How To Preserve Cherry Tomatoes (3 Tips)

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “How to preserve cherry tomatoes?”, and discuss the different methods of preserving cherry tomatoes. 

How To Preserve Cherry Tomatoes?

Cherry tomatoes can be preserved by various methods as per the convenience of the dish it needs to be incorporated into. Such as freezing, dehydrating, pickling, making jam, sauce, oiling, etc (1). The cherry tomatoes add different bling to the dish and also add to the nutrients in the food. 

How to freeze cherry tomatoes?

One of the ways to preserve cherry tomatoes is to flesh-freeze them. But the main issue seen during this method was that the cherry tomatoes chump into messy gobs when thawed (1,2). 

 Thus, the steps required to follow the method are as follows:

  • First, wash  the cherry tomatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt.
  • Next, dry the tomatoes gently with a paper towel. 
  • The cherry tomatoes should be placed on a cookie sheet while freezing.
  • Place the sheet in the freezer for about 12 hours.
  • Once they turn hard, the cherry tomatoes can be dropped into the jar and stored.
  • Be sure to remove as much air as possible from the container to minimize freezer burn and maintain the tomatoes’ quality.

How to dehydrate cherry tomatoes?

 To dehydrate cherry tomatoes, follow the next steps below (3,4,5):

  • Wash off the cherry tomatoes with clean water.
  • Chop the tomatoes in half. 
  • Take a tray and place parchment paper.
  • Flip down the tomatoes and put them in the dehydrator.
  • Keep the temperature at about 135 ºF (57 ºC) until the tomatoes dehydrate.
  • The tomatoes are adequately dehydrated when they become dry, slightly leathery, and brittle. 
  • Once dehydrated, store the cherry tomatoes in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

How to make jam of cherry tomatoes?

The following are the steps to be taken to prepare a jam that can be used as a taste inducer or topping for various dishes (6). 

  • Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them into halves. 
  • To a stockpot add the tomatoes and sugar. Stir them well.
  • To the mixture add a few teaspoons of lime juice and ginger, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and chili flakes to add on taste. 
  • Bring the mixture to a boil. 
  • When the jam is ready, cool it down.
  • Pour it into the cans or jars.
  • Keep the jars in a water bath canner for about 20 minutes. 
  • Once the water bath is done, the jars are stored in a dry and cold place.

How to pickle  cherry tomatoes?

The steps to pickle cherry tomatoes involve (1,7):

  • Wash the tomatoes with clean water.
  • Chop them if needed or the cherry tomatoes can be pickled as a whole.
  • Add salt and vinegar in proper ratio to water, bring them to boil.
  • Add the required amount of spice to add to the taste of the pickle( sugar, cinnamon, garlic, ginger).
  • Mix well until the spices mix well.
  • Once the pickle is ready add them to the jar.
  • Store in dark and cold for use.

How to sun dry the cherry tomatoes?

If the weather supports your will, sun-drying is a very convenient method. With the sun scorching the cherry tomatoes can very well dry. This will help to dehydrate the cherry tomatoes and give them an amazing taste.

The steps involve the following (1,5,8):

  • Wash the tomatoes with clean running water.
  • Remove the stalks if needed.
  • Take a clean tray and spread parchment paper on it.
  • Chop the tomatoes into halves.
  • Keep the trays in the sun.
  • Rotate as and when needed depending on the sun’s intensity.
  • Once dried, put the tomatoes in the container and store them.

How to preserve cherry tomatoes by canning?

To can cherry tomatoes you can follow the guide below (9,10):

  • Wash cherry tomatoes to remove any dirt or contaminants before canning. 
  • Then, to help with peeling, blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds. Cherry tomatoes should have their skins peeled and their stems cut off. 
  • Boiling the canning jars, lids, and bands in water sterilizes them for use. 
  • Pack cherry tomatoes into the jars with enough headspace. 
  • To keep the tomatoes’ acidity levels at a healthy level, add lemon juice or citric acid to each jar.
  • Cover the tomatoes completely with boiling water or tomato juice, leaving the necessary headspace. 

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “How to preserve cherry tomatoes?”, and discussed the different methods of preserving cherry tomatoes. 

References 

1. Ahmad, J. et al. Review Article on; Traditional and Modern Techniques For Food Preservation. International Journal of Modern Agriculture, 2021, 10, 2021.

2. Silva, C.L.M. Home Freezing of Fruits and Vegetables. In book: Frozen food science and technology, 2008.

3. Nabnean, S., et al. Drying Kinetics and Diffusivity of Osmotically Dehydrated Cherry Tomatoes. J Processing and preservation, 2016.

4. Heredia, A., et al. Drying of cherry tomato by a combination of different dehydration techniques. Comparison of kinetics and other related properties. J Food Engineering, 2007, 80, 111-118.

5. Dake, E., et al. Home Drying of Fruits and Vegetables. USDA.

6. Preparing and Canning Jams and Jellies. USDA

7. Preparing and Canning Fermented Foods and Pickled Vegetables. USDA

8. Methods of Sun-Drying Fruits. California Agricultural Extension Service, 1933.

9. Guia 1: Principles of Home Canning. USDA.

10. Guia 2: Selecting, Preparing, and Canning Fruit and Fruit Products. USDA.

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