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Freezing Tomatoes

© Pier Jones

So, are you inundated with your favorite garden treat yet? If not, are you running out to check on your plants several times a day, just waiting to see that first tomato start to turn pink? Either way, you know you are about to have tomatoes aplenty, right? Here in Southwest Oklahoma, I've been harvesting daily for a few weeks now. Needless to say, I can never have enough, but I do get tired of canning the same things every day-----whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, mixed vegetable juice, salsa, hot sauce-you get the idea. Now, when those hydrator drawers get full, I am not so anxious to fire up the canner; that's when I start looking towards the dehydrator and the freezers.

Freezing Tomatoes is quick, easy, and best of all, gets those tomatoes off your cabinet and out of the refrigerator.

Method 1: Freezing Whole Tomatoes

Place whole tomatoes, on a cookie sheet, not touching. No need to blanch, peel, core, or anything! Place in the freezer until frozen solid, then quickly slip them into freezer bags, seal, and return to the freezer. When ready to use them, just take out what you need.

To can Frozen Tomatoes just dunk the tomatoes in hot tap water, and the peels slide easily off. Proceed with canning as usual (allow to return to room temperature once you have peeled them, before packing in hot jars) and process in a boiling water bath.

Method 2: Freezing Quartered Tomatoes

Wash and quarter your tomatoes. Place them, not touching, on a cookie sheet and freeze solid. (Again, no need to blanch.) Quickly place them in freezer bags and return to freezer.

To use: These are great in winter salads! Just chop them up when about half-thawed, add them to the salad and eat immediately. If you let these thaw completely, you have mush. If they do get mushy on you, just cook them down and use as tomato sauce or paste in your recipes----do the same with the whole ones.

**Note: I do not recommend freezing tomatoes in jars, whether whole or quartered, although canning jars are usually my favorite way to store frozen foods. However, in this instance, when you are trying *not* to end up with a soggy mess, it's best to use freezer bags----digging the tomatoes out of the mouth of a jar can prove to be no fun at all!

Method 3: Freezing Green Tomato Slices

Wash and slice your green tomatoes. Place them in a single layer on waxed paper, fold the paper over the top of the tomatoes, stack on another layer, and repeat. Place these carefully in a

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