Is it possible to freeze cherry tomatoes and others

Delicious fresh tomatoes in the winter - a rarity. They are expensive, and the quality of vegetables sold during the cold season leaves much to be desired. If you know how to freeze tomatoes, you can provide yourself with tasty and healthy products for the whole winter. Frozen vegetables are little different from fresh and much better than tomato paste or juice. How to freeze tomatoes at home?

General rules for freezing tomatoes

If you decide to store tomatoes in the freezer, you need to follow some rules:

• Before you freeze the tomatoes, you need to carefully select and prepare them. Choose dense, elastic, but not too hard, fresh fruit without dents, holes and other flaws;
• after the vegetables are washed, they should be dried, otherwise the tomatoes just stick together;
• large fruits are best kept in the freezer, pre-cut into pieces or rings. Small varieties can be frozen completely.
• Put the fruits in a container, pack them as tightly as possible so that the moisture does not evaporate;
• packaging must be airtight;
• freeze in small containers or batches.

Ways of freezing

Whole fruits

This is the least time consuming process and takes a little time. If you are wondering if you can freeze cherry tomatoes, you can safely keep them whole. Suit and varieties such as "cream", medium-sized and fleshy.

1. Selected tomatoes washed and dried.
2. Lay on the tray in 1 layer and put in the freezer.
3. When the fruit is frozen, they can be put into packets.

Thawing tomatoes for use in winter should be at room temperature, not subject to heat treatment or heating. Fruits are suitable for making sauces, for main dishes and stuffing.

You can use thawed tomatoes fresh, but everything will depend on the quality of storage, shape and texture of the fruit. If the vegetables are properly preserved, they will preserve their taste even after cold processing.

Slices

This type of freezing is well suited as a blank for pizza or salads. Those who do not know how to freeze tomatoes for the winter, we can advise you to cut the vegetables into rings. So they will take less space and will be ready for use immediately after defrosting.

1. Wash tomatoes well and dry.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut the fruit into thick rings.
3. Lay out a plastic wrap on a plate, and on it - tomato ringlets in 1 layer.
4. When the pieces froze, they can be placed in a plastic container.

Pills

Those who are thinking about how to freeze fresh tomatoes, you can offer a way to freeze "pills." To this end, the fruit is ground to a puree, which is then subjected to molding.

1. Wash tomatoes and mince. You can add sweet peppers, herbs and spices.
2. Arrange the mashed potatoes in cake tins or for freezing ice cubes.
3. When the tomatoes are frozen, you can take them out of the form and put them in packets. To mash well separated, forms should be dipped in hot water or just turned out.
4. Molded tomato paste is suitable for preparing a gravy for main dishes, dressings for borscht. It will be enough to throw a few of these "pills" in boiling water.

Prepared mashed potatoes can be frozen in small plastic containers. Such a measure will preserve the integrity of the product and its convenient for storage form.

Juice or sauce

Can I freeze tomatoes in the form of sauce or juice? Of course, you can, if the volume of the freezer allows and there is a suitable container.

To prepare the juice, it is necessary to skip well-washed fruits through a juicer and boil for 15-20 minutes to remove the acid. Salt is added to taste. Then the juice is placed in small containers and in the freezer.

You can prepare the sauce according to the following recipe:

1. Chop the tomatoes, rubbing through a sieve.
2. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
3. Finely chop the onion and sweet pepper.
4. One minute before removing from heat add vegetables to tomato puree.
5. Cool the sauce, pour into containers and put in the freezer.

Before using containers with sauce or juice, dip into hot water and place frozen tomato puree in a large container. To speed up defrosting, warm the dish slightly.

Can I freeze tomatoes in the freezer? Of course, the process is limited only by the volume of the freezer and the desire of the hostess. This is a unique opportunity to provide your family with vitamins throughout the winter. Fresh slices of tomatoes and tomato juice will give the dishes an incomparable charm.