You can say that we have had our fair share of tomatoes ripening right now. I try to plant them in stages so that they will turn at different times, but no matter how I plan it, it never seems to turn out that way. I simply wake up one day and the vines are covered in red, juicy deliciousness and we must race against the clock to get them eaten before they go bad. Good thing I am a nut for my freezer. So guess what I did with them? You guessed it! You are so smart. I froze a bunch of them. I am planning on using a majority of those I froze for the canned tomatoes that are called for in the August OAMM menu. That should save me some money as well as free up some freezer space just in time. The process is simple and took me little time at all. Here is what you do:
Step 1
Clean off the tomatoes. You don’t want dirt and grim in your tomatoes!
Step 2
Boil a pan of water.
Step 3
Place the tomatoes in the boiling water for 30 seconds to a minute. (May need a little longer if they are large tomatoes or not fully ripened). You ARE NOT cooking the tomatoes, you are simply loosening the skin to make it easier to remove. Do not overcook.
Step 4
Remove the tomatoes (I did this with a slotted spoon) to a bowl of cold water. (This step is not absolutely necessary but I find very helpful in handling the tomatoes.
Step 5
Remove the skin and the “stem spot”.
Step 6
Place in a freezer container leaving at least 1/4 inch headspace at the top. Freeze. Resource: USDA Food Preservation Yes, it is that simple. I was able to this quickly and easily. I even did it with my cherry tomatoes. Now I have plenty of tomatoes to use in the future and we don’t have to have BLT’s every night for dinner.