Tomatoes spoil easily if you don’t know how to store them properly. A fridge? Kitchen line? Neither may be the best choice. So what’s the ideal place to keep it fresh and full of flavor? Surprisingly, it’s not what most people think.
Storing tomatoes in the refrigerator may seem like a good idea, but the cold makes them mushy and rubbery and gradually reduces their vitamin content, especially vitamin C. Leaving them on the kitchen counter is a better option, but even there certain conditions must be met.
Watch a video from the YT creation of the Insider Tech channel – How to store tomatoes
Source: Youtube
Pantry
Unripe tomatoes should always be stored at room temperature. It is best to place them in a place out of direct sunlight, such as a shelf in the pantry. In this phase, a gas called ethylene, which they release themselves, helps them ripen. If you refrigerate them too early, the chemical processes needed for ripening will stop and the tomatoes will never develop their full sweet flavor.
Separate them from other fruits and vegetables, as ethylene could cause faster ripening in bananas or apples, for example.
Stem up
The storage position of tomatoes has a great influence on the quality of them. Always place them with the stem facing up. This part of the fruit is the strongest and prevents faster rotting. If you stack tomatoes too tightly in a bowl or box, they can squish and damage their soft parts, and the tomatoes will spoil more quickly.
A fridge as a last resort
Once the tomatoes are ripe, eat them as soon as possible. However, if you are in a hurry and do not want it to spoil, you can store them in the refrigerator for a short time. This step is especially suitable for tomatoes that are already really ripe and are in danger of softening or rotting in a few days otherwise. But here too, the rule applies: let them warm up to room temperature before consumption so that their taste is renewed.
What about chopped tomatoes? It already belongs in the fridge. If you have cut a larger fruit that you will not use at once, put it in a closed container and store it in the refrigerator. Such a tomato should be eaten within two days at the latest, otherwise it risks losing its juiciness and may begin to spoil.
Process the tomatoes
For those who have more tomatoes than they can eat, there is another way to preserve them. Dry them. You can then marinate dried tomatoes in oil with herbs to create a delicacy that goes well with pasta or baked goods.
Canning tomatoes is another great way to preserve their flavor for longer while retaining most of the nutrients. Homemade canned tomatoes are suitable for sauces, soups, pasta or as a base for pizza. In addition, you know exactly what is in them, unlike industrially canned products.
Source: marthastewart.com
