To preserve tomatoes, do not put them in the refrigerator. Using this method, tomatoes will stay fresh for a long time

With tomatoes, you don't need to keep them in the refrigerator. You can apply a few tips to keep tomatoes fresh even when kept at room temperature.

Choose fresh tomatoes

Natural tomatoes will have red color, tight skin, green leaf stalks and firmly attached to the fruit. When you look closely, you can see glitter on the skin. When you touch the tomato, it feels a bit soft but not mushy.

Ripe tomatoes will have a natural aroma. If you see a ripe red tomato but no smell, it's likely a pressed ripe tomato.

Choosing fresh, newly harvested tomatoes will have a delicious flavor and will also be preserved longer.

In addition, if you cut open a tomato and see ripe red flesh, yellowish white seeds, soft flesh and pulp, then the tomato is naturally ripe.

Do not buy tomatoes that are damaged, mushy, or have wrinkled skin because that is a sign that the tomatoes are wilted and left for too long.

How to preserve tomatoes

- Preserve tomatoes without refrigeration

Normally, after buying tomatoes, people will immediately put them in the refrigerator to preserve and use later. However, tomatoes contain enzymes that can react with low temperatures, causing cell membranes to break down. At that time, the tomatoes will become rough, mushy and lose their delicious flavor. In addition, tomatoes also easily absorb the flavors of other foods and lose their original flavor.

Therefore, you should only store overripe tomatoes in the refrigerator.

Some people use a simple way to preserve tomatoes by placing the stem of the tomato upside down. This method helps keep tomatoes fresh for several days without needing to be stored in the refrigerator. However, you need to make sure the tomatoes are placed on a flat surface.

Another method to preserve tomatoes is to stick tape to the stem. The stem is where bacteria can penetrate inside the tomato and is also where moisture escapes, causing the tomato to wilt. Using tape to stick to the stem of the tomato will help prevent bacteria and retain the tomato's necessary moisture. Then, place the tomatoes in a thin basket and keep in a cool, dry place. This way, you can keep the freshness of tomatoes for half a month.

Applying tape to tomatoes will help keep them fresh longer.

When cooking, you just need to peel off the tape, wash the tomatoes and then cook.

- Store tomatoes in the freezer

To preserve tomatoes longer and be able to use them all year round, you can put tomatoes in the freezer. However, you should not put whole tomatoes in the freezer because it takes up space and defrosted tomatoes will also crack and become mushy. Instead, you should wash the tomatoes and then make a cross-shaped cut on the bottom of the fruit. Then, pour boiling water over the tomato to shrink the skin. Peel off the tomato skin completely.

Then, puree the tomatoes (you can keep or remove the seeds depending on your preference). Put the crushed tomatoes in the pot, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to let the steam evaporate. During the cooking process, remember to stir well so the tomatoes don't burn.

When the tomato mixture thickens, turn off the stove and let cool. Then, divide the tomatoes into ice trays (large cubes) for convenience. Place this tray in the freezer overnight to let the tomatoes solidify. When the tomatoes are frozen, remove them, put them in a box and close the lid. Put the box of tomatoes in the freezer. Each time you use it, take a few pieces out and put them in the pot to cook.