How to keep tomatoes fresh for a long time in the refrigerator. How to store tomatoes at home. Reasons for picking tomatoes early

Tomatoes are one of the most famous vegetables that are canned for the winter. You can easily keep them fresh for 10-15 days if you place them in a paper bag and put them in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. How to properly store tomatoes at home so that they remain fresh until the New Year or even longer? The answers can be found in this article.

Shelf life of tomatoes

Having no idea how long tomatoes can be stored, it is better not to purchase them in large quantities. They just won't stay fresh for long. You should definitely know how to properly store tomatoes. And then you can keep the vegetables fresh for several months or all winter.

If you need to buy a large batch of tomatoes, it is better to choose those varieties that:

• have a fleshy consistency,
• thick peel,
• not divided into a large number of cameras.

The storage conditions for tomatoes are chosen based on the stage of ripening they are at. Brown fruits require one storage temperature, and red fruits require another. And they are not at all capable of ripening at low temperatures.

There are some types of tomatoes that tolerate storage better. These are mid-late and late ripening varieties.

So, the shelf life of tomatoes in a city apartment before they are processed:

• green fruits – from 25 to 70 days;
• ripe red ones - from 7 to 10 days.

If the tomatoes are overripe and have already become soft, they will not be able to be stored.

Storage conditions for tomatoes

Fruits at different stages of ripening require individual storage temperatures:

• milk-ripe tomatoes are stored at a temperature of +8°C -+10°C;
• red - +4°С - +6°С;
• brown – 0°С -+2°С.

Tomatoes should be kept in cool, dark places. It is best to store tomatoes in an apartment in the freshness zone of the refrigerator. The best place in your home is the basement or cellar.

• Tomatoes should be stored at a humidity of 80%, in a room equipped with ventilation.
• The fruits are placed with the stalk up, trying to prevent damage, in containers made of wood or plastic.
• Tomatoes are very sensitive to temperature changes thanks to volatile substances that provide their taste. Therefore, any change in climate where tomatoes are stored will cause them to become soft, wrinkled and lose their flavor.

Preparation for storage

First, the tomatoes are sorted: whole, dent-free fruits that have reached milky ripeness are selected. These are vegetables that have grown to normal size and have already begun to turn red.

Before sending tomatoes for storage, they should not be washed. It is better to lightly wipe with alcohol, applying it to a piece of cotton wool. This “disinfection” will get rid of various bacteria and microorganisms that may be on the surface of the fruit.

When preparing tomatoes for storage, the stems are not removed. You can cut them only immediately before use.

Storage in cellars and basements

Tomatoes are placed in layers in wooden or plastic containers, sprinkled with chopped wood or covered with paper. If there are not many tomatoes, it is better to wrap each tomato in paper. Afterwards the boxes are sent to cellars or basements. The temperature in the basement must correspond to the storage standards for fruits of a certain degree of maturity.

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In containers made of cardboard or wood, tomatoes are placed in no more than 3 layers. Otherwise, the fruits located at the very bottom will be deformed under the weight of the upper layers.

You need to check the condition of the crop at least once a week. Then it will be possible to notice in time if some fruit begins to deteriorate. In this case, you should immediately isolate it from the rest of the crop.

Cold storage

Tomatoes, stem side up, are placed in layers in a plastic refrigerator container intended for vegetables. The layers are separated using paper, and for greater safety they wrap each fruit with it so that they do not touch. This will significantly increase the shelf life of tomatoes. You need to place the fruits in the container in a maximum of 2 layers, and if they are already ripe, in one.

Tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

These vegetables cannot be kept in a plastic bag. It is not capable of allowing air to pass through, and condensation forms very quickly inside the bag. In such conditions, the fruits will soon deteriorate.

If tomatoes have been at too low a temperature for some time, their taste may change. But if you let them sit at room temperature for a day after the cold, some of their taste will return.

Freezer storage

You can store tomatoes for the winter in the freezer. Tomatoes are frozen by first cutting them into rings, pieces or slices. Small fruits can be frozen even whole. But large tomatoes are not recommended to be frozen entirely. You can peel them and freeze them in the desired form:

• The peel is removed with a knife from a well-washed tomato using crosswise cuts in its upper part.
• The tomato is immersed in boiling water until the cut skin begins to curl (20 seconds).
• After which it is quickly removed and cooled with cold water.
• Then they are carefully removed from the skin and frozen in food containers or special ziplock bags.

To freeze tomatoes whole, you don't need anything other than ripe, firm fruits with firm skin. Small tomatoes are placed several pieces in one bag. Remove as much air from the bags as possible, tie them up and put them in the freezer.

Freezing in pieces

• In order to freeze tomatoes cut into circles, you will need fleshy fruits with a dense peel.
• Washed and dried tomatoes should be cut into slices up to 1 cm thick. If the slices are very thin, they will lose their shape during defrosting.
• Then the slices are laid out in layers in a food container, not forgetting to separate the layers with foil or cling film.
• Then put it in the freezer for 6 hours.
• After 6-12 hours, the frozen tomatoes are transferred to bags and sent into the cold for long-term storage.

When freezing tomatoes into pieces or cubes, you can first remove the skin, then cut them and place them in small batches into portioned bags. It is not necessary to ensure that the pieces are crumbly. They are added without defrosting to already prepared dishes.

You can make a homogeneous mass from tomatoes and freeze it in special molds. To do this, the fruits are crushed using a blender or meat grinder to a puree consistency. Then put into molds for freezing. As a last resort, you can use silicone baking molds or plastic ones for ice. It is important not to put tomato puree in each mold all the way to the top: when freezing, the mass will expand and go beyond its limits.

After freezing (8 - 10 hours), the puree should be removed from the molds and placed in freezer bags, packaged in small portions.

Kira Stoletova

Many of us love salads made from fresh vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes. In this article we will look at how to keep tomatoes fresh for as long as possible at home.

Rules for storing tomatoes

At 5-6º, red vegetables lose all their beneficial properties. The optimal storage temperature is above 20º. In such conditions, tomatoes became more useful and rich in composition.

Red, ripe fruits can be stored for about a week. Again, the shelf life of tomatoes depends on their degree of ripeness, appearance and transportation conditions.

Storing green tomatoes

Green tomatoes cannot be stored in the refrigerator. They will spoil or remain green.

The process of ripening tomatoes should take place at room temperature (15-20º). If the room is too hot, the fruits will stop releasing coloring pigment and will not ripen. It is best if the temperature reaches 13º. Only in this case will they turn red and retain their taste.

Tatyana Orlova (candidate of agricultural sciences):

If there is a need for picked green tomato fruits to ripen faster, it is enough to add 1 red to a group of green tomatoes. After 3-5 days, all the fruits will also turn red. A fresh ripe banana placed in a box of green tomatoes gives the same effect. This happens because ripe fruits release ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening of the fruit.

It is correct to store fresh tomatoes in the refrigerator in the fruit and vegetable compartment, where the optimum temperature is maintained. You can also store tomatoes on the bottom shelf. This will keep your tomatoes fresh for as long as possible.

Ripe tomatoes are stored for 2-3 days. Unripe - up to 7 days.

• It is best to store tomatoes by placing them in one row. You can, of course, lay them in two rows, but so that the bottom row is not too compressed.
• If a tomato is left in the refrigerator for several days and then placed in a room at room temperature, it begins to release beneficial substances.
• Wrap each tomato in paper. This will preserve the strength for a long time. In addition, the paper does not squeeze the tomato if the fruits were arranged in two rows.

Storing tomatoes in a plastic bag will not lead to anything good. The fruits do not breathe, the humidity in the bag increases and after a few hours such vegetables can simply rot.

Storage in a glass jar

Storing tomatoes in glass jars allows you to preserve the fruit for several months. The main thing is to choose tomatoes that do not contain rot or mechanical damage.

A new way that allows you to store tomatoes in this form is as follows. Fresh tomatoes should be thoroughly washed and dried. Next, put them in a glass jar, which must be sterilized. When the jar is full, pour in 3 tbsp. l. alcohol After that, close it with a plastic lid and twirl it well in your hands. Then we need to lower the wick inside the jar and set it on fire. When the alcohol starts to burn, you need to roll up the jar with a metal lid.

Storage on the balcony

You can store tomatoes on the balcony at temperatures from 5 to 12º. How to do it correctly:

1. First you will have to find a box, preferably a wooden one.
2. We cover it with paper and put tomatoes there. Paper can be replaced with cotton fabric.
3. If the tomatoes are laid out in several rows, then be sure to lay paper or fabric between the rows. But it is strictly forbidden to use plastic bags or film.
4. Boxes with vegetables can be stacked on top of each other.

In order to extend the ripening period of green fruits and thereby lengthen the period of its consumption, all collected green tomatoes are divided into several batches and stored at different temperatures. One group of fruits can be placed in a room (for example, on a windowsill). They will reach maturity in 7-10 days. Keep the second batch on the balcony or glassed-in loggia, where the usual autumn temperature is + 12-15 degrees. The third batch is in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment.

Growing tomatoes is under the constant control of every vegetable grower. Very often, ripe or unripe fruits have to be removed en masse from the bushes. Let's look at how to store tomatoes at home in an apartment so that they remain juicy and fresh for a long time.

Reasons for picking tomatoes early

There are many reasons that can force you to pick unripe tomatoes from the bush.

There are many reasons for harvesting tomatoes in quantities exceeding the current needs of the vegetable grower:

• Theft.
• The plant is overloaded with fruits.
• The fruits are too heavy and break branches.
• The tomatoes have ripened en masse.
• Threat of frost, signs of serious tomato diseases.

Collection rules

It is important not only to harvest tomatoes on time, but also to do it correctly so that the fruits are well stored.

Unripe tomatoes can be stored much longer than ripe ones.

The collection rules apply to all tomatoes, regardless of the degree and timing of their ripeness.

Important to remember: Not all varieties of tomatoes are intended for storage.. Early ripening thin-skinned or so-called “salad” tomatoes should be used for food or processed into sauces and lecho first.

Preparation

Transportation of ripe tomatoes should be very careful, as there is a high probability of crushing the fruits. Ripe tomatoes can be stored at home without loss of taste for about 3–8 days.

For long-term storage, tomatoes that are harvested at the stage of milky ripeness, have reached the size characteristic of their variety, but are green, are preferred.

The fruits of milky ripeness are practically green tomatoes, just beginning to turn red.

Tomatoes at the stage of partial ripening - blanzhe ripeness , will ripen in 1.5-2 weeks. Therefore, you should not put them in the “distant drawer”.

These tomatoes are already ripe and won’t last long!

Conditions

Optimal storage conditions:

• Compliance with temperature and humidity conditions. The room temperature should not fall below +10 °C and rise higher +22 °C. Intermediate values ​​are optimal 15–18 °C. Required humidity approx. 70–80% .
• Lighting. Good lighting stimulates fruit ripening. If a vegetable grower is faced with the task of long-term storage rather than quick ripening of tomatoes, they should be put in a dark place.

  If the apartment does not have a storage room, supplies can be stored under the bed.

• Storage container. Wooden boxes and wicker baskets are ideal for storing tomatoes as they have many holes. Air should circulate freely between the fruits. The skin of a tomato is always dry. When storing tomatoes in boxes, it is necessary to cut vent holes in the cardboard so that the fruits inside do not rot.

  The more free space there is between the fruits, the longer the harvest will last.

• Auxiliary materials. It is recommended to place paper between the tomatoes or sprinkle them with loose materials (sawdust, peat, straw). If the tomatoes do not touch each other, then if one fruit rots, the neighboring ones will remain intact.

  Straw perfectly protects fruits from rotting.

• Protective film. To protect the tomato from the effects of negative external factors, a thin layer of wax is applied to its surface, forming a protective film. These tomatoes must be blanched before use.

After harvesting, all fruits are carefully inspected and sorted by size, varietal early ripening (mid-ripening, late-ripening), and by visual signs of ripening (green, white, brown, pink).

You should not harvest from the bushes.

Diseased plants

The harvest from diseased plants is collected separately, in the absence of signs of disease on the fruits themselves (rot, pigmentation).

Cracked tomatoes will not last long and are eaten first.

Tomatoes are lowered onto 1.5-2 minutes hot (about 60°C) water and wipe dry. You can try to prevent it by wiping the fruits with vodka or a pinkish solution of potassium permanganate.

Unfortunately, if a tomato is infected, then no type of treatment will be effective. You need to get rid of the tomato immediately.

Accelerate the ripening of tomatoes

Tomatoes will ripen as quickly as possible if you place them on a radiator.

It’s nice to pamper yourself and your loved ones with fresh, ripe tomatoes until late autumn or even winter, but not everyone has the opportunity to create optimal conditions for long-term storage of a rich harvest of tomatoes. Unripe tomatoes contain poison - solanine, which can cause serious poisoning in humans and lead to death. Therefore, gardeners have a need to quickly produce tomatoes for processing.

Secrets of accelerated ripening of tomatoes:

• Uninterrupted source of light and heat . The higher the room temperature, the more intensely the tomatoes ripen. The best range is 25–30 °C. The apartment has a lot of light and heat on the window sills, next to which there are heating radiators. In the absence of sun, tomatoes are illuminated with a lamp.
• Ripe provocateur . It has long been noted that placing a pair of ripe red fruits among its green counterparts provokes the others to ripen. This is explained by the fact that ripe tomato berries emit ethylene gas, which triggers the chemical processes of aging (ripening) in other fruits. Ripe bananas or apples can be used as a provoking factor. You can speed up the process if you cover ripening tomatoes with a ripe “lining” with a thick cloth or close them in a paper bag.

  Green tomatoes will ripen faster if you place red fruits among them.

• On the bushes. An interesting way is to ripen tomatoes on bushes suspended with their roots up. The entire plants are pulled out (dug up) from the ridges and hung under the ceiling of the utility room (veranda, garage, bathhouse) along with the fruits. The remainder of the nutrients goes into the fruits, and they actually ripen faster.

  Storing tomatoes on branches.

Tomatoes find a second life in preparations for the winter. There are a lot of methods for pickling, pickling, drying, drying and other processing, but only shock freezing in the freezer keeps ripe tomatoes “fresh”.

Can tomatoes be stored in the refrigerator?

In the refrigerator, tomatoes are stored in a special vegetable compartment.

Scientists have proven that storing ripe tomatoes in the refrigerator worsens their taste.. Green tomatoes will never ripen on the refrigerator shelf, and ripe ones will become tasteless.

If there is an urgent need, you can store tomatoes in a refrigerator, but no more than a week (up to 8–12 days). To do this, you must follow a number of rules:

• Store in the designated compartment (area). At a temperature not lower than +5–8 °C Heat-loving crops get frostbite and quickly spoil.
• Do not seal or tie airtight plastic bags.
• Store separately from other vegetables and fruits.

Tomatoes need to be removed from the refrigerator in 12–24 hours before use and let them warm up at room temperature, then the lost aroma will be partially restored and the taste will improve.

Tomatoes in cans without preservation

Recently, some methods of preserving ripe tomatoes without heat treatment in various containers (mainly 3-liter jars) have become very popular.

The vacuum method does not always work and has many negative reviews.

Conclusion

Successful storage of tomatoes largely depends on the correct choice of variety.

If stored properly, late (especially hybrid) tomatoes can gradually mature until February, maintaining its freshness. Cultivated tomatoes require constant monitoring: selection of actively ripening and spoiling fruits.

If a vegetable grower has managed to independently grow a rich harvest of tomatoes, then he will have the patience to preserve it until the right moment or ripen it for processing, following simple, time-tested rules for storing tomatoes at home.

Video on how to prepare tomatoes for the winter without canning

Tomatoes are one of the most common and popular types of vegetables grown by gardeners in their garden plots. And preserving the harvest always remains an urgent task.

To successfully solve this problem, there are many fairly simple and affordable ways to keep tomatoes fresh for a long time at home.

The main condition for storing tomatoes fresh for a long time is the correct choice of varieties. As practice shows, late and mid-late tomato varieties are best stored for a long time, for example, “San Marzano”, “New Year’s”, “De Barao”, “Zanina”, “Rio Grande”, etc.

In addition, today breeders have developed special varieties specifically designed for long-term storage, for example, “Masterpiece”, “Long Keeper”, “Giraffe”, etc. These varieties, provided they are properly stored, are able to retain their freshness until the next spring of the year.

It should be noted that, regardless of any variety, tomatoes grown not in greenhouse conditions, but in simple beds, are best preserved.

Choosing a convenient storage location

An equally important condition for long-term storage of tomatoes is the correct choice of a suitable place for storing them. Such places are best in cool and dark rooms, for example, a basement or cellar in a private house, an insulated loggia or balcony, a storage room, or simply free space on the floor under the bed.

As a last resort, a special drawer for vegetables in the refrigerator is suitable if the tomatoes are planned to be stored for a short time (two to three weeks).

Necessary storage conditions

Based on current practice, the optimal temperature for storing tomatoes is 8-15 ° C with a relative air humidity of 70-80%, as well as indoor air ventilation.

It should be taken into account that fresh tomato fruits are very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, therefore an important condition for their preservation is the stability of these parameters; sudden changes in this case are unacceptable. This leads to rapid fading of the form and loss of the original taste of fresh tomatoes.

Unripe fruits are best kept in the light for rapid ripening. At room temperature, tomatoes can last for one and a half to two weeks without losing their shape and specific taste.

Preparing tomatoes for storage

To ensure long-term preservation of fresh tomatoes, a number of certain conditions must be met:

• It is necessary to harvest the crop before the temperature drops to 8°C and below;
• Tomato fruits should be picked together with the tail so that they can be stored longer;
• It is better to pick tomatoes in the daytime or evening and in dry weather, when the dew has disappeared from them;
• after harvesting the fruits, they must be carefully sorted, choosing only whole, elastic tomatoes for storage;
• It is best to select slightly unripe fruits of milky ripeness, beginning to turn red and having a light green or pale pink color;
• Before placing tomatoes in storage containers, it is advisable to wipe them with an alcohol solution to kill all pathogenic microbes.

Following these simple rules will greatly increase the shelf life of fresh tomatoes.

Basic storage methods

There are quite a few ways to store tomatoes, which can be divided into two main groups:

1. Ways to preserve tomatoes fresh.
2. Methods for preserving processed tomatoes.

Let's take a closer look at the most well-known and common methods.

In boxes

Fresh tomatoes are best stored in wooden or plastic boxes; cardboard boxes are also suitable for this purpose. To do this, the bottom of the box is covered with paper and a layer of tomatoes is laid out on it with the tail facing up.

At the same time, the fruits should not be placed closely so that they do not come into contact with each other. For better preservation, each fruit should be wrapped in paper or covered with dry peat or sawdust.

Having laid the first layer, paper is laid on top and the second layer is laid in the same way. In total, no more than three layers should be placed in the box, so as not to crush the tomatoes placed in the lower layers.

Periodically, every 8-10 days, it is advisable to check the contents of the boxes and remove the fruits that are beginning to deteriorate so that they do not infect the rest.

Instead of paper, the layer between the layers can be made of straw, which is an excellent antibacterial agent and allows you to preserve the crop much longer.

In banks

There are several options for storing fresh tomatoes in glass jars. In any case, the jar must first be pasteurized (pour boiling water over it for a few minutes).

After this, in the first option, two or three tablespoons of dry mustard powder are poured into the bottom of the jar and the tomatoes are laid in layers, sprinkling each layer with dry mustard. After this, the jar is closed with a lid (preferably metal) and sent for long-term storage.

In the second option, tomatoes are placed in a jar in layers and 2-3 tablespoons of alcohol are poured in (depending on the capacity of the jar). Then the jar is shaken vigorously (but gently) so that the alcohol moistens all the fruits and a lit wick is inserted inside the jar. When the alcohol inside the jar catches fire, it is immediately closed with a metal lid, rolled up and stored.

It is also possible to preserve tomatoes in jars using the “liquid method”. To do this, prepare a solution of water, vinegar and salt in a ratio of 8:1:1, place the fruits in a jar and fill it with this solution. Pour a layer of regular sunflower oil about the thickness of a finger on top and roll up the lid.

In a saucepan

Large-capacity pots are best suited for this method. A layer of table salt is poured onto their bottom, then a layer of large tomatoes cut into pieces is laid out, then a layer of salt is poured again and a layer of whole tomatoes is placed on top of it.

After this, again a layer of chopped tomatoes, salt and whole fruits, and so on, alternating layers until the pan is completely filled. In addition to salt, you can add various spices to the pan: pepper, bay leaf, dill, etc.

In a refrigerator

The best place in this case is a special shelf (pallet) for storing vegetables. With this storage method, the tomatoes are placed on the shelf in layers with their tails up in such a way as to prevent them from touching each other. For better preservation, it is better to wrap each fruit in paper.

Alternatively, fresh tomatoes can be placed in the freezer. Their shelf life in this case will be practically unlimited. But it is best to use such tomatoes after they have been frozen as an addition to various dishes: soups, stews, etc.

Dried (sun-dried) tomatoes

In this way, it is possible to preserve tomatoes for quite a long time (up to six months).

There are three main ways to prepare them for storage in this form:

1. In a special electric dryer for fruits and vegetables.
2. In the oven of a gas or electric stove.
3. Natural drying in the sun.

To do this, the tomatoes are cut into slices, excess pulp is removed from them, then they are placed on a baking sheet and placed in the dryer or oven. Or they are simply laid out on a tray and exposed to the sun. They are dried until all the moisture comes out of them.

After this, the dried tomato slices are placed in a canvas bag or some suitable container (jar, box, etc.) and left for storage in a cool, dry place.

Salted tomatoes

This method allows you to preserve tomatoes for a long time (up to six months or longer). Salting can be done cold or hot. In any of these options, a solution is prepared from water and salt in the ratio: about 1 liter of water 30-40 grams of salt.

The tomatoes are placed in layers in a prepared container, on the bottom of which various spices are first placed: currant leaves, cherry leaves, horseradish leaves, bay leaves, allspice and black pepper, etc.

After this, the tomatoes are poured with hot or cold marinade and covered with a regular lid. A particularly aromatic taste is obtained if you pickle tomatoes in this way in a wooden, preferably an oak, barrel.

Canned tomatoes

Canning tomatoes allows you to preserve them for as long as possible (up to a year or longer). For this purpose, ripe fruits of medium size are selected that do not have any external defects. They are thoroughly washed and placed in layers in a pre-pasteurized glass jar. After this, the jar is filled with boiling water for several minutes.

At the same time, the marinade is prepared in the following proportions: for 5 liters of water, 1 glass of salt, 1 glass of granulated sugar and 1 glass of vinegar. In addition, various spices and seasonings can be added to the jar: lava leaf, garlic, dill, pepper, currant or cherry leaves, etc.

This solution is brought to a boil and poured into a jar with packed tomatoes. After this, the jar is closed with a metal lid and rolled up. Tomatoes prepared in this way can be stored in any suitable place: pantry, closet, basement, etc.

When the season of vegetables passes, we need to try to preserve them as long as possible, so that even the cold does not prevent us from eating vitamins and pampering our loved ones with various goodies. But it is very difficult to save a product like a tomato, but it is possible. The main thing is to purchase (or pick from the garden) high-quality tomatoes, make sure that there are no crushed barrels or damaged, rotten or spoiled places. By the way, you can make delicious tomato juice from spoiled tomatoes, which can be stored well all winter. In fact, any variety of tomatoes can be stored for a long time; plum tomatoes are best stored; they are strong and last a long time, even without outside help. And the most important advice! Don’t make a lot of preparations for the winter at once, try preserving several tomatoes in different ways. After all, the cellars are different and the tomato varieties are different, experiment and choose for yourself the best way to keep tomatoes fresh until the New Year.

How to preserve tomatoes: Method with mustard

The answer to the question of how to keep tomatoes fresh may be jars. Yes, yes, regular 3 liter jars. It is also necessary to prepare dry mustard powder. We wash the tomatoes, remove the roots, and dry them. We take sheets of paper and use them to transfer vegetables. We stack the tomatoes carefully so as not to crush or press them against each other. There is no need to cram the vegetables too tightly; they should have some space. Sprinkle each layer of tomatoes with dry mustard, add paper, tomatoes, then again. Roll up the lids and immediately hide them in the basement.

How to preserve tomatoes: Method with alcohol

Take jars, tomatoes, a few tablespoons of alcohol, and a thick thread for the wick. So, we sterilize the jars, put the tomatoes in there, pour 2 tablespoons of alcohol, cover with a lid, swirl the jar a little so that the alcohol saturates each vegetable. We light the wick and lower it into the jar, immediately roll the lids tightly. Now we know how to keep tomatoes fresh using jars and improvised means.

There is another opinion on this matter. Tomatoes will last longer if they are not supplied with oxygen. Therefore, simply rolling them into jars without any additives is possible and necessary. But before this, you need to boil each tomato for 2 minutes, dry it and simply lower them, loosely, into jars, roll them up with a lid, and open them in winter. It must be stored in the cellar.

How to preserve tomatoes: Method in the newspaper

We will store the tomatoes in the refrigerator for 2 weeks using regular newspaper. You can wrap each vegetable in paper, you can make envelopes, like for seeds, and store them in 3 pieces. The easiest way to keep tomatoes fresh is to keep them dry, change the newspaper more often, and keep the refrigerator and shelf dry. If each fruit is in paper or newspaper, it will be stored for a very long time and not in the refrigerator. If you wrap the tomatoes individually and change the sheets every week, they will sit all winter just in boxes or baskets. The main thing is not to pile tomatoes one on top of another in numerous layers; 1 or 2 will be enough.

How to preserve tomatoes: Sawdust method

We store tomatoes in boxes using sawdust. If you purchased or harvested a crop that is not yet very ripe, place the tomatoes in a box, preferably a wooden one, just lay them in rows, back to back so that they do not crush each other, with the place where the stalk (tail) was facing up. Layer each layer with paper and sprinkle with sawdust, which absorbs moisture and prevents the tomatoes from rotting or spoiling. For this method of keeping tomatoes fresh to be effective, you need to provide the fruits with a minimum of moisture, no sunlight and a temperature above +10 degrees. Place the boxes in the cellar or basement, or store them on the balcony; if the side is not sunny, cover with paper.

How to preserve tomatoes: The paper method

This method of keeping tomatoes fresh is similar to the previous one. The difference is that still green tomatoes need to be washed well and dried completely on a towel, without the help of the sun. The tomatoes do not need to be wiped; they must dry on their own. Take a cotton swab, moisten it well with alcohol, wipe each vegetable, wrap it in paper, newspaper, put it in a box in rows, roots up. Don't pack tightly, let the tomatoes have some space. Be sure to store the box in a well-ventilated room; the temperature should not exceed +10 degrees. Such fruits can be saved until winter, New Year, and if the variety is strong, then until spring. The main thing is not to take ripe vegetables, let them be greenish, dense and strong.

Note

If you have learned how to keep tomatoes fresh using boxes and paper, and decide to use this method, remember that periodically, about once a week, you need to sort through the fruits, take away ripe, overripe, and damaged ones. The same thing is that red tomatoes need to be separated from green ones, since unripe vegetables are not so saturated with folic acid, which contributes to the rapid reddening and ripening of the fruit. And we need to slow down this process. You know about the trick: “If you want green tomatoes to ripen faster, be sure to add a few red tomatoes to them.” Therefore, red tomatoes need to be quickly removed from green ones.

It is also necessary to inspect tomatoes for rot, so that one tomato does not infect the others. Change the paper, it becomes damp, and this is contraindicated for long-term storage. Keep an eye on the boxes and your tomatoes will be stored until spring.

If you have straw, then it is better to lay it on the bottom of the box; it is advisable to periodically change it for a new, dry one. Straw generally helps housewives to preserve ripe, tasty vegetables until the New Year holidays, especially in the matter of how to keep tomatoes fresh. Therefore, stock up on it and get rid of disposable plastic bags. They collect moisture and spoil the tomatoes.

You can use all the methods how to keep tomatoes fresh. That is, put green or slightly ripe fruits in boiling water for 2 minutes, dry, wipe with alcohol, wrap in paper, fold with the roots up in a row, in two layers, sprinkle with sawdust and cover with straw. This way, in the spring, before the season starts, you will be able to eat delicious, aromatic tomatoes.