How to Keep Tomatoes Fresh for Up to a Week, According to a Farmer
Make the most of those summer tomatoes.
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Nothing beats the ephemeral joy of eating summer tomatoes. Whether you use them to top a juicy tart or tomato sandwich, add them to a caprese salad, or simply sprinkle them with Maldon salt to draw out their sweetness, they make the most delicious case that some things are worth waiting for.
Storing tomatoes for optimum ripeness and juiciness, however, can be tricky. “When they’re ready to be eaten they’re ready to be eaten. Not before, not after,” says Katie Rose Seward, a farmer and the owner of Head Over Fields in Charlotte, Vermont. “They’re one of those special fruits and that’s why they’re a cash crop for farmers.”
Related: 31 Juicy Summer Tomato Recipes
Of course, you might not always make it to the store on the day you’re going to eat or serve tomatoes. While you can always turn overripe ones into tomato sauce, it’s worth knowing how to keep summer tomatoes fresh for as long as possible — for as long as we have them. Read on for Seward’s tips.
How to shop for tomatoes
Whether you’re at the grocery store or farmers market, choosing the right tomatoes depends on timing. If you’re going to use them right away, look for tomatoes that are slightly soft, but not too soft. “They shouldn’t feel like a water balloon. That’s a sign of a bruise,” says Seward.
If you’re eating the tomato later in the week, look for a firmer tomato. At a farmers market, you can ask the farmer to pick you tomatoes for various times of the week, which Seward says her customers will sometimes do. The grocery store is slightly trickier.
"“You’re looking for complete color throughout the tomato. So if it’s a red tomato, you really want to see it red throughout and not a green top.” — Katie Rose Seward, farmer and the owner of Head Over Fields in Charlotte, Vermont"
“When you’re shopping at the grocery store, it’s important to keep in mind that these tomatoes are being harvested for transport,” says Seward. They might have already started to ripen in transit, she explains, so you’ll want to be a little choosier.
No matter when you plan to eat them, make sure the tomatoes are uniform in color. Green, yellow, or white hues at the shoulders indicate underripeness.
“You’re looking for complete color throughout the tomato,” says Seward. “So if it’s a red tomato, you really want to see it red throughout and not a green top. And if it’s an orange tomato, you want it to be nice and orange throughout.”
Related: 10 Essential Tomato Sauces
How to store tomatoes so they stay fresh
Store tomatoes on your kitchen counter at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, which will ripen them. Seward will typically store them butts (or bottoms) down, but if you have larger tomatoes, including certain heirloom varieties, she suggests storing them shoulders down to protect the meat of the tomato, as the shoulders ripen last.
Avoid storing your tomatoes in the fridge since this can cause them to harden and become mealy and less flavorful. Keep them away from other produce like bananas and avocados — these contain a gas called ethylene that can cause the tomatoes to ripen more quickly.
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How to store cut tomatoes
As soon as you cut into a tomato, the quality will start to degrade, but if you’re unable to consume or use it all at once, place it in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. We recommend using cut tomatoes within two days of slicing.
How to ripen tomatoes
To ripen tomatoes, you’ll essentially want to follow the opposite of the rules outlined above. Store them in a sunny spot, shoulders up. You can also try placing them in a breathable container like a paper bag, loosely closed, to trap some of the ethylene gas. To speed up the process even more, you can add bananas or apples to the bag, which will contribute more ethylene.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are tomatoes in season?
Depending on where you are in the country, tomatoes will show up at farmers markets from mid-May through early October. Peak season usually falls between July and September.
How long do tomatoes last?
If you choose firm tomatoes and store them properly, tomatoes can last at room temperature for up to a week.
Do tomatoes need to be refrigerated?
Tomatoes don’t need to be refrigerated, and in fact we don’t recommend refrigerating them, as this will cause them to become mealy and lose their flavor. Once you cut into a tomato, it should be sealed in an airtight container or bag and refrigerated.
What’s the best knife for cutting a tomato?
The easiest way to cut into a juicy tomato is by using a serrated knife, or bread knife. The sharp ridges won’t tear the flesh and will keep the fruit from slipping.
Can you freeze tomatoes?
Yes! The easiest way to freeze tomatoes is by simply throwing them whole into a zippered bag and storing them in the freezer, but Seward notes that you can remove the skins by scoring the bottoms with an X then blanching them so the skins fall off easily.
Keep in mind that frozen tomatoes aren’t for eating whole or slicing for a sandwich. You’ll want to let them come to room temperature, then use them for preserving, reducing for a tomato sauce, or adding to a soup. Alternately, Seward recommends an internet trick that involves grating frozen tomato onto burrata with a Microplane.
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