What to do with Frozen Tomatoes

[so lucky]

Last year my tomato harvest was sad; I never had enough at one time to can, so I froze them, whole, smushed together to squeeze out the air bubbles in the freezer bags. Well, I never used a single one of them, I admit. I didn't have a tomato press or food mill to make sauce, and I kept forgetting to pop some into the stews and soups I made.
I am getting a food mill in a few days, for this year's anticipated harvest (?) I was wondering if I could thaw last year's tomatoes and use them for sauce, along with the fresh tomatoes? Has anyone done this successfully?

 

[~gd]

Never heard of freezing tomatoes, in fact I have been told many times not to even put them in the refrig. I suspect it has something to do with texture so maybe juice/sauce is ok but I would taste them first to be sure the cold doesn't change the flavor.

 

[SSDreamin]

I freeze mine for sauce all the time, after they've been through my mill. My reason is purely selfish - no A/C and no outdoor stove means I wait until temps are cooler to can, if at all possible. No change in taste or texture. However, I have never put them in the freezer whole, and I've never left them for a year, so I'm zero help with with your exact question If it were me, I would thaw them, run them through the mill, then try some of the resulting sauce (maybe have spaghetti ?) I hope Moolie happens across your question, because if anyone would know, it'd be her

 

[FarmerChick]

I was wondering if I could thaw last year's tomatoes and use them for sauce, along with the fresh tomatoes? Has anyone done this successfully?

sure ---if you cut them with new fresh you can easily use those up fast.

 

[so lucky]

Yeah, I was thinking that if I cut them with fresh tomatoes, any freezer taste would be mostly undetectable. ~gd, I have been told to not refrigerate tomatoes, also. It does change the taste and texture. Thanks for your responses, y'all.

 

[FarmerChick]

oh yes any time you have a mater based situation, just add a few to use them up. I wouldn't waste those at all. 'any' change would be fine if the dilution is close to zero in the end with other fresh ingredients

 

[terri9630]

We have always frozen out tomatoes. It makes it easier to keep until we have enough to make something. Once you add spices and stuff you really cant taste a difference. If you thaw them in some warm water, just a few min, the skins should just wipe off. Ive made pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce and hubby loves his hot sauce.

 

[ORChick]

I don't refrigerate tomatoes that I plan to use fresh - in a salad or sandwich, for instance; the flavor and texture are affected negatively. Freezing already cooked tomatoes is no problem - think spaghetti sauce and the like. I also will freeze the rest of a can of tomatoes (home canned or commercial) if I used only a part of it, and will add those to the next sauce, soup that needs tomatoes. I have read about freezing whole fresh tomatoes for future use; an advantage appears to be that, once thawed, the skins slip right off. I haven't tried that though, and would only use them in something cooked.

 

[Wannabefree]

I have frozen many tomatoes and then used/canned them later. Frozen whole tomatoes make great "fresh" salsa in a pinch, and make fine sauce and such canned. Even after a year, mine have been good. I don't mix them with real fresh tomatoes, and mine haven't lost a lot of flavor. I still have a few frozen whole from last year too.

 

[Justme]

A couple of years ago I had about a half bushel of tomatoes but was headed out of town with not time to do anything with them. So instead of letting them sit and rot they got tossed into a plastic grocery bag and dropped into the chest freezer. They ended up staying like that for close to year. Believe it or not there was only a very slight freezer burn taste which by the time spices were added a a sauce cooked up no one could tell a difference. So I would definately say you are good to go.
I am glad to say though I am keeping up with them better now. Just pull the last of 11 quarts of juice and 21 half pints of paste out of the canner. It's been a long day.