Freeze Whole Tomatoes Now to Preserve Their Flavor for Winter Sauces
Usually, you will never refrigerate or freeze tomatoes as this changes their texture. However, if you can’t eat them but still want fresh tomato sauce in the off-season, you can put them in the freezer. In winter, you can still make delicious and fresh tomato sauce.
You will also be able to more easily remove the skins of tomatoes when you take them out of the freezer. Kitchen explains that while chilling tomatoes is generally a crime, there is one reason you should definitely put them in the freezer:
… But if you plan on using tomatoes during the height of winter in sauces and stews, freezing is a great option. You can skip mashed potatoes and canning and just put them directly in the freezer bags. This is a lazy but smart way to save tomatoes; their delicious acidity and vibrant flavor will still show up months later, so you might think you’ve entered the Tardis and returned right in July.
If you prefer to use local or seasonal produce, this is an easy way to save fresh tomatoes for use at other times of the year. Plus, you’ll get a taste of spring sauce during the height of winter, when the tomatoes in your grocery store are probably too pale and tasteless to make a good sauce. Of course, if you know how to can and preserve tomatoes, you can do that too, but if you don’t want to put in the effort and have freezer space, this method will work as well.