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Refrigeration

Jennie Sims
9 years ago

I have probably 70 to 80 tomatoes on my countertop. I have been picking at first blush over the last week but they are all ripening TOO fast. I don't need any more frozen, canned tomatoes. Would really like to enjoy our last fresh tomatoes to eat. But afraid these are mostly destined for the freezer as we can't eat them fast enough. I have never refrigerated a tomato as I was told it destroys the flavor, but I am considering it to save some of our last harvest for fresh eating. Does refrigeration degrade the taste a great amount?

Jennie

Comments (9)

  • lucillle
    9 years ago

    Jennie,

    As soon as you read my post, choose 2 identical tomatoes, go put one in the refrigerator.
    Tomorrow afternoon, take a bite from each tomato.
    The important person here is you, and taste is subjective. See what you think about refrigerated tomatoes.

  • PupillaCharites
    9 years ago

    Unfortunately there is no set answer because taste is a subjective pleasure. But it is clear that the tomato is a living fruit and ripe ones responds poorly to temperatures below 48 F, as there are some chemical changes (Green blush ones must be kept at 55 or higher or they will not develop full taste.

    If you had access to a separate fridge or minibar (a.k.a., minifridge) like some people have in their offices, some of those can maintain something around 48-55 F degrees which is what you would probably be best and you can keep a ripe tomato for about 10 days that way and pretty much keep it fine. Just put a decent thermometer and do about 50 F if possible since they are not always too accurate.

    Also store them bottoms up since the bottom tends to soften first and the weight of the fruit will damage itself more often when it is right side up.

    On the bright side you may be one of those people who say they prefer the taste of refrigerated tomatoes ... to each their own ;-).

    If you do refrigerate if the tomato can handle it let it sit a day before eating to eke out everything you can. Don't expect it to recover, but as long as it is still fresh, a little bit of its delicious glory can kick back in.

    Yummy Luck, itâÂÂs not such a terrible problem when you think about it you just have to eat even more tomatoes LOL!
    PC

  • Deeby
    9 years ago

    Why do I have the feeling that Hudson will be here...

  • Peter1142
    9 years ago

    It tastes fine. As long as it went in ripe, no reason to put an unripe tomato in the fridge. Stewed they taste even better if anything. Raw fresh has the best texture, but it is not like the tomato is ruined. People blow things out of proportion on these forums.

  • Jennie Sims
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Lucille, I had one of those "duh" moments when I read your post. Duh, why didn't I think of trying that! It's not like I don't have tomatoes to spare. So last night I put one Dester beefsteak in the fridge. Brought it to room temperature this morning (to make a fair comparison) and sliced another from the counter. Is there a difference in taste? Yes, but ever so slight. The refrigerated one was still wonderful. Seems to have just lost a tiny bit of the....complexity of favors? The only way I can describe it. So worth it, though, to be able to eat a fresh tomato in a week or so! PC, thank you for the tip on storing them bottom side up! I was storing them stem side up as I could more easily tell when they were ripe, or need to be eaten ASAP , at a glance. But I did lose some that way from the bottoms getting a rotted spot by the time I turned them over to look. My extra refrigerator is devoted to milk, juice and veggies so I can't change the temp on that. But that was good information.
    So the ripe ones,except what we can eat today and tomorrow are going in the frig, and as Peter suggested, the ones still ripening will stay on the counter. Yay! One more week of homegrown tomatoes! And today for lunch...tomatoes! With some barrata cheese for protein!

    This post was edited by jenniedhs on Thu, Sep 18, 14 at 10:26

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    I would put them in a thin brown bag and the put it in the veggies bin (NOT on the shelf). You just want to keep them slightly cooler, not too much. In the upper shelf it can get close to 32F(freezing mark) but in the bin temps are about 50F. At this time of year your garage might be a better place than your kitchen for storing/keeping tomatoes.

  • Jennie Sims
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Seysonn, good idea about the vegetable bin. They are currently on the shelf in the garage fridge, but I will move them inside to the fridge with a vegetable bin. I think tomatoes emit Ethalene gas, so I don't think I will put them in a bag. They are already ripe, so I don't want them to get any riper. I'm in North Carolina. We are having an unusually cool week, upper 70"s to low 80"s, but temps could warm up to the mid 80's in a week and for some reason our garage is always warmer than the outside temperature. so I think the counter in the house is better as it is cooler. Thanks for the vegetable bin suggestion! These are probably our last tomatoes for the year. Have a few that will ripen before first frost, but most of the tomatoes on the vine now are tiny and won't. So we are savoring these.

  • hudson___wy
    9 years ago

    Hi Deeby - this is a favorite topic - although I have a strong opinion about the great taste of a refrigerated tomato on a hot summer day - I wouldn't think of trying to force my opinion on Jennie - haha! I agree with Lucille - Jennie needs to put one in the fridge and one on the counter and taste them both - the answer lies within! If she likes the one on the counter - there may still yet be hope for her - haha

    This post was edited by Hudson...WY on Fri, Sep 19, 14 at 4:18

  • Deeby
    9 years ago

    Much as I hate to cave in even a little... OK, yeah, good advice. But still...