Preserve Your Tomatoes This Way for Long-Lasting Freshness
Unsure how to keep those perfect tomatoes fresh for winter consumption? Discover a lesser-known trick right here.
Tomatoes: A Beloved Summer Staple It’s common to receive or buy a large quantity of delicious tomatoes, only to find you can’t use them quickly enough. What if there was a way to preserve them for winter enjoyment? Let’s find out how.
Keeping Tomatoes Fresh All Year Typically, tomatoes are in season from May through July. Despite year-round availability thanks to greenhouses and imports, the best flavor comes from consuming them during their natural season. Seasonal tomatoes are juicier and more flavorful, often lacking the watery taste of off-season varieties.
Nutritional Benefits of Seasonal Produce Nutritionists recommend eating fruits and vegetables in their season to maximize nutritional and taste benefits. Tomatoes ripened under the summer sun are significantly more nutrient-rich than those ripened in greenhouses during colder months. However, tomatoes usually don’t last long in the refrigerator, making it challenging to save them for winter. Yet, there is a proven method to preserve their quality and enjoy them out of season.
What You’ll Need To begin, gather some fresh tomatoes, medium or large airtight glass jars, a pot, vinegar, salt, sugar, and garlic. Let’s explore the steps to effectively preserve those summer tomatoes.
Tomato Preservation Process Start by boiling 2 liters of water in a pot. Meanwhile, tightly pack 2.5 kg of tomatoes into the airtight glass jars. Arrange the tomatoes so they interlock and stay in place, taking care not to crush them.
Garlic Preparation Finely chop 20 cloves of garlic, ready to add to the jars.
Pouring the Boiling Water Once the water boils, remove it from the heat and carefully pour it over the tomatoes in the jars. Place a spoon in the jar to prevent the glass from breaking due to the sudden temperature change. Fill the jars to the brim, then cover them loosely with lids and let them sit for at least 20 minutes.
Adding Vinegar, Sugar, and Salt After 20 minutes, pour the water back into the pot and add 100 ml of vinegar, 100 grams of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of salt. Stir well, then bring to a boil again. Next, distribute the chopped garlic among the jars, mostly sitting on top of the tomatoes.
Final Steps Pour the boiling mixture back into the jars, using the spoon to avoid breaking the glass. The hot liquid will help distribute the garlic evenly throughout the jar. Seal the jars tightly, then shake them gently to mix the contents thoroughly, aiming for an even distribution of garlic, similar to a snow globe effect.
Storing the Jars Wrap the sealed jars in a heavy blanket to cool down slowly. Once cool, store them in a dark, cool place. This method ensures you can enjoy flavorful tomatoes even in the winter months.
