Things You'll Need
Saucepan
Slotted spoon
Ice water
Paring knife
Colander
Baking sheet
Freezer bag
Fresh tomatoes last for a short time in the garden, but you can still make your favorite garden-fresh tomato sauce in the winter if you plan when you harvest your tomatoes. Use some of your harvest immediately for fresh uses, but freeze the rest for longer storage. When you freeze the tomatoes, the texture changes and they should only be used for cooked tomato recipes. Removing the skins before freezing becomes simpler by blanching them. The skins will slip off without having to use a peeler.
Step 1
Boil a pot of water over high heat. Drop the whole tomatoes into the water for one minute.
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Step 2
Fish out the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and immediately drop them into the ice water to stop the cooking and loosen the skin.
Step 3
Rub off the skin of the tomatoes in the ice water with your hands.
Step 4
Transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board and quarter them.
Step 5
Scoop out the seeds with your fingers from the centers of the tomatoes.
Step 6
Rinse and drain the tomato quarters in a colander.
Step 7
Arrange the tomatoes into a single layer on a baking pan.
Step 8
Freeze the tomatoes overnight or until frozen solid.
Step 9
Remove the tomatoes from the baking sheet and place into freezer bags.
Step 10
Seal the bags and return them to the freezer until ready to use.
Tip
Alternatively, freeze the whole tomatoes with their skins intact on a baking sheet overnight. Transfer to freezer bags and thaw completely before rubbing off the skin and using in cooked tomato recipes.
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