Tomatoes are one of the most common and popular types of vegetables grown by gardeners in their backyards. And the preservation of the grown crop is always an urgent task.
To successfully solve this problem, there are many fairly simple and affordable ways to keep tomatoes fresh for a long time at home.
The main condition for long-term storage of fresh tomatoes is the correct choice of their varieties. As practice shows, late and mid-late tomato varieties are best stored for a long time, for example, such as San Marzano, New Year's, De Barao, Zhanina, Rio Grande, etc.
In addition, to date, breeders have bred special varieties specially designed for long-term storage, for example, "Masterpiece", "Long Keeper", "Giraffe", etc. These varieties, provided they are properly stored, are able to maintain their freshness until the next spring. of the year.
It should be noted that, regardless of any variety, tomatoes grown not in greenhouse conditions, but in simple beds, are best preserved.
Choosing a Convenient Storage Location
An equally important condition for long-term storage of tomatoes is the right choice of a suitable place for their storage. Such places are best in cool and dark rooms, for example, a basement or cellar in a private house, an insulated loggia or a balcony, a pantry, or just free space on the floor under the bed.
In extreme cases, a special box for vegetables in the refrigerator is suitable if the tomatoes are planned to be stored for a short time (two to three weeks).
Required storage conditions
Based on current practice, the optimal temperature for storing tomatoes is 8-15 ° C at a relative humidity of 70-80%, as well as ventilation in the room.
It should be borne in mind that fresh tomato fruits are very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, therefore, an important condition for their preservation is the stability of these parameters, sharp changes in this case are unacceptable. This leads to a rapid withering of the form and the loss of the original taste of fresh tomatoes.
Unripe fruits are best kept in the light for their rapid ripening. At room temperature, tomatoes can lie for one and a half to two weeks without losing their shape and specific taste.
Preparing the tomato for storage
To ensure the long-term preservation of a fresh tomato, a number of certain conditions must be met:
- it is necessary to harvest the crop before the temperature drops to 8 ° C and below;
- you need to pick the fruits of tomatoes along with the tail so that they are stored longer;
- it is better to collect tomatoes in the daytime or in the evening and in dry weather, when the dew has come off them;
- after harvesting the fruits, they must be carefully sorted, choosing only whole elastic tomatoes for storage;
- it is best to select slightly unripe fruits of milky ripeness, which begin to turn red and have a light green or pale pink color;
- before placing the tomatoes in a container for storage, it is advisable to wipe them with an alcohol solution to kill all pathogenic microbes.
Compliance with these simple rules will greatly increase the shelf life of fresh tomatoes.
Basic storage methods
There are quite a few ways to store a tomato, which can be divided into two main groups:
- Ways to keep tomatoes fresh.
- Ways to preserve processed tomatoes.
Let us consider in more detail the most famous and common methods.
in boxes
Fresh tomatoes are best stored in wooden or plastic boxes; cardboard boxes are also suitable for this purpose. To do this, the bottom of the box is covered with paper and a layer of tomatoes is laid out on it with the tail up.
At the same time, the fruits should not be laid closely so that they do not come into contact with each other. For better preservation, each fruit should be wrapped in paper or covered with dry peat or sawdust.
After laying the first layer, paper is laid on top and the second layer is laid in the same way. In total, no more than three layers should be placed in the box so as not to crush the tomatoes laid in the lower layers.
Periodically, once every 8-10 days, it is advisable to check the contents of the boxes and remove the fruits that begin to deteriorate so that they do not infect the rest.
Instead of paper, the interlayer between the layers can be made of straw, which is an excellent antibacterial agent and allows you to keep the crop much longer.
in banks
There are several options for storing fresh tomatoes in glass jars. In any case, the jar must first be pasteurized (poured with boiling water for a few minutes).
After that, in the first version, two or three tablespoons of dry mustard powder are poured onto the bottom of the jar and tomatoes are laid in layers, sprinkling each layer with dry mustard. After that, the jar is closed with a lid (preferably metal) and sent for long-term storage.
In the second version, tomatoes are placed in layers in a jar and 2-3 tablespoons of alcohol are poured (depending on the capacity of the jar). Then the jar is vigorously (but at the same time gently) shaken so that the alcohol moistens all the fruits and a lighted wick is inserted into the jar. When the alcohol inside the jar catches fire, it is immediately closed with a metal lid, rolled up and put into storage.
It is also possible to store tomatoes in jars in the "liquid way". To do this, prepare a solution of water, vinegar and salt in a ratio of 8: 1: 1, put the fruits in a jar and fill it with this solution. A layer of ordinary sunflower oil is poured on top, about a finger thick and rolled up with a lid.
in a saucepan
For this method, large pots are best suited. A layer of table salt is poured onto their bottom, then a layer of large tomatoes cut into pieces is laid out, then a layer of salt is again poured and a layer of whole tomatoes is laid on top of it.
After that, again a layer of chopped tomatoes, salt and whole fruits, and so on, alternate layers until the pan is completely filled. In addition to salt, various spices can be added to the pan: pepper, bay leaf, dill, etc.
In a refrigerator
The best place in this case is a special shelf (pallet) for storing vegetables. With this method of storage, the tomatoes are stacked on the shelf in layers with their tails up in such a way as to exclude their contact with each other. For better preservation, each fruit is best wrapped in paper.
Alternatively, fresh tomatoes can be put in the freezer. Their shelf life in this case will be practically unlimited. But it is best to use such tomatoes after they are frozen as an additive to various dishes: soups, stews, etc.
Dried (dried) tomatoes
In this way, it is possible to store tomatoes for quite a long time (up to six months).
There are three main ways to prepare them for storage in this form:
- In a special electric dryer for fruits and vegetables.
- In a gas or electric stove oven.
- Natural drying in the sun.
To do this, the tomatoes are cut into slices, the excess pulp is removed from them, then they are placed on a baking sheet and placed in a dryer or oven. Or simply laid out on a tray and exposed to the sun. They are dried until all the moisture is gone from them.
After that, the dried tomato slices are put in a canvas bag or in some suitable container (jar, box, etc.) and stored in a cool, dry place.
salted tomatoes
This method allows you to save tomatoes for a long time (up to six months or longer). Salting can be done cold or hot. In any of these options, a solution is prepared from water and salt in the ratio: approximately 1 liter of water 30-40 grams of salt.
Tomatoes are stacked in layers in a prepared container, on the bottom of which various spices are first placed: currant leaves, cherries, horseradish, bay leaves, allspice and black pepper, etc.
After that, the tomatoes are poured with hot or cold marinade and covered with a regular lid. A particularly fragrant taste is obtained if the tomatoes are salted in this way in a wooden, preferably oak, barrel.
canned tomatoes
Preservation of tomatoes allows you to keep them as long as possible (up to a year or longer). For this, ripe fruits of medium size are selected that do not have any external defects. They are thoroughly washed and stacked in layers in a pre-pasteurized glass jar. After that, the bank is filled with boiling water for several minutes.
At the same time, a marinade is prepared in the proportion: for 5 liters of water, 1 glass of salt, 1 glass of granulated sugar and 1 glass of vinegar. In addition, various spices and seasonings can be added to the jar: lava leaf, garlic, dill, pepper, currant or cherry leaves, etc.
This solution is brought to a boil and poured into a jar with stacked tomatoes. After that, the jar is closed with a metal lid and rolled up. Tomatoes prepared in this way can be stored in any suitable place: pantry, closet, basement, etc.
Tomatoes are a favorite vegetable used by many as the main component of salads and as an addition to hot dishes. At the end of the season, I really want to find the best way to store tomatoes so that they stay juicy and tasty longer. In our article, we will talk about how to properly preserve the harvest of ripe tomatoes at home, and also talk about storing green fruits at the ripening stage.
Storage conditions
To keep tomatoes fresh for a long time, you need to create the right conditions. Without certain requirements, for example, in a bag in the kitchen cabinet, tomatoes lie for only a few days, after which they begin to deteriorate quickly.
For many, it is customary to store tomatoes in the refrigerator, where they can lie for up to 10 days. But if you want to save tomatoes longer, for example, until the new year, you need to consider the following factors:
- choose for storage only whole fruits, without the slightest damage and traces of damage;
- give preference immature tomatoes, not ripe specimens;
- take care of the right temperature regime. It will depend on the degree of ripeness and the specific method of storage;
- ensure regular air ventilation in room.
Methods for long-term storage of tomatoes
Each of the methods below is suitable for tomatoes of varying degrees of maturity, from fully green to ripe and overripe fruits. For savings, both homemade tomatoes, just picked from the garden, and bought on the market, are suitable.
Check the storage location at least twice a week. The point is not only in the possible damage to the fruits, but also in the speed of their ripening. Ripe (or already maturing) tomatoes release ethylene, which activates the ripening process of the rest. Therefore, instances that start to turn red should be removed from storage as soon as possible. For the same reason, apples or pears of autumn harvest should not be kept next to tomatoes.
Ripe fruits perfectly stored in clean slatted boxes made of plastic or wood. Line the bottom of the container with clean paper / parchment and arrange the tomatoes on it, additionally shifting each row with paper or wrapping vegetables in it. When all the tomatoes are stacked, cover the contents with peat or sawdust. In this form, tomatoes can stand for several months if the temperature in the room is maintained no more than + 8 ... 12 ℃.
To keep tomatoes fresh for the winter, it is important to harvest at the stage of milk maturity. If the weather permits, green fruits are best removed from the garden as late as possible, for example, in October. Wrap each vegetable in thin black paper and arrange carefully in a wired box, lining each row with straw. The workpiece should be stored in a dry, dark place with a good ventilation system at a temperature of +10 ℃. Subject to all conditions, the tomatoes will gradually ripen and remain until January.
To destroy microbes and extend the shelf life of tomatoes, the boxes must be treated with pharmaceutical alcohol and dried before laying.
- in vegetable oil. Put the tomatoes in glass jars and pour in sunflower or other vegetable oil so that it completely covers the vegetables. The oil layer on top should be at least 1 cm. Close the workpiece with an iron or plastic lid;
- in brine. Mix water, salt and vinegar in a ratio of 8:1:1. Put the washed tomatoes in a container and pour the prepared solution.
For fast ripening green fruits (5-10 days) spread the tomatoes on the floor in a well-lit place with a temperature of about +25 ℃. You can pick the fruits directly with the stalks and stems and hang in a ventilated room. A small amount of unripe vegetables can be laid out in the apartment right on the windowsill so that they turn red.
To keep tomatoes fresh longer, don't wash them before storing them.
Proven way to store ripe tomatoes - salting. Select strong red fruits for harvesting, free them from the stalks. Separately prepare overripe tomatoes: they need to be cut into large pieces. In a saucepan or jar, put a layer of chopped tomatoes 8-10 cm thick, salt a little, put a layer of whole fruits on top and sprinkle with salt again. Fill the container to the top so that the last layer is salt. Close container tightly and store in a cool place.
For detailed recipes for preparing tomatoes for the winter, see this section of our website.
Where to store tomatoes in the apartment?
Still thinking about how to store tomatoes at home in an apartment? While in rural areas there is almost always a cellar - the best place to save tomatoes - then city dwellers have to choose between storage in the refrigerator and storage at room temperature. The following principles will help determine the best option:
- For storing tomatoes, designed for consumption in the near future, suitable any place protected from the sun. Lay the tomatoes flat side down on a windowsill or kitchen counter. In a couple of days they will become more tasty and will not lose their flavor.
- To keep ripe red tomatoes for 5-7 days, place them on the vegetable shelf of the refrigerator closer to the door.
- Slightly unripe fruits are recommended to be kept at room temperature so that they ripen, and then move the refrigerator.
- In autumn and winter, it is convenient to store ripe tomatoes on a glazed balcony or loggia, where the temperature is kept within the range from +10 to +20 ℃. In such conditions, it is enough to lay out the tomatoes in one layer on the floor or other flat surface, covering them with a thick cloth on top to avoid direct sunlight.
Tricks
Regardless of where and at what temperature you decide to store your tomatoes, some tricks can extend their shelf life:
- the variety of tomatoes is important (plan storage at the seed selection stage);
- store ripe tomatoes separately from unripe ones and at different temperatures;
- keep in mind that large fruits ripen faster than small ones;
- when sorting tomatoes, conduct a thorough inspection of each vegetable, because even the slightest trace of phytophthora can lead to damage to the entire crop;
- remember that tomatoes are stored longer without stalks;
- dry vegetables before storing;
- to keep fresh tomatoes longer, treat them with a 0.3% solution of boric acid or a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).
Video
In the following video, you will learn about three different ways to store tomatoes:
He has considerable experience in garden work - from sowing seeds and seedlings to harvesting and storing crops. Each sowing season begins with a search for new ways of growing, because cucumbers can be harvested not only from the garden, but also, for example, from ... barrels and even grown in winter on the windowsill. Plant care is considered one of the best ways to relieve stress.
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Freezing is one of the most convenient methods for preparing a grown crop of vegetables, fruits and berries. Some believe that freezing leads to the loss of nutritional and beneficial properties of plant foods. As a result of the research, scientists have found that there is practically no decrease in nutritional value during freezing.
Most people are under the misconception that tomatoes can only be kept fresh for a very short time. This is an extremely delicate, even capricious vegetable. But it turns out that you can cook a delicious fresh tomato salad almost all year round, for this it is not at all necessary to go to the supermarket for expensive imported fruits, you are quite capable of preparing your own crop. Want to learn how to keep tomatoes fresh until the New Year? We will gladly tell you.
Not every variety of tomato can be stored for a long time. Therefore, breeders have identified a special gene responsible for delayed fruit ripening.
Such hybrid varieties of tomatoes are able to tolerate transportation more easily, and their storage time varies from 30 days or more. The very first representative among the tomato is considered the Giraffe variety. Later, experts bred other varieties with different shelf life:
2-3 months
- New masterpiece;
- Oak;
- Lunar;
- Japanese crab;
- Dominator;
- Radical.
3-5 months
- New Year;
- Red Stone;
- Podzimny;
- Rio Grande;
- Kyrgyz later.
6-7 months
- Lyn Keeper;
- Giraffe;
- Orange Ball;
- Vasilisa.
A notable feature of maturing varieties of tomatoes is their color. When ripe, the skin turns orange, while the flesh turns bright red.
Where to store tomatoes
Any housewife wants to forget about going to the grocery store for a long time. That is why everyone wants to keep tomatoes and other vegetables as long as possible. An important issue that worries all housewives is the place of storage of tomatoes. Most often, gardeners recommend storing fruits:
- In the refrigerator;
- On the balcony;
- In the basement.
No matter which location is chosen, keeping a tomato fresh is a top priority for any gardener.
Preparing a tomato for long-term storage
Only those tomatoes that have been properly harvested from the garden can be stored for a long time. Another important point is the variety of tomatoes. Long-term storage of tomatoes is possible subject to the correct choice of varietal variety.
In order for the tomatoes to lie long enough, you will have to choose the right moment for harvesting, namely, to catch the stage of milky ripeness of the fruit. Of course, you can collect completely green tomatoes: they will lie for a long time, but they will be completely deprived of all taste and nutritional qualities. And if the fruits fully ripen in the garden, it is unlikely that they will be preserved for a long time.
Harvesting should be carried out on a warm, dry and fine day, paying maximum attention to each tomato: for storage, we select only those that have no damage to the skin, they are devoid of stains or foreign inclusions, and there are no dents on them. For greater safety, the tomatoes are carefully placed in a strong container lined with soft material from the inside. Try to pick tomatoes in such a way that the stalk remains on the fruit - this will extend the shelf life of vegetables for the maximum possible period.
How long can tomatoes be stored
The shelf life of tomatoes largely depends on the chosen method of saving, as well as on the degree of ripeness of the fruit.
Fresh ripe tomatoes without additional processing will lie less than green ones. But on the other hand, their taste will fully correspond to summer products, which is a prerequisite for many.
Temperature and humidity readings in home storage are rarely constant. Therefore, it is quite difficult to create an ideal microclimate that would ensure long-term storage of tomatoes. As a result, the keeping quality indicators can vary greatly.
Approximately focus on the following expiration dates:
- red tomatoes in storage - up to 3 months, depending on the variety;
- frozen at home - 6-8 months or until defrosted;
- sun-dried and dried tomatoes - 4-8 months;
- canned fruits under iron lids - up to 2 years.
What conditions are needed for storing tomatoes
- The storage room (place) should be dark and cool. Ideally, this is a refrigerator shelf designed for vegetables, a cellar or basement.
- The storage temperature should be between +5 and +12°C with a relative humidity of 80%.
- The fruits must be carefully placed with the stalk up in wooden or plastic containers (boxes, trays).
For successful and long-term storage, we should remember the following rules. All fruits must be checked for integrity, so that among them there are no rotten and diseased tomatoes. All tomatoes are carefully wiped and placed in a container with the stalk up, preferably in one layer. A box or basket is well suited as a container, the main thing is that the tomatoes are well ventilated in it. After laying in a container, it must be placed in a cool and dry room with a temperature of 8-10 ° C. If the temperature is higher, then the fruits will quickly ripen and they will need to be eaten already, otherwise they will deteriorate. Otherwise, at low temperatures, they may not ripen at all and the risk of diseases in them will also increase. But, no matter which place you choose, it is necessary to take into account the conditions of harvesting and pre-prepare the tomatoes.
How to keep tomatoes fresh with a jar until the New Year
Ingredients per 3 liter jar
- 5-6 Art. l. mustard powder
- tomatoes
Cooking
- Sterilize jars. Wash the tomatoes and dry thoroughly.
- With a dry and clean spoon, generously scoop up mustard powder and pour it into the bottom of a dry jar.
- Trying not to press against each other, put the tomatoes in 1 layer, placing up the place where the petiole was. Sprinkle with mustard again.
- Repeat layers until the jar is full. At the end, pour in another portion of the powder and close the lid (sterile and dry).
- After that, tilt the jar and gently roll it on the table so that the mustard is evenly distributed.
- Store the workpiece in a cool, dark place.
The essential oils contained in mustard inhibit the growth of putrefactive bacteria, allowing tomatoes to stay fresh. Try to prepare a portion of tomatoes in this way and be sure: the method will not fail!
How to keep tomatoes fresh with crates until New Year's Eve
- Take wooden or plastic boxes with a slatted bottom. Drawers must be clean and dry. Cover them with paper.
- Lay the vegetables with the stalks up, shifting each row with paper.
- For best effect, you can wrap each fruit in paper.
- Fill the box with sawdust or wood peat.
- Select milky tomatoes.
- Wrap each vegetable in black paper.
- Put in a box.
- Cover with straw.
- Store tomatoes in a dark, well-ventilated area at a temperature of +8 ... +10 °C.
- For ripening, put the right amount of tomatoes in a bright and warm room for 5-10 days.
Subject to all these rules, it is possible that on New Year's holidays you will please your guests with a fresh tomato salad.
Keeping tomatoes fresh until spring is the desire and goal of many summer residents. This is understandable: the fruits contain many useful minerals, potassium, iron and a whole complex of vitamins. Of course, nowadays you can buy beautiful fresh tomatoes in stores all year round, but they won’t replace your own, from the garden, right? Grown by own hands are more juicy, fragrant and very, very tasty.
What varieties can lie for a long time, how to store them correctly and, most importantly, where?
It's no secret that optimal storage conditions make it possible to keep various vegetables, fruits and berries (which, by the way, include tomatoes) fresh for quite a long time.
It's time to talk about the nuances of long-term storage of tomatoes. It turns out they can stay fresh for quite some time without much effort. The main thing is to know some secrets.
Keeping tomatoes for a week or two is easy. Simply put them in a paper bag and put them in the refrigerator - on the shelf for storing vegetables. But in order to keep safe and sound until the New Year and, moreover, until spring, you need not only your desire and suitable storage conditions, but also special varieties.
What varieties of tomatoes are suitable for long-term storage
Consider an important nuance: regardless of the variety, tomatoes grown in open ground are stored better than greenhouse ones.
For long-term storage, medium-late and late varieties of tomatoes are suitable, for example, these:
"De Barao" is a mid-season indeterminate (with unlimited growth) variety, it can reach a height of 2.5 meters, and sometimes more. Oval fruits (depending on the variety variety) are red, pink, yellow, striped and even black.
"San Marzano" - indeterminate (with unlimited growth) highly productive variety; fruits are dense, fleshy, bright red, elongated plum-shaped, reach a mass of up to 150 grams.
And the fruits of the varieties "Rio Grand", "Kumato", "Volgogradsky 5/95" and "Zhanina" are also perfectly preserved. In addition, breeders have simplified the task of long-term storage of tomatoes: new long-term (long-term) varieties have been bred. Among them:
"Giraffe" is a tall (indeterminate) variety, reaching a height of 1.2 meters. Round-shaped fruits can be stored until March.
"Long Keeper" - a determinant variety, the long-term fruits of which can weigh 250, and sometimes 400 grams; fresh can lie until February-March.
"Masterpiece-1" - a late-ripening undersized variety, the bush of which reaches a height of 60 centimeters. Red flat fruits weighing about 80-200 grams can remain fresh almost until spring.
Of course, the fruits of long-term varieties are easier to save. But what to do if this year, when buying seeds, you chose not stale, but tasty, fragrant or, for example, beautiful varieties? I'm happy to plant an ox heart. I know they don't store well, but they are delicious! The answer is simple - try to save what has grown, what is available. Unleavened tomatoes will not stay fresh and edible for long, but this period can be maximized if optimal storage conditions are observed. Of course, this requirement also applies to long-term varieties.
What conditions are needed for storing tomatoes
The storage room (place) should be dark and cool. Ideally, this is a refrigerator shelf designed for vegetables, a cellar or basement.
The storage temperature should be between +5 and +12°C with a relative humidity of 80%.
The fruits must be carefully placed with the stalk up in wooden or plastic containers (boxes, trays).
In the general mass, it is much easier to save unripe fruits, so their storage is practiced most often. They can be placed in the refrigerator or indoors. But, no matter which place you choose, it is necessary to take into account the conditions of harvesting and pre-prepare the tomatoes.
How to harvest and prepare tomatoes for storage
Fruits that are taken from the bushes before the night temperature drops below +8 ° C will be stored for a long time. If they suffered frosts on a bush, then they will not lie for a long time, even if now you do not see obvious signs of frost damage in them.
The correct time for harvesting is also important: it is better to pick the fruits from the bush during the day, when there will no longer be dew on them.
Careful sorting is necessary to extend the shelf life to the maximum. Select only whole, undamaged fruits that have reached milky ripeness (still green tomatoes that have already grown to the size inherent in the variety).
Before putting them in a storage container, you need to lightly wipe each copy with a cotton swab dipped in vodka (without additives) or alcohol. So you destroy all microorganisms on the surface of tomatoes.
How to store tomatoes in the refrigerator
Store tomatoes in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment, laying them in layers with cuttings up and shifting each layer with paper. You can also use this option: wrap each tomato with paper - this way you keep the fruits even longer, because they will not come into contact with each other.
But storing tomatoes in a plastic bag, of course, is very convenient and practical, but wrong. Cellophane does not allow air to pass through, so a high level of humidity is created inside the bag. Naturally, in such conditions, tomatoes begin to deteriorate quickly.
How to store tomatoes in a cellar or basement
When removing tomatoes for storage in a cellar or basement, they must also be laid in layers in wooden or plastic trays (boxes), shifting each layer with paper or sprinkling with sawdust. Even better if each fruit has a paper wrapper. It is necessary to lay the crop in boxes or trays in three layers, no more - keep this in mind.
And, regardless of where they are stored: in the cellar, basement or in the refrigerator, you should periodically, about once every 7 days, “look in” to them with a check. Reject and discard any damaged fruits without pity.
5-8 days before you intend to enjoy delicious fresh tomatoes, they need to be taken out to a bright, warm room for final ripening (ripening, reaching consumer ripeness).
How to store tomatoes in jars
Method 1
Tomatoes of milky ripeness, without signs of disease and damage to the skin, must be carefully washed, dried and put into a clean, sterilized jar, without pressing tightly against each other. After filling it to the top, you need to pour 3 tablespoons of alcohol inside, close it with a nylon lid and turn it well in your hands. Thanks to such simple manipulations, all tomatoes will be wetted with alcohol. After that, lower the wick inward and set fire to it from the outside. As soon as the alcohol starts to burn, quickly roll up the jar with a metal lid.
Method 2
Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and lay them outside to dry. In the meantime, sterilize the jars and pour 2 tablespoons of mustard powder on the bottom of each of them. Put the tomatoes in a jar, sprinkling a little mustard on each subsequent layer. After filling the jar, pour another spoonful of mustard powder into it, then roll it up with a metal lid. In total, for a 3-liter jar, you should need about 5-6 tablespoons of mustard powder.
Thanks to these methods of preservation, tomatoes will remain fresh for about 4-5 months. And remember: whatever method you use, the jars must be removed for storage in a cool, dark place, ideally a cellar or basement.
P.S. When laying tomatoes for long-term storage, I was tormented by the question for a long time - to wash them or not to wash them. Some argue that it is absolutely impossible to wash. Others, on the contrary, advise holding the fruits in hot water (+55...+60°C) for about 3-5 minutes. So, supposedly, all phytophthora pathogens will be destroyed. I did not wash the tomatoes, but simply wiped each fruit with alcohol.
If there were a vegetable popularity rating, then tomatoes would no doubt take first place in it. And by a wide margin from rivals. Red-sided and juicy, they are good even in a salad, even as a bite. It’s just that it’s not possible to enjoy fresh tomatoes in our latitudes for long: as soon as autumn seriously declares itself, they disappear from both market stalls and store shelves. And I would like to keep fresh tomatoes longer! After all, conservation is not at all the same as elastic, appetizing freshly picked fruits ...
As for freshly picked ones, we won’t help, but we can help with storage. Because we know how to keep fresh tomatoes longer. And we are happy to share this information with you.
HOW LONG CAN YOU STORE TOMATOES?
To begin with, let's decide what we can generally count on. Is it possible to save fresh tomatoes until the New Year? Or will they last only a couple of weeks of storage? The answer depends not only on your actions and, moreover, your desire. The shelf life of tomatoes is determined by several parameters at once, which will have to be taken into account if you want to keep fresh tomatoes for as long as possible:
1. Greenhouse tomatoes are stored worse than grown outdoors. Perhaps ground tomatoes are simply better adapted to the challenges of the environment and "hardened" by the struggle for survival. But the fact remains: in order for tomatoes to last longer, they must be from the garden.
2. There are specially bred varieties of tomatoes for long-term storage. The most famous of them are Masterpiece, Longkeeper and Giraffe. Sound names, right? But the main thing is that they withstand longer storage and / or transportation than representatives of other varieties. This information will be more useful for gardeners who can grow the necessary vegetables on their own. But suddenly you manage to buy fresh tomatoes of just such varieties - do not miss it.
3. Tomatoes have a feature that not all vegetables have: they can be plucked unripe so that they later ripen during storage. This approach greatly extends the life of fresh tomatoes. First, green tomatoes stay unharmed longer. Secondly, the beginning of their storage in a ripe form is delayed.
Ripe tomatoes can be bought about three days in advance, after which the uneaten vegetables will begin to wither and deteriorate. If you immediately put the tomatoes in the refrigerator, you can count on their safety for a week. Tomatoes with a dense skin can lie in a special "vegetable" compartment of the refrigerator for 10 days, but this is already risky. But it is generally not recommended to cool fresh tomatoes more than to 2-3 ° C: tomatoes do not tolerate freezing well, and after thawing they deteriorate very quickly.
HOW TO PRESERVE FRESH TOMATOES UNTIL THE NEW YEAR?
If you have never had the opportunity to store fresh vegetables for a long time before, then you are unlikely to have time to stock up on green tomatoes or choose a specific variety. So you have to deal with what is - that is, arrange the storage of already ripened tomatoes. In this case, folk methods, multiplied by the discoveries of modern science, offer the following ways to store tomatoes:
1. Storage in dry mustard.
Tomatoes are stored for a long time in glass jars and at the same time remain fresh, without a drop of brine or a hint of canning.
To repeat this trick, take several three-liter jars and fresh tomatoes - whole, not overripe, without dents or other damage.
Wash the tomatoes under running water, wipe dry and lay out in the open air to dry.
Sterilize the jars and also dry them properly.
Scoop a generous amount of mustard powder into the bottom of each jar with a dry and clean tablespoon.
Put the tomatoes in jars on top of the mustard. First, a few pieces - the first "layer". Try not to press them against each other. Of course, the sides of the vegetables will touch, but this should be done without pressure.
The second important point: place the tomatoes up on the side where the tail was.
Sprinkle the first and each subsequent serving of tomatoes with mustard without sparing.
At the end, when the jars are full, pour another full spoonful of mustard powder on top and close the lid (of course, sterile and dry).
Roll up the jars with a machine or seal them hermetically in another way.
After that, it is advisable to put the cans on their side and roll a little and / or carefully turn them upside down. But don't shake the jars - just spread the mustard powder evenly over all the tomatoes.
Put the jars in a cool place without light (in the pantry, cellar, etc.) and be sure that even in January the tomatoes will remain fresh and tasty.
It is interesting, due to what the described method "works"? Everything is quite simple. Closed in jars, tomatoes release moisture very slowly. This amount of water is negligible, but it is enough to interact with mustard essential oils. Those, in turn, do not allow putrefactive processes to develop in vegetables, suppressing bacteria. So that the method does not fail, choose medium-sized tomatoes for such storage and use at least 4 tablespoons of dry mustard for each jar.
2. Vacuum storage.
Fresh tomatoes in jars can be preserved in another way.
To do this, you will need exactly the same three-liter jars (sterile and dry, of course), as in the first case, but instead of mustard powder - alcohol.
Wash small fresh whole tomatoes and dry completely. Arrange on the banks, trying not to press tightly, just on top of each other.
Pour 2 full tablespoons of alcohol into each jar filled with tomatoes.
Close jars with clean lids, but do not seal.
Lay the jars horizontally and roll them so that the tomatoes are thoroughly moistened with alcohol.
Further actions should be very fast and coordinated, so immediately prepare everything you need.
Put a long wick, matches (lighter), lids and a can-sealing machine nearby.
Remove temporary lids from jars.
Lower the end of the wick into the jar, set fire to the other side.
As soon as the alcohol lights up, immediately close the jar with a lid and roll it up tightly.
Do this with all banks.
If you manage to do everything right, you will get absolutely whole tomatoes: they will not have time to burn themselves, and the alcohol will instantly burn inside the jar along with oxygen.
Tomatoes are in a vacuum that will save them for a long time.
HOW TO STORE GREEN FRESH TOMATOES CORRECTLY?
Truly long-term storage is possible only if not fully ripe tomatoes are harvested. Fresh tomatoes of the so-called milky ripeness can be stored not only until late autumn and / or winter holidays, but also until the end of winter. But for this you can not do without strict adherence to all the rules for harvesting and storing tomatoes:
1. Buy or harvest green and slightly milky tomatoes from your own garden. It is important to do this before the first frost, so that even from the inside the tomatoes do not have time to be damaged. Remove tails immediately.
2. Once again, carefully review and sort through the tomatoes intended for storage. Leave only ideal specimens: with intact, not at all damaged skin and without a hint of damage. Not only the safety of each tomato, but also the reliability of the entire stock depends on this.
3. Heat the water to 60 ° C and put the tomatoes in it for 3 minutes. You can not take hot water so as not to scald the vegetables. But washing in cooler water will not protect the tomatoes from bacteria.
4. Dry each tomato and lay them out in a ventilated area to dry completely. It is better to choose a dry place in the shade for this.
5. While the tomatoes are drying, prepare several boxes for storing them: plastic or wooden. The main thing is clean, dry and not very deep. At the bottom of each, put a sheet of newspaper or other paper moistened with alcohol or vodka without additives.
6. Soak pieces of cotton wool with the same alcohol or vodka and wipe each tomato with them from all sides.
7. After this stage, two options are possible. In the first case, if you plan to use tomatoes for a month and a half, then simply lay them out in an even layer on a bed of alcoholized newspaper, cover with the same sheet, and place another layer of tomatoes on it, also covered with paper.
8. Otherwise, to keep tomatoes longer, wrap each one with a piece of newspaper or a napkin soaked in alcohol. Pour dry sawdust between bundles.
9. Place the boxes in a dark room with an air temperature of 7 to 14°C and a humidity of no more than 80%. In principle, paper and sawdust will absorb a small amount of water, but it is best not to test their absorbent strength for strength.
10. Regularly, at least once a week, inspect the tomatoes and ruthlessly remove those that show signs of spoilage from storage.
HOW TO KEEP FRESH TOMATOES LONGER?
Step-by-step instructions are very convenient, but additional information never hurts. For example, it is useful to know that the folic acid contained in tomatoes speeds up their ripening. Therefore, green tomatoes intended for storage should not be kept near ripe red vegetables. But when it comes time to use the blank, remove the right amount of stocked green tomatoes and put next to a ripened tomato or other fruit (banana, apple). In addition to all that has been said, keep in mind that keeping fresh tomatoes means not only preserving their beauty and “marketable” appearance. It is important not to lose the benefits of fresh tomatoes and the vitamins they contain. You can also decorate the New Year's table with pickled vegetables, but the health benefits of fresh tomatoes cannot be replaced by any preservation. Therefore, good luck with your preparations and bon appetit all year round!
