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puglogic
9-5-11, 10:08am
We've been having a good tomato year for our elevation (7000 ft) but it's almost exclusively, so far, non-plum tomatoes (Black Princes and others)

While I've been loving the fresh tomatoes, I'd like to preserve some if I can. But all the recipes for canning, drying, roasting etc. seem to be for plum or Roma tomatoes.

I understand perfectly why that is, but I don't have any Romas yet, and if we get a hard freeze in September, I won't at all.

Has anyone had any luck preserving regular tomatoes? What are your methods for keeping some of that luscious tomato goodness into fall and winter?

CathyA
9-5-11, 11:13am
You can still can them, they just are much jucier. I've seen people suggest removing the innards of the really juicy tomatoes, but who wants to get rid of all that wonderful juice? And you can definitely freeze them......they'll just be juicier.........but they still work great for tomato soup, chili, etc. The only type of preserving that might be more challenging with non-romas is roasting/dehydrating. But definitely you can still can or freeze them.

Gina
9-5-11, 12:43pm
I don't usually grow roma types, so I only preserve 'regular' tomatoes. I used to can, but don't anymore (too much work). I preserve them in 3 ways. The easiest is just tossing whole, round, untreated tomatoes in plastic bags and freeze. When thawed, using in soups and stews. If they bother you, you'll have to pull out the skins.

The second way is to cut them in half, squeeze out the seeds, and toss the flesh into a roasting pan and cook down in the oven. This takes time and is best done on a cool day cuz the kitchen can get hot. The juice around the seeds is more acidic. If you want to save it, cook it down, strain out the seeds, and use this liquid in soups or broth. As to the tomatoes in the oven, cook it down to a consistency you like, and use it as you would tomato paste - if your tomatoes are flavorful, it is the best paste you will ever have eaten. If the skins bother you, blanch and peel first.

The third way is drying. Just slice them, and dehydrate. They turn out a lovely bright red and can even be eaten as dry 'chips' though they are not crispy. This is the main way I'm preserving them this year.

Tweety
9-5-11, 2:03pm
I roast my extra tomatoes, non-Romas most of them. I cut their tops off, or cut them in half if they are huge, tuck them skin side down in a baking dish, put a few peeled garlic cloves here and there and drizzle some olive oil over the tops. Bake in a hot oven, 400-425, for about 1 1/4 hours until almost all of the liquid is boiled off and the tomatoes are cooked down. Cool, pick the skins off, mash and voila! you have a wonderful sauce that freezes well and tastes great on pasta in the dead of winter.

Marianne
9-12-11, 2:01pm
I'm a little late to the party.
The only tomato I grow now is Celebrity as it seems to be the only one that performs every year in my garden. *sigh*
I blanch, peel, cook and freeze. I make salsa, spaghetti sauce, ketchup, tomato sauce...if it's got a tomato base, I'll try it. I freeze several quarts/pints of just tomatoes and juice for soups, etc. Several jars have onion, bell pepper and celery cooked with them for stewed tomatoes.

I didn't have good luck drying - took forever! I also didn't like the end results when I tried freezing them whole, but many people do it with no problems.
Good luck, I'm glad you're getting tomatoes! Seems like it was a bad year for a lot of gardeners.

KayLR
9-12-11, 4:26pm
I'm glad this thread popped back up, because I've been wanting to try Tweety's method, but dreaded having to find it again! So.....thanks!!

puglogic
9-12-11, 6:46pm
Is it necessary to remove the seeds? What happens (to the flavor) if I don't?

treehugger
9-12-11, 7:10pm
Is it necessary to remove the seeds? What happens (to the flavor) if I don't?

It's pretty much a matter of personal taste/preference. To some people, the seeds are bitter or more acidic. I don't have a problem with them. I don't care for skins in sauce though (also a personal preference), so I do remove those.

Kara

SiouzQ.
9-12-11, 8:48pm
I throw large whole tomatoes (minus the stem) in a pot of boiling water, just until I can slip the skins off, dice them and divide them up into sandwich size zip lock baggies to use for soups or pasta sauces. I've only gotten a few ripe tomatoes so far though (southern Michigan). We've had a lot of rain this past week.