Freezing tomatoes?!
So I am putting them in paper bags and waiting for them to turn red.
here is my question: I am planning on throwing them in the blender to puree them after they are ripe. Then i am going to freeze the puree into ice cube trays. Then take the tomato cubes and store them in a freezer bag. that way anytime I need some tomato for a dish, I have some on hand in easily usable portions.
Do I have to cook the puree before I freeze it or can i freeze it raw? I would rather freeze it raw.
Answers: I just got a ton of tomatoes off my friends plants. Most of them are green, but the frost has hit so we are trying to save them.
So I am putting them in paper bags and waiting for them to turn red.
here is my question: I am planning on throwing them in the blender to puree them after they are ripe. Then i am going to freeze the puree into ice cube trays. Then take the tomato cubes and store them in a freezer bag. that way anytime I need some tomato for a dish, I have some on hand in easily usable portions.
Do I have to cook the puree before I freeze it or can i freeze it raw? I would rather freeze it raw.
the biggest concern in doing this is the bacteria in the tomatoes. If you cook them , cool them down and then freeze (properly) there will not be any risk for bacteria growth. However, freezing the raw product guarntees the bacteria to lay dormant while frozen until heat is introduced. So be careful, tomatoes not only can carry e. coli they can also carry, salmonella and botcholism.
It should be fine to freeze the raw puree. It will just have a higher water content than if you cooked it. If you want it thicker, you can pour the puree into a colander lined with cheesecloth to remove some of the excess water.
You will get a fresher tomato taste if you don't cook them before you freeze them. I do agree that the best thing to do is to strain the puree before had to remove the extra water.
I'd freeze some after blending but put them into zip lock baggies! I do that with stock - I never need just a few cubes.
If freezer room is a factor you might cook them down reducing them by 1/2!
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