Sometimes we often buy cherry tomatoes in bulk to save costs because buying in bulk will be cheaper. If so, so that the cherry tomatoes do not rot, we must know how to can cherry tomatoes properly so that they last a long time. So, thus we do not have to use cherry tomatoes quickly to avoid spoilage because by storing them in cans, they will last for a long time.
Just like vegetables and fruits (cherries are also referred to as fruit), there are some preparations that must be done before canning cherry tomatoes or even freezing first. We certainly want the tomatoes that we buy in large quantities can last a long time and can be used little by little. Apart from that, we also want the cherry tomatoes to stay fresh while using them.
See too: How to Freeze Cherries
In order for all our expectations to be achieved, then we must know the method of canning cherry tomatoes correctly. Otherwise, the cherry tomatoes will rot when stored. The taste will usually be different than when it was fresh, this is the problem because we want the cherry tomatoes we store to stay fresh when we use it. When we preserve any food, of course what we want is the freshness of the food or fruit to be maintained when we use it.
So, how do you canned cherry tomatoes to keep them whole and last a long time, and when they are taken out of storage they are as fresh as they were when they were put in? Check out our review of cherry tomato storage methods below.
How to Can Whole Cherry Tomatoes?
For storage purposes, we certainly want to be able to use it fully when we need it. This storage method will keep the cherry tomatoes fresh and last longer than usual. How to prepare cherry tomatoes for canning?
To store cherry tomatoes, we prefer to freeze them first. The way to freeze it is to put it in a tray or seal bag and put it in the freezer. Freezing fruit, including cherry tomatoes, can stop the fruit turning process, slowing down the enzymes that spoil the fruit or vegetable. So, the single best way to preserve cherry tomatoes is to freeze them in the freezer.
How to freeze cherry tomatoes in our opinion is to put them in the freezer overnight. When they have frozen well, they are ready to be put in cans. Cherry tomatoes are among the easiest to process, so it’s very easy to canning them.
See too: How to Freeze Parsley Easily
Once the cherry tomatoes have frozen, put them in a glass jar for preservation and put them back in the freezer. Wait! Do you think that glass jars can’t be stored in the freezer? That’s true, but not everything is like that. You can store mason jars in the freezer to preserve your cherry tomatoes. Mason jars with straight sides usually won’t crack in the freezer and they make good containers for frozen food storage.
When stored in the freezer, cherry tomatoes will last longer, even months. Does it have to be in a mason jar? No, you can also use a plastic freezer bag. You can store well and it doesn’t even take up more space in the freezer.
Fresh or Dehydrated?
How is the freezing step, before freezing the cherry tomatoes must be dried first or can they be frozen fresh? That is a question that many of our friends ask, we answer that it depends on you. If you want to use it dry, you can dry it. But if you want to use it later in fresh form, then you can preserve it or freeze it fresh or freshly harvested. If you want to use tomatoes in a salad at a later date, of course you don’t need to dry them. It’s different if you store tomatoes for the purpose of putting them in chilies, to make soup, etc., you can still dry them.
read also: How to Store Rice Long Term and Short Term
If you have to dry cherry tomatoes, then you can use a tomato dryer. Usually use a dehydrator with a large size. After drying, you can freeze it directly with the method described above.
How to Store Cooked Tomatoes
Another way to preserve cherry tomatoes is to cook them first. This means that you can freeze tomatoes in any way you like. It’s up to you how you will use it in the future.
If you cook or boil cherry tomatoes before freezing them, then you will need to prepare the tomatoes before putting them in the freezer. The trick is to cut the stem and remove the core. If the seeds are stored whole, this can affect the taste of your tomatoes. Therefore, we prefer to remove the seeds before freezing them. The point is you don’t need to throw it away, you can use it to make soup or other foods that use tomatoes.
Next, put your cooked tomatoes in a freezer-safe bag, and these will last for 3 months. If you want to use it a little at a time, then wrap the cherry tomatoes in a few small packets. You can take each pack of pouches when you need them. It’s safe for storage because when you take it out as needed, it doesn’t interfere with the bag containing other tomatoes.
How to Use Canned Cherry Tomatoes
Imagine that you’ve been storing cherry tomatoes in the freezer for a few months and now want to use them. What should you do?
First of all; you have to melt it before you can use it. If you want to do a lot of things with frozen tomatoes, it’s kind of hard to do. If you store it in a mason jar, it’s very easy for you to melt it. Simply take it out of the freezer and put your jar in the fridge. To defrost, you can leave it overnight in the refrigerator until the temperature allows it to be used.
However, if you want to be able to use frozen tomatoes more quickly, you can thaw them in a bowl of room temperature water. Put the frozen tomatoes into the room temperature water, do not use hot water to thaw frozen tomatoes because it can damage them. The best way to thaw frozen tomatoes that are still in jars or freezer bags is to immerse the freezer bags or jars in water at room temperature, let the tomatoes thaw slowly, this will keep the tomatoes texture and taste fresh.
If the cherry tomatoes have melted completely, you can now use them for your various purposes.
