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Tomatoes The tomato is one of Mississippi’s favorite foods. It is a fruit, but usually we eat and serve it as a vegetable. Our long, hot growing season and native soils are perfect for producing high-quality fresh tomatoes. Tomatoes come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. They add flavor and color any way you use them—freshly sliced, in salads, as a side dish, or in main dish recipes. Tomatoes may be the most popular food to be canned at home because of their versatility and abundance. When local tomatoes are ripening faster than you can eat them or give them away, there’s no need to let them go to waste! Instead, fill your pantry or freezer with delicious canned or frozen tomatoes, sauces, juices, and salsas. Tomatoes are one of nature’s greatest health foods. They are very low in calories, are practically fat free, are cholesterol free, and are low in sodium. Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamins A and C and the mineral potassium. Their pretty red color comes from lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that protects against some cancers and even helps reduce cholesterol! Selecting Tomatoes Choose tomatoes with good color that are smooth, firm, and plump. Green tomatoes have more acid than ripened tomatoes. They are safe to can. Avoid soft, overripe, or bruised tomatoes and tomatoes with sunburn and growth cracks. Do not can or freeze tomatoes from dead or diseased vines. A tomato can be good quality whether it’s large or small. The variety of the tomato usually determines its size. But the tomato should be heavy for its size. The best flavor usually comes from locally grown tomatoes produced on nearby farms. Preparing Handle tomatoes gently to avoid bruising. For best flavor, bring tomatoes to room temperature before serving. Slice tomatoes just before serving raw to preserve their natural juiciness, flavor, and nutrients. Peeling tomatoes (removing the skins) to serve raw is a matter of preference, although nutrients concentrated just under the skin are lost in peeling. If you choose to peel them, wash the tomatoes and put in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds. Immediately plunge them into cold water. Drain and remove loosened skins with a paring knife. Storing Ripe tomatoes store best at a temperature around 60 degrees. At refrigerator temperatures, their quality rapidly deteriorates. For best canning results, use tomatoes within 3 days of harvest. Store unripe or green tomatoes at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, until they ripen. Canning Can tomatoes whole, in halves, crushed, or as tomato sauce or juice. They can be canned in water or juice. With added ingredients, they can also be prepared as catsup, salsa, chili sauce, barbeque sauce, or spaghetti sauce. To can tomatoes whole or halved: Prepare as directed above. Leave whole, or cut in half. Wash and sterilize canning jars. Raw pack Put 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1⁄4 teaspoon citric acid in each pint of tomatoes or 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1⁄2 teaspoon citric acid in each quart. Add 1⁄2 teaspoon salt in each pint or 1 teaspoon salt in quarts, if desired. Pack prepared tomatoes in hot jars, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace. Fill hot jars with boiling water to 1⁄2 inch from top. Process. Hot pack Place prepared tomatoes in saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; boil gently for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice or citric acid to hot jars, as above, and salt if desired. Pack hot tomatoes in hot jars, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace. Fill to 1⁄2 inch from top with hot cooking liquid. Process. To process: Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids. Choose one of the following methods (pints or quarts): • process in a boiling water bath for 85 minutes, or • process in a dial gauge pressure canner at 11 pounds pressure for 25 minutes, or • process in a weighted gauge pressure canner at 10 pound pressure for 25 minutes. Store jars in a cool, dry place. Properly stored canned tomatoes will keep their quality for at least 1 year. Freezing Freezing changes the texture of tomatoes, breaking down their shape and making frozen tomatoes perfect for cooking in soups, gumbos, stews, sauces, and casseroles. Select firm, ripe tomatoes with a deep red color. To freeze raw: Prepare as directed above. Freeze whole or in pieces. Pack in containers, leaving 1 inch headspace. Label and date each container. Seal and freeze. For best quality, store frozen tomatoes at 0°F or below, and use within 8 to 12 months. Drying Imported sun-dried tomatoes are a popular but expensive recipe ingredient. Drying tomatoes at home is easy and economical in a food dehydrator. Outdoor drying of tomatoes is not recommended in Mississippi because of our high humidity levels. To dry tomatoes: Prepare as above. Cut larger tomatoes into 3⁄4-inch wide slices or halve the smaller tomato varieties. Steam blanch for 3 minutes, or water blanch for 1 minute. Dry in food dehydrator for 10 to 18 hours. Drying times vary because of the amount of moisture in the tomatoes and the particular dehydrator you use. Store dehydrated tomatoes in freezer containers in the freezer; use within 1 year. Chop dehydrated tomatoes for soups, stews, sauces, vegetable dishes, and casseroles. For more information about canning, freezing, or drying vegetables, contact your Mississippi State University Extension Service office, or visit www.msucares.com. Information Sheet 1782 (POD-12-15) Distributed in Mississippi by Brent Fountain, PhD, RD, LD, Associate Extension Professor, Food Science, Nutrition, & Health Promotion. Copyright 2015 by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved. This publication may be copied and distributed without alteration for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Produced by Agricultural Communications. We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. GARY B. JACKSON, Director