Freezing tomatoes

TomatoZilla II is in full swing. I picked another dozen last night.
I Googled and found a recommendation (University of Nebraska) for freezing whole tomatoes.
Wash, cut out the stem scar, put on a cookie sheet, freeze, bag.
Looks easy to me. Has anyone tried it? Any other recommendations?

John

I've frozen tomatoes for years w/o problems. Whenever I need some, I just hack off some. Skin them first using the quick blanching trick, though.

Good! Freezing binge today!
Yes, the blanching trick looked easy and useful.

John

I roast them first for 50-60 minutes at 400F. The tomatoes-if Romas, sliced lengthwise and roasted cut side up, if larger tomatoes, sliced thickly.
Also, not suitable for everybody, but I also roast sliced onion and garlic at the same time with basil and sometimes thyme sprigs, then freeze everything together as that 'mix' good for everything i want to do with the tomatoes when they're defrosted and use for soups, sauces etc.

I oven dry and then freeze about a bushel and a half of tomatoes each year. I place them in hot then cold water to peel. Then, I halve or slice into thirds if they are large. Using my fingers I scrape out the seeds and liquid and then place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. I use my wind ovens at about 250 degrees. When one side looks dry I flip them. In wet years I have to drain the water off the cookie sheet.

I remove from oven, and let cool to room temperature. I then place the cookie sheets in my freezer for a few hours to IQF the tomatoes. Then they are packaged in Zip lock bags and labeled. I do mostly plum, Roma tomatoes and Celebrity.

I used to try to season them etc but with the quantity I do it was too much bother and required more time involved in clean up between batches.

I should start the process this next week. I just finished my pickling.

We buy 10kg of tomatoes every fortnight and make oven roasted tomato passata and freeze it.

The recipe is on my blog here.

Cheers, Celia

Well, I now have about 6 pounds of frozen whole fresh tomatoes in the freezer. Three gallon-size bags. They look good, nice color and no funny-looking oozes or anything.

I used 3/4 of another fresh one to make chicken saute Provencal for dinner tonight - the whole tomato would have been too much.

These were labeled "Early Girl" at the nursery. It's just one plant. It has grown all over three "cage" gizmos and is about 8 feet diameter and 4 feet high. The ones I'm picking now are from the middle and bottom - the first fruit to set.

I may have to open a ketchup factory or something....

John

I puree them in a blender and then freeze them.

[Jenise]

I roast them first for 50-60 minutes at 400F.

Ditto, but I roast cut side down. Then, once they've cooled a bit, the skins come off with just a pinch.