Tomatoes taste like fresh after 2 years: You just have to do it differently than others

If you grow your own vegetables and fruits at home, tomatoes, a favourite across cuisines from all over the world, are certainly not missing from the list. They are undoubtedly one of the summer treasures that can enrich any plate. But anyone who has ever grown their own will know that the joy of these red fruits is accompanied by a minor dilemma: what to do with them when more ripen than can be eaten immediately?

It would be a shame to let them overripe and spoil. Giving them away to neighbours is a nice, but not a long-term solution. And so the question arises: how to preserve tomatoes so that they taste just as good months or even years later?

The fridge is not the enemy, you just have to know how to use it

It has long been said that tomatoes don’t belong in the fridge – supposedly because low temperatures deteriorate and change their taste. But the truth is a little more complicated.

If the tomato is not yet ripe, it’s actually better to leave it at room temperature until it gets the right colour and with it the sweetness. But as soon as it reaches peak ripeness, its quality starts to decline – and that’s where the fridge comes in.

Refrigeration for a short period of time will not harm the tomato, on the contrary, it will extend its life by a few days – but it is a good idea to remember to let it come to room temperature before serving, so that the tomato flavour can develop again.

However, tomatoes bought in a conventional shop are a different story. These are often stored in cold storage, so it is better to keep them on the kitchen counter at home where they can ripen in peace.

How to store tomatoes for the winter? By boiling, drying and freezing

When your harvest is so abundant that even the fridge can’t keep up with it, it’s time to turn to tried-and-tested farming tips.

In the past, tomatoes were preserved in large jars, and to this day this is one of the most reliable ways to preserve their flavour for months.

The modern version is a little simpler: just bake the fruit briefly in the oven to loosen the skin and soften the flesh. Still hot, they are then transferred to clean jars and then sterilised in a water bath. Without the addition of vinegar, salt or other preservatives, they will keep for up to two years in a cool, dark cellar. The great thing is that once opened , they taste almost the same as freshly picked ones, as they retain their natural sweetness and juiciness. You can even try preserving them without water.

Drying is also popular. Either in the oven or in the dryer, the resulting slices can then be stored in jars or marinated in olive or other oil. Tomatoes prepared in this way are suitable for winter salads, pasta or homemade pizzas, for example, and their taste can remind you of summer even in January.

Freezing is, of course, the quickest and easiest of all the methods – you don’t even need to peel the tomatoes, because once thawed, it’s very easy. Simply place them in freezer bags and store in the freezer. True, they are no longer firm and glossy once thawed, but they work great in warm dishes. They are ideal for sauces, soups or stews, for example.

Finally,

Whichever method you choose above, it’s good to remember that choosing healthy and perfectly ripe fruit is also important. Because tomatoes are full of juice and nutrients, they are perishable – and once they have even a small blemish on them, the spoilage spreads. For this reason, it is better to process them immediately and not wait until the first signs of softening appear. Properly prepared and stored, they will last not only weeks but years without losing their flavour, colour or aroma.

The best tomatoes are those that come straight from your garden. And if you don’t have one, go to the farmers’ market instead of the supermarket. You’ll see the difference.