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Farm Kitchen:  Making Sauce From Frozen Tomatoes  |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 26 2015 : 8:26:20 PM
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Hi girls -
Have you ever made sauce from frozen garden tomatoes and then canned it? I have a slew of frozen tomatoes that really need to be processed, and since we're going to be stuck in the house for a while with all this snow, that is now moving to the top of my list... I've never done this before, so I sure could use your help. I have yet to have great success with making big batches of tomato sauce even with fresh tomatoes, so any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks so much -
Nini |
Edited by - Ninibini on Jan 26 2015 9:13:17 PM |
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 05:30:42 AM
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I do this all the time! If you throw your tomatoes in a large colander and let them thaw, all the juice runs out, which is great for reducing your cooking time to thicken it! The skins slide right off after they thaw! And then just cook them down with whatever else you are adding and can :) We like to add onions, garlic and herbs. YUM!
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 06:22:24 AM
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Shannon's right about letting the juice drain out and it reducing the cooking time. I set my colander in a large bowl to catch the liquid. I then set that liquid aside or freeze it for soup stock.
I'm glad the storm wasn't the 46 inches that they predicted for your area in the east. Stay warm!!
Catherine
Sister #76 (2005)
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt.
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16914 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16914 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 06:54:42 AM
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Awesome tip Shannon. I'll think of you the next time I'm processing frozen tomatoes!
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 11:59:28 AM
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Oh, right, Shannon... That is really great advice! I was planning on actually canning the juice, if there's enough of it. I thought it would be great for stock, or even chilled and sent to work with my hubby as a healthy beverage this summer. Guess it just depends upon how "tasty" it is. One video I saw touted it as a delicious, albeit clear, tomato juice for drinking! How cool!
If you run the frozen tomatoes under warm water, supposedly the peels slip right off. I was planning to do that, too. Do you all process the tomatoes through a food mill first, or do you just mash them as they cook down? How does leaving the tomato seeds affect the sauce? And do you slow cook them in a crock pot or on a pan on the stove? I just have a hard time not burning the sauce, whatever I do... it always tastes a little "off" to me. I saw one person create a double boiler situation for cooking them down - one smaller stock pot inserted into a larger one containing boiling water... Do you think that might be better? Necessary? Is it better to add spices, or leave them plain - what do you think?
I'm glad, too, Catherine. We only got 4 to 5 inches here. It's still snowing, but has been a very light, drizzly type of snow since last night. One of my friends from RI texted me this morning, though. They got hit with "only" 15 inches as of early this morning. On the Cape though, in Plymouth (which is actually "off Cape," but..) the newscaster reporting the story was already up to his knees in it before 5:00 AM! The one thing everyone seems to be remarking about is the wind - it's whistling and rocking houses like crazy. My friend in RI laughed and said she wasn't worried about us, though. She knew I had purchased my Berkey filter last year and had been canning like crazy all summer, and trusted we'd be set for food and water in the worst of circumstances. Amen to that!!! My main concern is that my hubby is traveling on icy, wet roads to and from work. I am at a lot more peace once he is home at night, to be sure!
Thank you for sharing your tips, girls! I appreciate every single one!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 12:41:03 PM
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The peels will indeed slip off if you run the frozen tomatoes under warm water... however, it gets really cold on the fingers, and as the tomatoes melt, part of the flesh often gets stuck in my colander, so I try not to do that. I do not have a food mill and often like "chunks" in my sauce, so I generally do not process the tomatoes. And we do not mind the seeds. THough if you don't want seeds, you can easily cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze them out after they thaw! I usually cook them on low on the stove top and have never had an issue with them burning. It is an ALL day process for me, so I usually thaw the tomatoes over night in the sink! As for spices... I generally add some, but never to the point where it is "quite right." Reason being is during the canning process and again when heating it up, it changes the intensity a little... so I ALWAYS end up adding more spices and often times some celtic sea salt and a little sugar to my sauce when I'm heating it up right before eating it! The "off"-ness might be from the straight tomatoes versus the corn syruped or sugared sauce you are use to from the store. Does that help at all? Oh and i'm thinking spaghetti sauce opposed to just plain tomato sauce..... if you are just doing the latter, I do not sweeten it or add anything to it.
So glad you guys haven't been hit too hard!!! Continuing to pray for those up north! My sister is on the eastern shore of MD - she said they got more ice than anything! Uggghhhh I despise ice!!!
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 2:32:22 PM
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Oooo! I never thought of that, Shannon! The cold might really hurt, huh? Good point! Hmmmm... Maybe I'll try a few and see how it goes. My son doesn't appreciate the texture, but my hubby and I don't mind it at all. I've not removed the skins or seeds before, and was wondering if they were what was causing my sauce to taste a bit "off." But you're right - spices definitely add to that. I'm leaning toward just plain tomato sauce this time. I like making my spaghetti sauce ahead of time, but maybe I'll try just plain with these frozen tomatoes. Thank you so much for all this wonderful insight! You've been VERY helpful! You ROCK, farmgirl! Hugs - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 2:52:27 PM
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Awww shucks! Thanks!!! We grow and buy A LOT of tomatoes!!!! I usually buy around 200 pounds in the summer. I turn it into salsa, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, and LOTS of diced tomatoes. The skins I dehydrate, completely crush them, and use for tomato paste. So lovely! I am dreaming of tomatoes ;)
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 3:05:59 PM
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Mmmm.... Salsa! Maybe I should make that, too... I forgot about that! We use lots of salsa! :) It should be okay, even if I use frozen tomatoes, don't you think? And I never thought about using the skins like that, Shannon! AWESOME idea! I'm going to have to do that, too!
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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hudsonsinaf
True Blue Farmgirl
3162 Posts
Shannon
Rozet
Wyoming
USA
3162 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 3:38:16 PM
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If you dehydrate the skins and then pulverize them, put them in a jar to keep... then when you need tomato paste, just add a little water to however much you need. I usually do a 1:1 ratio of dried tomato skins to water.
~ Shannon
http://hudson-everydayblessings.blogspot.com/ |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2015 : 4:25:03 PM
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You are so smart, Shannon! I really love this! Thank you!!!!! :) Hugs - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Farm Kitchen: Making Sauce From Frozen Tomatoes |
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Making Sauce From Frozen Tomatoes
