes may be frozen whole, chopped, sliced, or pureed as either juice or sauce. When thawed to room temperature, they make tasty additions to stews, soups, sauces, and casseroles. Following these few simple steps will ensure that you always have on-hand the fresh, bright flavors of the garden.

First, select only vine-ripened tomatoes either from your garden or local farmer’s market. They should be deeply colored and tender, not soft or mushy. Avoid tomatoes marked with spots or bruises. Rinse each tomato under cold running water to remove soil or any residue of pesticides or herbicides. Remove the stem with a paring knife. Drop 2 to 3 tomatoes at a time into a stockpot full of water that has come to a rapid boil. When the skins begin to loosen (about 30 seconds), remove each tomato from the water with a slotted spoon. Immediately plunge tomatoes in a bowl of ice-water to stop the cooking process. Gently slide the skins from the flesh. Using a serrated knife, remove the core and any leftover bits of peel. Leave whole, or cut them into halves or quarters. Likewise, chop, dice or puree. Pack tomatoes into zip-lock freezer bags, leaving a bit of room at the top to squeeze the air out before sealing. Finally, lay filled bags flat on a freezer shelf. When fully frozen, stack bags on top of one another.

Alternatively, you may freeze tomatoes raw. Simply follow the steps above, but omit the par-boiling process. Tomatoes, frozen raw or cooked, will keep in your freezer until the next harvest.