- Fresh tomatoes, sweet, juicy, and bursting with flavor
are summer's highlight.
Summer brings a bounty of fresh tomatoes
from the garden or market.
We want to share tips for selecting, storing,
and even ripening fresh tomatoes.
One, how to choose the perfect tomato.
First things first, start with quality tomatoes.
Color and feel are the two best indicators of a good one.
These signs can vary slightly across different varieties
so we've broken it all down for you.
Roma and beefsteak tomatoes.
Beefsteak are big and plump, while roma,
or plum tomatoes, are smaller and oval-shaped.
Both should have a vibrant red color
and a smooth, shiny skin that's free of blemishes.
They should feel firm, but also slightly soft to the touch.
Heirloom tomatoes.
Heirlooms are the colorful, wacky shaped tomatoes
you often see at farmer's markets.
When picking them, you can follow the same guidelines
you'd use for beefsteak and roma tomatoes.
Cherry and grape tomatoes.
Grape tomatoes are small and oblong,
while cherry are round and a touch larger.
Due to their small size, these tomatoes are commonly sold
in containers or packages for protective purposes.
They tend to be firmer than larger tomatoes,
but they should still give a little when pressed.
Look for a uniform red or yellow color
and a smooth skin that does not contain mold spots, ew.
Green tomatoes.
Green tomatoes are simply underripe tomatoes.
They should be very firm to the touch,
and the skin should be a uniform light green color.
Two, how to store fresh tomatoes.
Store whole tomatoes at room temperature
or above 60 degrees.
This applies to all types, beefsteak, roma, cherry,
grape, and green.
What you'll need, tomatoes and paper towels.
Place paper towels on a counter top
away from direct sunlight.
Arrange tomatoes upside down, or stem side down,
in a single layer.
They can touch, but they should not be overcrowded
or piled on top of each other.
Check on your tomatoes daily, discarding any
that are leaking liquid or have mold spots.
But what about the fridge?
Is it okay to store your tomatoes in the refrigerator?
No.
Whole tomatoes should never be stored in the fridge.
Temperatures below 60 degrees
cause the flesh to turn mealy and mushy,
rather than maintaining their beautiful juiciness.
And that's it, off my soapbox.
Three, how to store cut tomatoes.
If you're slicing a tomato for a sandwich,
and you aren't gonna use the entire fruit,
can it be salvaged?
Absolutely, whether they're sliced, diced, or chopped,
store cut tomatoes in the refrigerator.
Wait, what?
Didn't we just say not to refrigerate tomatoes?
It turns out, there's a very good reason behind this.
Cut tomatoes need to be stored in the fridge
in order to prevent bacteria.
Simply place your cut tomatoes in a food storage container,
cover, refrigerate, and try to use as soon as possible
for optimal flavor and texture.
Four, how to ripen tomatoes.
Ripe tomatoes aren't always an option.
And sometimes you're stuck with the ones
that just feel like rocks.
Luckily, there's an easy way to ripen tomatoes at home.
This trick works for both red and green tomatoes.
Here's what you'll need, your underripe tomatoes,
a banana, and a brown paper bag.
Place tomato and banana in the brown paper bag.
If you're ripening several tomatoes and need more space,
you can use a cardboard box, like a shoebox with a lid.
Roll up ends of the bag to loosely seal.
Place on a countertop or in a warmer part of your home
and let sit until tomatoes have reached desired ripeness.
Check tomatoes daily to ensure they don't overripen.
Yes, this all sounds a bit odd,
but there's a scientific reason behind it, I promise.
As tomatoes ripen, they release a gas called ethylene.
Other fruits, like bananas and apples, also produce this gas
during their ripening.
Placing two ethylene-producing fruit
in an enclosed container, like a paper bag or a shoebox,
will actually boost the ripening process.
If you don't have a banana or an apple, no problem.
You can still ripen the tomato in your paper bag
or container, but it will still take longer.
Tomatoes are fragile, like my feelings,
so be nice to them.
They can bruise easily so storing them
in an organized manner will help protect them.
Ripe tomatoes should last for a few days,
but we recommend eating them as soon as possible.
So now you're a tomato expert.
You're welcome.