Preserving Summer's Bounty - Freezing Whole Tomatoes

The community garden plot, at long last, has begun to yield a staggering amount of tomatoes - great big beautiful pink and red globes, perfect for slicing and eating, as well as Romas, the paste type tomato, ideal for preserving.  Romas are a meaty, plum shaped tomato with a rich red color, when perfectly ripe.
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After having canned tomatoes for many years, I have turned to freezing tomatoes recently.  It's easy.  It doesn't heat up the kitchen like canning.  And, I like the texture and taste of frozen tomatoes in soups, sauces and stews.
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Let's get started.  You'll see just how easy it is to freeze tomatoes!

If you do not grow your own tomatoes, choose ripe, blemish free tomatoes at a local farmer's market.  These beauties have just been plucked from the garden.  Wash all visible dirt from the fruit under running water.

Heat a pan of water on the stove.  About 4 or 5 inches of water will do.  Once the water is simmering, gently lower several tomatoes into the pan of water.  Leave them in the water for about 30 seconds.  The heat will loosen the tomato skins, though it will not cook the tomatoes themselves.

Remove the tomatoes from the pan, and immediately plunge them into cold water.  I fill the sink with several inches of water and add a few ice cubes.  The cold water stops the cooking process and helps to further loosen the skins.

 

Remove each tomato from the water, slipping off the skin and coring it a sharp paring knife or serrated knife.  Place the tomatoes to the side until you have prepared enough  to bag. 

 

These tomatoes are ready to be put into quart size freezer bags. Each bag will hold a single layer of 12 tomatoes, a convenient amount for cooking.  A couple small basil leaves are then added to each bag.  My favorite canned Roma tomatoes are always processed with a sprig of basil. 

 These three bags are ready to take their place in the freezer.  Come this January, they'll be mighty delicious in tomato sauces, vegetable soups, and stick-to-your-rib stews.

And, the memories and joys of gardening with Mayor and Sis will come alive for me again, months after the last fruit and vegetables have been harvested.