Tried the freeze method once, didn't care for them or the flavor.

Frozen matoes is ok in cooking. But I would rather cook them then freeze, for better taste. Freezing and refrigerating tomatoes adversely affect their taste.
JMO

I freeze tomatoes and use them in my cooking, running them under the hot tap to remove the skin and tossing them into soups and stews.

I think it's great to use frozen tomatoes for making sauce. First I skin them, then I leave them in a bowl to thaw out, and I can toss out a ton of liquid that way and reduce the cooking time!

Linda

What you describe is a common practice for home canning folks and has been for decades. it is often discussed over on the Harvest Forum here which is the canning and food preservation forum.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Harvest Forum

Well that's good to know Dave!

I thought I invented it (LOL). I couldn't believe that everyone simply boils their tomatoes forever to reduce the liquid.......

The trouble I have found with the other forums on here is that they aren't very tomato related.....

Cheers,
Linda

I too thaw out frozen tomatoes and then press them to remove excess liquid before cooking. Instead of throwing out the liquid, I collect it for drinking and/or flavoring rice. I find this liquid surprisingly salty with a strong tomato flavor. This is odd because I only freeze bland, tasteless tomatoes that are inedible when fresh.

Daren

Freezing is helpful when you're short on time or have just a few quarts to put up and don't want to mess with the canner. The tomatoes lose their texture when frozen. I use them in cooking (sauces, soups, casserole.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Freezing Tomatoes

The trouble I have found with the other forums on here is that they aren't very tomato related.....

No they each have their defined focus as they should. Just as the focus of this one is Growing Tomatoes. :)

But when the primary focus of the question is food preservation then Harvest is the place to go for the most relevant info. And tomato preservation methods is the most common topic over there.

Dave

Thanks Dave,

I'll check it out the Harvest forum if you say that it's tomatoey :-).

Interesting about the tomato liquid being salty Daren, I'll have to try saving it for cooking rice.

Kathywide, interesting about the frozen tomatoes losing their flavour/enzymes. I guess we give up a few things in the name of convenience!

Linda

Saving whole tomato as frozen, requires TOO MUCH storage volume. But if you convert it into sauce you will reduce its volume by more than half. There is no advantage in freezing tomato as whole or as smashed. When you lightly smash it, you get the juice out quickly. Then freeze the remainder in zip bag.

But as somebody mentioned, freezing them whole is easiest and the quickest way to deal with it. Call it comfort factor.

Why does freezing adversely affect tomato flavor? Does canning?
Last season I froze some peppers, they lost the crispy fresh pepper texture but were very flavorful in cooking.