Instructions
- Step 1: Select and prepare your tomatoes Use only firm tomatoes. Wash them by wetting them with water, gently rubbing them with your hand, and drying them with a paper towel.
- TIP: Don’t wash them in a sink filled with water or with soap, as contaminants can be absorbed through the stem scar.
- Step 2: Cut away the stem scar Cut away the stem scar and the surrounding area and discard it.
- Step 3: Freeze them whole Put whole tomatoes on a baking sheet and freeze them if you want the skin on. Once they’re frozen, you can put them in freezer bags or airtight containers and use them as you need them. To remove the skin, just run warm water over the tomatoes and the skin will slip right off.
- Step 4: Remove the skin Remove the skin before you freeze them by slicing an X in the bottom of each tomato, blanching them by placing in boiling water for a minute, and then submerging them in ice water. You can easily peel the skin away and freeze them on a baking sheet before storing in airtight containers.
- Step 5: Cut them up Chop or slice your tomatoes into 1-inch sections if you don’t want them whole. Then arrange the pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for two hours before transferring to airtight containers for storage in the freezer.
- Step 6: Eat them Thaw your frozen tomatoes as you need them. For the freshest taste, eat them in a near-frozen state. Put them on salads for fresh-tasting tomatoes year-round, or thaw them completely for use in your favorite recipes.
- FACT: As of 2010, the United States was second only to China in tomato production.
You Will Need
- Tomatoes
- Paper towels
- Knife
- Food processor
- Baking sheet
- Freezer bags or airtight containers
