Treated like a vegetable, but classified as a fruit, it’s no wonder that the tomato is one of the most complex and versatile food in the world. It pops up in all types of cuisine: Mexican, Italian, greek, you name it. It’s rich fresh taste has become a staple in everyday cooking.
If you’re familiar with gardening cycles, then you know that the best tomatoes are most commonly grown in the summer months. That’s when most of us enjoy the freshest salads, sauces and side dishes. However, there’s multiple ways you can preserve these tasty fruits all year round.
We’re wiping away tears this year because our ENTIRE tomato crop got destroyed by hail, but last year we were literally swimming in all the tomatoes we harvested. We had to find something to do with them! Here’s a few of the most popular ways of preserving tomatoes:
1.Tomato sauce
Making your own tomato sauce is one of the most popular ways to preserve your summer tomatoes. The sauce can be easily made with just a few simple ingredients including water, lemon juice and salt. Tomato sauce is the perfect addition to any of your Italian pasta dishes. Though several websites will warn against canning tomato sauce, How to Can Tangy Tomatoes Yourself? By Cristina M. Grosso, teaches you how to properly can them. Give it a try!
2.Diced tomatoes
Diced tomatoes are another simple way to preserve your favorite summer fruit. Tons of everyday recipes, including soups, casseroles and crockpot meals use canned tomatoes. So, having a couple of your own cans on hand is always a good idea. If you’re looking for a bulk order of cans, this set of 12 Ball Jars is perfect for batch cooking.
3.Pizza sauce
Who doesn’t love a delicious pizza from time to time? In the summer, lots of local eateries have menus full of European style pizzas with sauce made from fresh tomatoes. The problem is that once winter rolls around, you’re usually stuck with bland, commercial sauces. However, if you make your own Pizza sauce with preserved tomatoes, you can enjoy fresh sauce whenever you please! If you’re looking for a canning kit, this granite set is the perfect option.
4.Sun-dried tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes are definitely the black sheep of the preserved tomato family, but certainly still a crowd favorite. This rich, tangy and sweet delicacy gives a tasty boost to any mediterranean dish, and you can make them at home too! For the perfect sun-dried tomatoes, try using this Gourmia Dehydrator.
5.Salsa
Nowadays, there are so many types of salsa’s. Mango, cuban, green chile… the possibilities are endless. Yet, for some reason, I always come back to the classic tomato salsas. It’s the perfect side dish to a Mexican meal or even an appetizer for game days! For salsa recipe inspiration, read Canning & Preserving Salsas by Patrick Regina.
Hopefully, this has helped give you new ideas on how to preserve tomatoes. As you can tell, the possibilities are endless when it comes to tomato preserving. Happy canning!