Make summer last by preserving end of season tomatoes with these easy techniques.
Whether you are up for a weekend project or have some extra space in your freezer, you can bring the taste of summer into the next season. Don't let a bounty harvest (or generosity of friends) go to mush! Tomatoes can be preserved in a variety of ways. Bruised, overripeand damaged tomatoes can be stewed or sauced.Tomatoes can be easily frozenwith very little effort or equipment. Cooked tomatoes and sauce can be simply frozenor preserved using traditional (and more involved) methods of canning.
TOMATO SAUCE
For stewed tomatoes or sauce, your tomatoes don't have to look pretty to be delicious. Simply cut away the bruised or damaged parts.
Ugly Tomato Sauce (fromFood Network)
Ingredients:
- 8 medium overripe and cracked or bruised tomatoes
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/4 medium onion, diced (about 3 tablespoons)
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Trim away the bruised, cracked or moldy parts of the tomatoes and discard. Roughly chop the tomatoes, reserving their juices, and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic and onion, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with about half of their juices (discard the rest), thyme and basil leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and add pepper to taste. Serve immediately or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes:
- Youcan even add green tomatoes into your sauce or stewed tomatoes.
- Some people add in a tomato stem for added flavor. Remove stem before serving or storing.
FREEZING:
Freezing is the easiest long-term storage for whole ripe tomatoes. You can do large or tiny batches as your tomatoes ripen.Frozen tomatoes can be used for pasta, sauces and soups. Because freezing changes the texture,don't expect to use them in a salad or sandwich.Ripe (but not overripe) tomatoesare best for freezing.
- Wash and dry the tomatoes.
- Core full-sized whole tomatoes. Leave cherry tomatoes whole.
- Freeze on a cookiesheet or other flat surfacewith space in between, so they don't stick together.
- When they are completely frozen,put them into a container or zipper bag.
- Label container with contents and date.
- Tomatoes will keep for 6 months to one year. Quality will be better if you remove the air from the storage container.
Notes:
- If you run the whole frozen tomatoes under warm water before adding them to your recipe, the skins will slip off and peel off easily.
- The whole tomatoes are like whole canned tomatoes.
Resources 
- Resources for Home Preserving Tomatoes-National Center for Home Food Preservation
- How to Preserve Tomatoes - The Spruce Eats
Freezing Tomatoes
- How to Freeze Tomatoes - University of Nebraska Lincoln
TomatoSauce
- Ugly Tomato Sauce - Food Network Kitchen
Produce and Wildfire Ash
