Freezing tomatoes for sauce

[Pinup Farmgirl]

Every year I have about 20-25 Roma plants, I love to make sauce. Well, here's is a great tip for you. I pick every few days, but it's never enough to process (not to mention who wants to spend all that time in the kitchen during the summer). After I give them a quick rinse and dry, I throw the whole tomato into a gallon freezer bag. If they have any spots I cut them out, but that's it. Then into the deep freeze they go. In the late fall/early winter I make my sauce. I literally pull all my bags of of the freezer and let them thaw in the sink. Once they are finished thawing the whole tomato goes right into the food mill. The skins come right off, no boiling, no ice bath, etc. It's one of the easiest things I've done. That's it, I now have my juice and can start my sauce.

*note..this only works if you are making juice/sauce.

 

[baymule]

I have done that too! Welcome to the forum, so glad you have joined us!

 

[so lucky]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Nyboy]

Welcome from NY, any tips on sun drying

 

[Beekissed]

I'll be trying the drying for the first time this year, NY, but mostly for making of tomato powder and not for the funky little sun dried tomato recipes. Should be a fun learning experience.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I use my dehydrator to dry chunks of tomatoes, I do not sundry. Those go into things like rice to add some color and flavor. It's not for funky recipes, it's just another way to store tomatoes so you can use just a bit instead of having to open a jar or, horror upon horrors, buy some out of season at the store. I would not wish that on my worst enemy.

Bee, if you dry some, put one under your tongue while still dry. You get a tremendous burst of flavor.

 

[Nyboy]

I have a vague memory of a member drying them on dashboard of car.

 

[Nyboy]

Bee the flavor in sundried is more intense. Outrageously expensive in supermarket.

 

[thistlebloom]

Welcome to the forum 'Farmgirl! That's a great tip and one I like to do too.
Takes the pressure off the busy season!

 

[Beekissed]

Great advice, Ridge!! I'm hoping to dry a lot of them this year to thicken sauces, soups and salsa. I'll definitely try the under the tongue thing.

I hope to use an old screen door and part of another to sun dry my maters...will try to use the Roma and Jetstar varieties as my beefsteaks will be awfully juicy for such an endeavor. But...if I slice them thin enough, that would be one huge slice of tomato for drying! I've got a dandy little tomato slicing knife from RADA that is razor sharp and makes for precision cuts.

I'm doing all my food storage differently this year and the drying of some veggies is part of that. I hope to dry onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, etc. for optional storage. A good friend sent me a Food Saver, so I'll be able to seal them up in tidy packaging if need be.

I'd also like to make some chicken jerky this year...ground, marinated in spices and dried in strips. This will be good for adding to stir fry, soups, casseroles and even just to eat as a snack. That chicken will be from any free birds I pick up out of the locals for butchering.