maters are starting to come in, but not alot ,,, , more than I eat fresh,, hopeing for more so I can can them. The question is,, can I freeze them,, then can them later,, and if so,, do I have to thaw them completely before I cook them or not?

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), August 15, 2001

Answers

Response to canning

hi stan............what is your final goal for the tomatoes?? I frequently skin and freeze tomatoes when the freezer is empty and the weather is stressing me and then take them out and cook them down for sauce to can when the weather is cooler and we haven't butchered yet but are going to need the freezer space.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), August 15, 2001.

Response to canning

I usaully just can then for later uses,, meatloaf, chili,,, ect. Ive been freezing them whole,, sometimes I can them skin on,, sometimes not,, depends on how many I have and the time I have

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), August 15, 2001.

Freeze your excess tomatoes whole with the skin on. When you are ready to can them, hold each tomato under warm running water and the skin will slip off - no need to parboil! This also helps to thaw them. I have used partially frozen tomatoes to can salsa and tomato sauce. No difference in taste from using fresh.

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), August 16, 2001.

I tried freezing some of my paste tomatoes last year for the same reason, not enough to justify working with them and to save them up to get a bigger batch. The only problem I had was when I tried to run them through my Victorio strainer. The fresh tomatoes went through fine, but those that had been frozen (even though thoroughly thawed) clogged up the screw mechanism thing that runs the skins and seeds through. I thought it might have just been a one time thing, and I needed to process the rest of the frozen tomatoes, so I kept trying but had the same thing happen with each batch of the frozen ones. This year I will not even try to freeze them and then use the strainer.

-- Lori in SE Ohio (klnprice@yahoo.com), August 16, 2001.

I dont use a strainer for tomatoes,, so that shouldnt be a problem

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), August 16, 2001.

I usually cut my tomatoes in chunks and then put them in baggies in the freezer. When I am ready to can, I defrost them in the microwave (no cringing now) and the clear water floats to the top which I just pour off. This saves on cooking time for sauce when you want to evaporate out the water. I then run them through the Victorio strainer and have had no problem with them. I then cook up my spaghetti sauce and can it.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), August 22, 2001.