Collecting bountiful harvest With personal plot, we try to preserve the fruits of our labor for as long as possible. This also applies to the harvest of red berries - tomatoes. And everything would be fine when there is a private house, but, for example, how to store tomatoes in an apartment, and if they do not have time to ripen, then what to do with green tomatoes? In our article you will find answers to these questions.
When choosing a tomato variety, pay attention to its ripening period: there are early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties. Late varieties are suitable for storage.
Did you know? IN late varieties contains the Rin gene: it slows down the ripening of the fetus, stretching the metabolism. Therefore, the pulp and crust of these varieties of tomatoes remain juicy and elastic.
The late varieties include a number of varieties and hybrids: Giraffe, New Year's, large tomatoes Long Keeper, F1, Lazybok and Masterpiece, Khutorskoy and hybrid Khrustik.
Varieties such as Red Cherry, Cherry Lisa, Cherry Lycopa can be stored for 2.5 months. Raceme varieties have very good characteristics for long-term storage: Intuition, Instinct, Reflex. Similar characteristics inherent in the following hybrids: Monica, Master, Diamond, Viscount, Trust, Resento.
How to properly harvest tomatoes for storage
Whether you keep tomatoes fresh for the winter depends on the conditions in which they were collected.
- Collect tomatoes for storage before frost (night temperature should not drop below +8...+5 °C).
- Harvest tomatoes for storage during the day, after the dew has cleared.
- Use only undamaged and firm tomatoes.
- Sort by size.
- Sort by maturity.
- Remove the stems from each berry, but do not pull them out. This way you can damage the fruit itself. If the stem does not come off, leave it on the tomato.
Did you know? Large vegetables ripen faster than small ones.
What conditions are needed for storing tomatoes?
The room where tomatoes will be stored must be clean, ventilated, and dark. Tomatoes for storage are placed in 2-3 layers in boxes after preliminary sorting. To save everything useful material in tomatoes and to prevent them from spoiling, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime. Suitable for tomatoes of different ripeness different temperatures: 1-2 °C – for ripe ones, 4-6 °C – for slightly reddened ones, and for green ones – 8-12 °C. The maximum permissible temperature should not exceed +18 °C.
Humidity should also not be neglected: provide a sufficient level of moisture in the room, but do not over-moisten it. It is necessary to inspect the storage bookmark every day.
How to store ripe tomatoes
Experienced agronomists have always known how to preserve fresh tomatoes longer. It is advised to prepare a non-concentrated gelatin solution or apply a wax layer to the fruit. After such manipulations, the fruits are dried and sent for storage. They say that you can extend storage by using alcohol/vodka, 0.3% solution boric acid or a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. All this will completely destroy microbes on tomatoes.
Temperature affects the shelf life of ripe tomatoes. Ripe tomato fruits can be stored for up to one and a half months at a temperature of 1–3 °C without losing their quality.
Ripe tomatoes can be stored in jars by covering the fruits with mustard powder or by “dry sterilization” with alcohol. Ripe fruits can be stored in paper bags, cardboard boxes, plastic bags, refrigerator or any ventilated area.
Storage conditions for green tomatoes
In folk practice, there are many ways to store green tomatoes until they ripen. In order for everything to work out, it is important to comply with temperature conditions. In order for tomatoes to remain green for as long as possible, the temperature should be between 10–12 °C with air humidity of 80–85%.
For storage, choose medium-sized fruits of green or milky pink color. We spread the fruits in 2-3 layers, with the “butts” on top. Can be stored in cardboard boxes, plastic ventilated boxes, on shelves in the basement. If you store tomatoes in boxes, cover the fruits onion skins and keep the temperature -2..+2 ºС - this will prolong storage.
Materials that prolong storage:
- sphagnum peat;
- sawdust;
- onion peel;
- Vaseline and paraffin (need to be applied to each fruit);
- paper (you need to wrap each individual tomato).
Adviсe:
It turns out there is a proven way to store green tomatoes so that they turn red. Don't need any special treatments or paints. Add some red tomatoes and hay to the boxes if you want to speed up the ripening process. A banana is also suitable for these purposes: ripe tomatoes and ripe bananas release ethylene, which speeds up ripening. Bring ripening tomatoes into the light - this will speed up the “coloring” of the fruit.
You can store tomatoes as a whole bush. Before frost, you need to hang a healthy bush with green tomatoes in a room where it is dry, warm and has enough light. This upside down position will provide useful elements to all the fruits.
If the room temperature exceeds 30 °C, completely unripe tomatoes will turn red, their taste will be sour, although it will look like a red tomato. Tomatoes are adversely affected by dry air and high temperatures: the fruits will be wrinkled with an altered pulp structure. And if there is damp air and low temperature when storing tomatoes, the tomatoes may not turn red at all, diseases will develop, and the fruits will become unfit for consumption.
By following these simple conditions, you can be sure that the tomatoes will last up to 2.5 months or longer.
Where is the best place to store tomatoes?
When wondering how to store tomatoes, we must also think about where to store them. Storage location is very important for this berry. If you live in a private house, then store tomatoes in the cellar or garage (if there is enough moisture and no harmful substances). In an apartment, many people cannot imagine how they can keep tomatoes fresh for the winter. A balcony or bathroom is suitable for storage. In both options, it is necessary to maintain constant moisture, ensure the absence of light (tomatoes ripen faster in the light) and a moderate temperature. And, of course, do not forget to periodically inspect the fruits for damage or manifestations of possible diseases.
Why you can't store tomatoes in the refrigerator
Important! Only ripened fruits can be stored in the refrigerator. It is not advisable to store green tomatoes in the refrigerator - they will not ripen. Eat certain conditions how to store tomatoes in the refrigerator.
- Store only ripe berries.
- Place the fruit in the vegetable compartment.
- You can wrap each tomato in paper.
- Tomatoes can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
If you store tomatoes beyond this period, they will lose their taste. Also, the pulp will begin to undergo changes in its structure to the point that you will not be able to eat the tomatoes and will have to throw them away.
What to do if tomatoes start to rot
No matter how you try to keep fresh tomatoes longer, some of them can still spoil. Therefore, it is important to inspect the fruits daily. The most common tomato diseases are late blight and bacterial canker. The first appears in the form of vague subcutaneous spots, and the second affects the stalk. The spots are brown in color with a white halo along the edges and have a black border.
Important! Bacterial canker infects the seeds and spreads with them. These diseases can be overcome by unusual way– “sterilization” of tomatoes.
- Heat the water to 60°C.
- Lower the tomatoes for strictly 2 minutes.
- Dry.
- Place in another storage area on newspaper or burlap.
Now the question of how to store tomatoes at home or how to store tomatoes in the refrigerator so that they remain fresh for the winter will not confuse you. Use proven ways to preserve tomatoes longer, and let this berry delight you with its taste and aroma.
If there were a ranking of the popularity of vegetables, tomatoes would undoubtedly take first place. Moreover, with a large gap from their rivals. Red-sided and juicy, they are good either in a salad or as a snack. It’s just that we don’t get to enjoy fresh tomatoes for long in our latitudes: as soon as autumn makes a serious statement about itself, they disappear from both market counters and store shelves. And I would like to keep fresh tomatoes longer! After all, canning is not at all the same as elastic, appetizing freshly picked fruits...
We can’t help with freshly picked ones, but we can help with storage. Because we know how to preserve fresh tomatoes longer. And we will be happy to share this information with you.
HOW LONG CAN TOMATOES BE STORED?
First, let's decide what we can count on. Is it possible to save fresh tomatoes until the New Year? Or will they only last a couple of weeks of storage? The answer depends not only on your actions and, moreover, your desire. The shelf life of tomatoes is determined by several parameters that will have to be taken into account if you want to preserve fresh tomatoes for as long as possible:
1. Greenhouse tomatoes are stored worse than those grown in open ground. Perhaps soil-grown tomatoes are simply better suited to the challenge environment and “hardened” by the struggle for survival. But the fact remains: for tomatoes to last longer, they must be from the garden.
2. There are specially bred varieties of tomatoes for long-term storage. The most famous of them are Masterpiece, Longkeeper and Giraffe. Sounding names, isn't it? But the main thing is that they can withstand longer storage and/or transportation than representatives of other varieties. This information will be more useful to gardeners who can grow the vegetables they need on their own. But if you manage to buy fresh tomatoes of just these varieties, don’t miss out.
3. Tomatoes have a feature that not all vegetables have: they can be picked unripe, so that they later ripen during storage. This approach greatly extends the life of fresh tomatoes. Firstly, green tomatoes remain unharmed longer. Secondly, the beginning of their storage in ripe form is delayed.
Ripe tomatoes can be bought about three days in advance, after which uneaten vegetables will begin to wither and spoil. If you immediately put the tomatoes in the refrigerator, you can count on their preservation for a week. Tomatoes with thick skins can stay in the special “vegetable” compartment of the refrigerator for 10 days, but this is already risky. But it is generally not recommended to cool fresh tomatoes more than 2-3°C: tomatoes do not tolerate freezing well, and after thawing they spoil very quickly.
HOW TO PRESERVE FRESH TOMATOES UNTIL THE NEW YEAR?
If you have never stored fresh vegetables for a long time before, it is unlikely that you have had time to stock up on green tomatoes or choose a specific variety. So you will have to deal with what you have - that is, arrange the storage of already ripened tomatoes. In this case traditional methods, multiplied by discoveries modern science, offer the following methods for storing tomatoes:
1. Storage in dry mustard.
Tomatoes are stored for a long time in glass jars and remain fresh, without a drop of brine or a hint of canning.
To repeat this trick, take several three-liter jars and fresh tomatoes - whole, not overripe, without dents or other damage.
Wash the tomatoes under running water, wipe dry and place on outdoors for drying.
Sterilize the jars and dry them properly too.
Using a dry, clean tablespoon, scoop a generous amount of mustard powder and sprinkle into the bottom of each jar.
Place the tomatoes in jars on top of the mustard. First, a few pieces - the first “layer”. Try not to press them together. Of course, the sides of the vegetables will touch, but this should happen without pressure.
Second important point: place the tomatoes up with the side where the tail was.
Sprinkle the first and each subsequent portion of tomatoes with mustard, sparingly.
At the end, when the jars are full, pour another full spoonful of mustard powder on top and close the lid (sterile and dry, of course).
Roll up the jars with a machine or seal them hermetically in another way.
After this, it is advisable to put the cans on their sides and roll them a little and/or carefully turn them upside down. But don't shake the jars - just distribute the mustard powder evenly over all the tomatoes.
Place the jars in a cool place without access to light (in a pantry, cellar, etc.) and be sure that even in January the tomatoes will remain fresh and tasty.
I wonder how the described method “works”? Everything is quite simple. Tomatoes sealed in jars release moisture very slowly. This amount of water is tiny, but it is enough to interact with essential oils mustard. They, in turn, prevent putrefactive processes in vegetables from developing by suppressing bacteria. To ensure that the method does not fail, choose medium-sized tomatoes for such storage and use at least 4 tablespoons of dry mustard for each jar.
2. Vacuum storage.
Fresh tomatoes in jars can be preserved using another method.
To do this you will need exactly the same three liter jars(sterile and dry, of course), as in the first case, but instead of mustard powder - alcohol.
Wash fresh whole small tomatoes and dry completely. Place in jars, trying not to press tightly, just on top of each other.
Pour 2 full tablespoons of alcohol into each jar filled with tomatoes.
Close the jars with clean lids, but do not roll them up.
Place the jars horizontally and roll them so that the tomatoes are thoroughly moistened with alcohol.
Further actions should be very quick and coordinated, so immediately prepare everything you need.
Place a long wick, matches (lighter), lids and a can-roller nearby.
Remove the temporary lids from the jars.
Place the end of the wick into the jar and light it on the other side.
As soon as the alcohol ignites, immediately close the jar with a lid and roll it tightly.
Do this for all jars.
If you manage to do everything correctly, you will get absolutely whole tomatoes: they will not have time to burn, and the alcohol will instantly burn inside the jar along with oxygen.
The tomatoes end up in a vacuum, which will preserve them for a long time.
HOW TO PROPERLY STORE FRESH GREEN TOMATOES?
Truly long-term storage is only possible if the tomatoes are not fully ripe. Fresh tomatoes of the so-called milky ripeness can be stored not only until late autumn and/or winter holidays, but also until the end of winter. But for this you cannot do without strict adherence to all the rules for the preparation and storage of tomatoes:
1. Buy or collect green and slightly milky tomatoes from your own garden. It is important to do this before the first frost, so that even the tomatoes do not get damaged from the inside. Remove the tails immediately.
2. Once again, carefully review and sort out the tomatoes intended for storage. Leave only ideal specimens: with intact, undamaged skin and without a hint of damage. Not only the safety of each tomato, but also the reliability of the entire stock depends on this.
3. Heat the water to 60°C and put the tomatoes in it for 3 minutes. Do not take the water hotter, so as not to scald the vegetables. But washing in cooler water will not protect tomatoes from bacteria.
4. Wipe each tomato dry and place them in a ventilated area to dry completely. It is better to choose a dry place in the shade for this.
5. While the tomatoes are drying, prepare several boxes for their storage: plastic or wooden. The main thing is clean, dry and not very deep. At the bottom of each, place a sheet of newspaper or other paper moistened with alcohol or vodka without additives.
6. Soak pieces of cotton wool in the same alcohol or vodka and wipe each tomato with it on all sides.
7. After this stage, two options are possible. In the first case, if you plan to eat the tomatoes within a month or a month and a half, then simply lay them out in an even layer on an alcohol-soaked newspaper, cover with the same sheet, and on it place another layer of tomatoes, also covered with paper.
8. Otherwise, to store tomatoes longer, wrap each one with a piece of newspaper or a napkin soaked in alcohol. Place dry sawdust between the bundles.
9. Place the boxes in a dark room with an air temperature of 7 to 14°C and a humidity of no more than 80%. In principle, paper and sawdust will absorb a small amount of water, but it is better not to test their absorbent abilities for strength.
10. Regularly, at least once a week, inspect your tomatoes and mercilessly remove from storage those that show hints of spoilage.
HOW TO PRESERVE FRESH TOMATOES FOR LONGER?
Step-by-step instructions are very convenient, but also Additional Information never hurts. For example, it is useful to know that the substance contained in tomatoes folic acid accelerates their maturation. Therefore, green tomatoes intended for storage should not be kept near ripe red vegetables. But when it's time to use the blank, remove required quantity stored green tomatoes and place next to a ripe tomato or other fruit (banana, apple). In addition to all that has been said, keep in mind that preserving fresh tomatoes means not only preserving their beauty and “marketable” appearance. It is important not to lose the benefits of fresh tomatoes and the vitamins they contain. Decorate New Year's table You can also use pickled vegetables, but the health benefits of fresh tomatoes cannot be replaced by any canned food. Therefore, good luck with your preparations and bon appetit all year round!
How to store tomatoes at home? This question arises only for those who have a supply or who have reaped a rich harvest in the fall. There are techniques that allow you to keep them fresh without resorting to preservation for long enough.
But first, let's deal with small batches.
Can it be stored in the refrigerator?
Many people know that storing tomatoes in the refrigerator is not the best option: Tomatoes quickly lose their taste, and in appearance they become loose and completely unattractive.
The fact is that the bright and beloved taste fresh tomatoes- this is the result of a combination of sugars, acids and volatile substances. Volatile substances are temperature dependent, so when there is too much cold or, conversely, too much high temperature, tomatoes change the taste and aroma not for the better.
In addition, harmful elements accumulate in fruits that are stored in the refrigerator for a long time. Is it even possible to store these vegetables in the refrigerator? Of course, but you need to take into account that without a significant loss of taste they will lie there for a short time.
At temperatures from +4 C to +6 C, tomatoes purchased in good condition can lie in a refrigerator drawer without packaging for about a month,At temperatures from +1 C to +3 C degrees – about forty days. At the same time, they will become soft, loose, and lose taste and aroma.
Preparing a large harvest for storage
To successfully store tomatoes at home, you need to prepare them correctly:
- Storing tomatoes, like other vegetables, starts with sorting. We put ripe and overripe ones into food or processing first, but pinkish, brown, whitened and green ones can wait.
- Thus, it is necessary to separate vegetables according to maturity and size. This is important because different optimal temperatures are recommended for red and green fruits, and large tomatoes tend to ripen faster than small ones.
- It makes sense to store only dense, truly fresh tomatoes. Even one slightly damaged one can cause damage to the entire volume of reserves. For the same reason, stocks must be periodically inspected, removing spoiled ones from the total mass.
- Vegetables will last a long time if they are stored completely dry and with their stems intact.
- A weak gelatin solution or a thin wax layer helps keep tomatoes fresh. Each fruit is treated with this “protection”, which then needs to be slightly dried.
- Vegetables will be stored longer if they are treated with potassium permanganate or a solution of boric acid (0.3%).
- Sorted, processed vegetables can be placed in storage containers.
Ripe tomatoes are best consumed first.
How to store the harvest
Where to store tomatoes? In any suitable room at your disposal. To take into account the main factors for long-term maintenance of fresh tomatoes, you can adhere to the following rules:
- Store in treated lattice, well-ventilated boxes. There should be clean paper at the bottom. The fruits must be arranged correctly: lay rows of paper or wrap each tomato separately. They can also be sprinkled with peat or sawdust.
- Tomatoes that were collected at the stage of milk ripeness should be wrapped in thin black paper and placed in a box, separating the layers from each other with straw.
- It is best to place the container in a dark, well-ventilated room where the temperature is maintained at +10 C.
- In the room where vegetables will be kept, it is necessary to provide ventilation to eliminate the gas emitted by tomatoes.
- Approximately once every 7-10 days you need to check your supplies: spoiled vegetables should not be stored together with healthy ones. The most common reasons fruit spoilage - late blight and bacterial cancer. The fact that the fruits are sick is indicated by brown spots appearing on them. Such tomatoes can be saved by pasteurization.
- IN hot water vegetables are immersed and kept there for 2 minutes. It is not recommended to exceed this time, as this risks the fruits simply softening and becoming loose. After this, they need to be placed on paper to dry in a dry and ventilated place.
- If all recommendations are followed, the fruits suitable varieties Will stay fresh until January.
Green and red tomatoes require various conditions for successful storage
Other storage methods
- Freezing. Quick-frozen fresh ripe tomatoes can be stored for three to four months. At the same time, defrosted vegetables stored in freezer, are great for preparing salads and other dishes.
- Vacuum. The fruits are placed in sterilized jars and filled with two tablespoons of alcohol. The jars need to be rotated so that the alcohol gets onto more fruits. In the next step, the wick is lowered into the container and set on fire. After some time, the alcohol will begin to burn, and this is the best moment to roll up the jar. The oxygen in it will burn, and the tomatoes will end up in a vacuum. You can also use a special device to create a vacuum. They can survive in a vacuum for about three months.
- Mustard. In sterilized three-liter jars, add a thick layer of mustard powder to the bottom. Place a layer of tomatoes on top; storage will be successful if you place them with their stems facing up. Sprinkle them thickly with mustard, then add another layer. The final layer should again be mustard. The jars are rolled up and stored. This method will help extend the life of the crop as much as is provided for by the keeping quality of the selected variety.
- Vinegar-salt solution. Place the washed tomatoes in a bowl and pour in a mixture of vinegar, water and salt (8:1:1);
- Vegetable oil. Pour vegetable oil over the tomatoes (the top of the vegetables should be covered by one centimeter of oil).
- Salt. Place chopped vegetables into a container in an approximately 8-10 cm layer, sprinkle a little salt, and place whole fruits on top of them, which are also salted. Do this until the container is full.
Simple boxes are ideal for storing vegetables
Varieties suitable for storage
Experienced gardeners know, but beginners need to take into account that for long storage Not all varieties are suitable, but only those that are intended for long-term preservation.
Here are some of the varieties popular with our gardeners:
- Average shelf life (approximately two months): “Oak”, “Moonlight”, “Japanese Crab”, “New Masterpiece”.
- Tomatoes that will last until the new year: Khutorskoy, Zhanna, New Year's, Rio Grande, Podzimny, Masterpiece.
- Tomatoes that can be stored fresh throughout the winter: Khrustik F1, Vasilisa, Giraffe, Long Keeper, Orange Ball.
You can find out which variety is suitable for storage before choosing seeds or seedlings in the store; in addition, this is indicated on the seed packaging. In any case, given the difference in climate in different regions, it is best to choose varieties zoned for your conditions.
Tomatoes are surprisingly beneficial vegetables for human health. They contain a lot of useful acids, for example, phosphoric and citric, as well as vitamins of groups A, B, C and D. In addition, these vegetables are useful because the carotene they contain becomes a vitamin when it enters the human body And, bringing great benefits.
Of course, like any other product, they lose some of their properties during storage. beneficial properties, but compliance optimal conditions allows you to significantly slow down this process.
If you buy tomatoes from farmers, they will definitely recommend that you do not put the tomatoes in the refrigerator, otherwise they may lose their taste.
And finally, scientists have figured out what is behind these recommendations: it turns out that at low temperatures, some of the tomatoes' genes change, and it is these changes that ultimately affect their taste. New research is trying to answer this question and help solve this problem.
When cooled below 12 degrees, tomatoes lose their taste due to the destruction of certain substances in the structure of the fruit, say researchers who are trying to understand the very essence of the process.
Before tomatoes reach grocery store shelves, they will already have partially lost their taste, and it does not matter where they were cooled: in a home refrigerator or in a vegetable store.
Researcher Denis Tieman from the University of Florida in Gainesville argues that if you understand how the process of loss of taste occurs thoroughly, you can make some adjustments in growing tomatoes and avoid this situation. Denis, along with her colleagues from China and Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, report their findings in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
They found that after seven days of storing tomatoes at a temperature of +4 degrees, the tomatoes lost some of their taste and characteristic fresh aroma. After this, the tomatoes were stored for another 3 days at room temperature, but according to surveys of people who compared fresh tomatoes and tomatoes after refrigeration, the difference in taste was very noticeable, and fresh tomatoes were much tastier. Tomatoes stored for 1-3 days at room temperature practically do not lose their taste.
According to Tieman, research suggests that long-term refrigeration reduces the activity of the substances responsible for the characteristic taste of fresh tomatoes. In scientific terms, we can say that cooling causes a loss of taste in tomatoes, which is associated with a change in DNA methylation. Methylation is a process by which a portion of atoms called a “methyl group” attaches to DNA and changes its function. Methylation affects the expression of certain genes and can also cause certain diseases at the gene level.
Thieman's laboratory is already studying methods for breeding tomatoes that would not lose their flavor when exposed to low temperatures.
In the meantime, you can take the wise advice of sellers who advise storing tomatoes in a shaded place at room temperature, arguing that tomatoes have enough long term storage and out of the cold.
From the beginning of spring to the end of summer, many housewives work hard in their gardens to grow tasty, healthy and most importantly - natural products. Several beds are certainly occupied by a common favorite - the tomato!
Its bright, ripe and incredibly aromatic fruits, tomatoes, are rich in the hormone serotonin, which gives us a feeling of happiness, vitamins C and A, as well as a whole list of organic acids.
Of course, you can find beautiful, even tomatoes in every store and supermarket. Fortunately, they are full of them all year round.
But is a store-bought copy comparable to a home-made one? Grown with care, incredibly healthy, aromatic and, well, very tasty!
It is no wonder that the goal and dream of many summer residents is to preserve tender multi-nest berries until late autumn. But is it possible? And if so, how to preserve tomatoes at home?
Surprising but true...
From a botanical point of view, tomatoes are nothing more than berries. But in the 19th century Supreme Court The United States decided that when collecting customs duties, tomato fruits should be treated as vegetables.
It is this difference in views that has become the reason for the question so often asked today, what type of crop the tomato belongs to.
Which varieties stay fresh the longest?
The most offensive thing for any housewife is to throw away a product grown with love because it has spoiled. And this, unfortunately, happens, and often. It’s better to play it safe in advance and choose a variety of tomatoes for planting that definitely won’t let you down. As one wise saying goes:
“It’s better to think for one day than to work in vain for a whole week.”
Moreover, nowadays there is plenty to choose from. The number of tomato varieties bred by breeders reaches 25 thousand. Among them there are both mid-late and late varieties. And even a wonderful new product - “bed-beds”, i.e. special long-lasting varieties.
Perhaps many have already had the opportunity to meet some of them:
- "De Barao"- round, slightly oblong fruits of various shades: red, green, yellow, black.
- "San Marzano"- fleshy burgundy fruits shaped like plums.
- "Long Keeper"- the fruits will remain juicy and fresh until February.
- "Giraffe"- round juicy fruits. You can decorate the table with them even on March 8th.
Of course, you can choose one of these varieties. But what to do when you really want to plant some special, too beautiful or too tasty and attractive varieties?
Try to create storage for them best conditions, so you will at least prolong their life as much as possible.
How to keep tomatoes healthy and fresh for a long time
Try to find a secluded place in your apartment dark place, the temperature in which always remains stable and is within 10 ° C. The humidity is 80% and there is good air circulation.
This could be a basement, cellar or room, but in no case a refrigerator. In it, tomatoes will lose their herbaceous smell, for which they are so loved, and taste.
Here's the thing! All the flavor of tomatoes comes from acids, sugars and special volatile substances. This entire complex is extremely sensitive to ambient temperature. If it turns out to be lower than required, the aromatic berries will become less aromatic and less tasty.
Recent studies by scientists from France have shown that optimal temperature, at which the production of volatile fragrant substances is enhanced, is 20°C. It is in these warm conditions that tomatoes are left to fully ripen 5 days before consumption.
However, you don’t have to completely forget about the refrigerator. This is a great and easy way to preserve beautiful berries if you intend to eat them within a few days. Or refrigerate before cutting into a salad.
What else is important to know about multi-celled berries in order to keep them fresh for as long as possible:
- Be sure to re-sort your harvest. Do not store whole and damaged, overripe and green fruits together.
Tomatoes of “milk ripeness” are best stored when they have reached their natural size, but are not ripe. As a rule, at this moment the berries acquire a pale pink tint.
- Pick tomatoes from the plant before the night air gets colder than 8°C. If ripe fruits freeze right in the garden, they certainly won’t last long.
- It is better to collect during the day, when the berries are already dry after the morning dew.
- There is no need to wash tomatoes before long-term storage; it is better to wipe each fruit with a cotton swab moistened with alcohol. This way you will get rid of all germs at once.
The stem of tomatoes must be cut off immediately before slicing!
How to store tomatoes in trays and boxes
If you have already decided on the place allocated for storing fruits, it’s time to prepare boxes for them. Cover their bottoms with clean paper or fill them with sawdust.
Then wrap the paper around the fruits, each individually, and arrange them in rows. No more than 3 in one box. Cover each layer with paper or sprinkle with sawdust.
Remember to leave small empty spaces between the fruits for free air circulation. You don't need to pack them too tightly.
Wherever your berries are stored, visit them at least occasionally. Check the condition of each fruit, keep spoiled ones away from healthy ones. There is no need to feel sorry for them, otherwise you may lose the entire harvest.
Make your decision to try delicious tomatoes in advance. A week before, take the selected fruits to a bright and warm room for complete, final ripening.
How to preserve tomatoes in jars
You can increase the shelf life of berries to five months by placing them in simple containers. glass jars. This method is suitable for both ripe and milk fruits.
1 option. Rinse and dry the tomatoes thoroughly. Place them in a sterilized jar, but do not press too tightly. Add a few spoons of alcohol and cover with a nylon lid.
Roll the jar in your hands. But there is no need to be cowardly and thereby damage the tomatoes. Perform the operation carefully, so that all the fruits get wet.
After this, insert the wick inside the jar and light it with outside. As soon as the alcohol in the jar catches fire, quickly and carefully roll it up.
Option 2. You will need approximately 6 tbsp. l. dry mustard. Pour the first 2 into the bottom of a sterilized jar immediately. Then arrange the tomatoes, adding more to each layer. At the end add another 1 liter. mustard and roll up the jar.
Option 3. Place 9 mm in a sterilized jar. layer of chopped tomatoes and salt. Next we put the whole fruits to the end of the jar, sprinkling each layer with salt. Let's roll up.
How to Preserve Tomatoes That Are Fully Ripe and Ready to Eat
It also happens that the red berries are already overripe, you don’t want to eat them yet, but it’s a pity to throw them away. In this case, use the following method.
Mix water with salt and 9% vinegar in a ratio of 8x1x1. Place clean tomatoes in a jar or pan and fill with the resulting mixture.
Pour on top vegetable oil so that it covers 1 cm of food.
What's the best way to store tomatoes in the refrigerator?
You also need to know how to store fruits in the refrigerator. Each of them has a special shelf for vegetables, and that’s where they need to be placed. The cuttings should face upwards, and between each fruit it is necessary to leave very little space for air to enter.
We must cover each layer with paper, or even better, wrap it around each individual fruit.
Tomatoes should not be stored in the cold for more than 3-4 days, otherwise they will become useless and tasteless.
How to save tomatoes that have started to spoil
The first sign of a tomato “disease” is the appearance of brown or other spots.
But you can fight them too. True, in a more radical way - through pasteurization.
Heat the water to 60°C. It will become like this about 7 minutes after boiling. And immerse the tomatoes in it for literally 3 minutes. After this, dry the wet fruits in the fresh air.
Save your efforts and store food correctly. Enjoy natural, tasty and aromatic tomatoes all year round!