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Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry ( Forum Locked)
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Topic: Preserving grape tomatoes

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PDyer
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Posted: Aug 30 2008 at 2:56pm \| IP Logged

We have an abundance of wee grape tomatoes ripening outside, and I confess I don't know what to do to preserve this bounty. I've googled and found they don't can well, not that I have canning equipment (yet!). Drying in the oven and packing in oil may be an option, although my quick reads state they last only six months under those conditions.

Any suggestions? Tips?

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Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
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JodieLyn
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Posted: Aug 30 2008 at 3:06pm \| IP Logged

you might try freezing them if you have space.. and as far as canning.. I would think it depends on what you want to do with them.. if you're making a sauce for instance would it really "not can well"??

We tried to grow some last year.. ran out of warm weather before they were ripe.. my sister and I made them into green tomato pickles.. whole.. they're beautiful canned and quite good.

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PDyer
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Posted: Aug 30 2008 at 3:56pm \| IP Logged

This is the article I found about . preserving grape tomatoes.

I could can them as sauce if I had canning equipment, although the prospect of peeling and seeding all those wee tomatoes is rather daunting. I froze tomato sauce last year, but my freezer space is at a premium now after The Great Chicken Purchase of 2008.

Since I posted a friend suggested dehydrating. She researched and settled on an Excalibur Dehydrator. I think a dehydrator may give me more bang for my buck and ultimately for my time than investing in canning equipment and learning how to use it. Peaches are ripe now, apples are coming, bananas, tomatoes of all types. She may have a point...

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Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
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JodieLyn
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Posted: Aug 30 2008 at 4:17pm \| IP Logged

yeah I know the feeling.. I'm all set up for canning.. though tomatoes you can do as a waterbath.. you don't have to have a pressure canner.. you just need to add a bit of acid (lemon juice) to the tomatoes.

I've got apricots from a neighbor's tree, plum in the freezer that needs made into jam (I was waiting for pectin) zucchini that I want to make into a "pickle relish", cucumbers that I want to do some bread and butter pickles and some relish if I get enough.. and I have tomatoes just starting (I like making salsa) hot pepper, bell peppers and maybe eventually pumpkins.. they got started late so I don't know if we'll get any but I'll try.. I have some clear plastic we can rig a sorta green house for them to maybe extend the season enough.

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Jodie, wife to Dave
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PDyer
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Posted: Aug 30 2008 at 4:33pm \| IP Logged

JodieLyn wrote:

I've got apricots from a neighbor's tree, plum in the freezer that needs made into jam (I was waiting for pectin) zucchini that I want to make into a "pickle relish", cucumbers that I want to do some bread and butter pickles and some relish if I get enough.. and I have tomatoes just starting (I like making salsa) hot pepper, bell peppers and maybe eventually pumpkins..

GAH! GAH! GAH! I'm a city girl! I'm overwhelmed!

We have a small garden outside. When I say small I mean by local standards. I'm feeling convicted that I need to be doing a better job with our produce and with our food bill in general, but starting from scratch with canning? The learning curve, buying requirements? Looking very steep. My dh and I are going out for a date tonight, whoohoo!, and we're going to talk about it. I think he's intrigued with the idea of a dehydrated and as overwhelmed with teh idea of canning as I am.

My friend recommended Mary Bell's Complete Dehydrator Cookbook. She used her dehydrator to dry zucchini, and used the book to make a really nice zucchini bread with dried zucchini powder. She has a jar of zucchini powder in her pantry instead of bags in soupy zucchini in her freezer! Very, very intriguing.

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Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
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