Thursday, August 4, 2011

Freezing Garden Tomatoes -Stewed Tomatoes

Hey everyone! How are your tomato plants treating you? Seems to be a good year here in Philly! My neighbor just brought over some of his extras and I decided to make Stewed Tomatoes. I'll store them in the freezer for use this winter. There are some good ideas for extra tomatoes HERE. If you'd like, you can mix the veggies and let the crock pot cook them either over night or while you're at work.

You can also simply freeze just the tomatoes, peel, core/slice, seed and then freeze in Food Saver or zip top bags. I hear they can also be frozen whole, but it seems that would take up lots of room.
I used 10 slicing tomatoes and ended up with approximately 4 1/2 cups of stewed tomatoes.

Stewed Tomatoes
6-8 large ripe tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 C celery, chopped
1/4 C green pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tblsp parsley, chopped-I forgot to add this
  1. Dip tomatoes in boiling water for less than one minute, plunge in iced water and peel them.
  2. Quarter tomatoes and remove core and seeds. I cut each piece in half again.
  3. In slow cooker or big pot combine everything except parsley.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Or, simmer on the stove for about 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes are tender and other veggies are soft.
  5. Remove bay leaf, add parsley. 
  6. Cool and place in freezer bags or plastic containers. Freeze.
  7. Note: Recipe can be doubled and still fit into a 3.5 quart crock pot.
Have a happy day:@)

25 comments:

  1. It's a bad year for tomatoes here. None except cherry tomatoes in the farmers' market yet and few on the vine. By this time of year, I've usually eaten my weight in tomatoes and that's a lot!! I'm still hoping!!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  2. Thanks for the tip. I didn't plant this year so I have had to buy tomatoes. I will try to freeze some of the tasty ones. They will be nice to find in the freezer when it is winter. xo,

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  3. Hmm. Haven't thought to freeze mine...just been canning them the old fashioned way, but I've got those same little plastic cups that you show in your pic. Now you've got me thinking.

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  4. Great idea! I'm still waiting for my tomatoes to ripen. I'm afraid we'll eat them all and have none for freezing. Think I need a bigger garden next year! Thanks for the recipe.
    -Lynn

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  5. Gosh I love tomatoes - anyway - I should get some and do this - and I will - one day. Teehee and I mean it!

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  6. This looks like a good recipe, I use stewed tomatoes quite a bit and it would be great to have some in the freezer, thanks!

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  7. Hi Lynn,

    Thought of Earl when I saw this sign:

    http://mysisterscottage.blogspot.com/2011/08/flea-finds-how-to-use-them.html

    Also wanted to make sure you've seen Cathy's Roasted Tomato recipe here:

    http://thewiveswithknives.blogspot.com/2009/08/slow-roasted-tomatoes.html

    I've got some in the oven now & they smell AWESOME! I've made them several times & her recipe for soup from them is wonderful too.

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  8. I'm right behind you...a few more weeks and I have a corner in my fridge reserved for this. Thanks Lynn. Stewed tomatoes are delicious and fresher this way.

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  9. Freezing tomatoes is the only way to fly - no more canning for me. I am going to be gone next week helping my mom recoup from surgery and I can tell that it will be the week of the mother load of tomatoes...
    Lisa

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  10. I love to take all of dad's grape tomatoes and roast them with garlic then freeze them. A bit of summer in January! Store tomatoes never taste as good as dad's!

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  11. My tomatoes are still green :( I love the idea thought of freezing them in freezer bags!!!

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  12. We didn't plant tomatoes this year..too dry...but I have put some in the freezer from other years. They work just great. I LOVE stewed tomatoes..and mixed in with buttered noodles..oh honey.

    When can we find what we are to do on Sat. Centus?

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  13. I am getting a few tomatoes but not enough to do anything with other than eat right away. :(

    I guess I am going to have to buy some to put away for the winter. I love the idea of freezing them. Thanks!

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  14. Looks really good! Do you Philly folks make breaded tomatoes? ... by dropping soft white bread into the stewed tomatoes? That's an old, old Southern Illinois hillbilly favorite! Thanks for sharing.

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  15. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could have fresh summer tomatoes all year round! Great recipe for freezing. I just might try it.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  16. I have never considered freezing my tomatoes. That is an excellent idea!
    I don't know why I haven't done it, I freeze spaghetti sauce....hmmm.

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  17. Lynn,
    Thanks for the info! I usually can tomatoes, and my neighbor keeps me well supplied. (If I grow tomatoes, I just keep the rabbits well supplied)
    I've been eating them for breakfast, lunch and dinner because I haven't had time to can. Now I have other options!
    Thank you!

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  18. Well, I would love to freeze some tomatoes...but they have to grow and ripen first.

    I do think that between my plants and my friend's plants, I have enough cherry tomatoes to roast them for a pasta toss.

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  19. Ooh need to try this.. although anything living is fighting for dear life around here. It's blazing hot.. your icecream truck photo actually came from down the street! ;-) xo marlis

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  20. I have oodles of tomatoes, but alas, no room in my freezer. Maybe with some creative rearranging I could swing it- freezing is easier than canning! :)

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  21. you can also make "sun-dried" tomatoes (: they keep quite long and don't take that much freezer space! that said, great idea and i'm so jealous of your bounty of tomatoes!

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  22. My tomatoes did not do too well this summer :( but I will remember yout tip for next year!

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  23. The yield so far...1 cucumber! :)
    The deer are being well fed though!

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  24. My tomatoes started out doing pretty bad, all my cages blew over, but amazingly they have made a comeback! (Laying on the ground) I have had to freeze some b/c I can't use them all!

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  25. I have been freezing tomatoes for a while now, so much easier than canning! I love the recipe you have shared, I am going to try it, it sounds fabulous!

    I am new follower and invite you tto come and follow us too!

    Happy Saturday.

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