The Storage Hack You Need To Keep Tomatoes Fresh For Way Longer
When tomato season is in full swing, it's nearly impossible to miss the abundance of fresh varieties in gardens and at farmers' markets. From Romas to cherries to heirlooms, there are so many types to play around with for a variety of culinary purposes.
To keep tomatoes fresh longer, store them upside down, aka with the scars from their stems facing downward. This helps prevent them from losing moisture, which results in wrinkling and eventually going bad. Using this simple hack can help keep your fresh tomatoes tasting their best for longer without any additional effort or extra tools.
How storing tomatoes upside down preserves moisture
To keep tomatoes fresh for longer, store them upside down. This is contrary to common sense; tomatoes are typically pictured with their stems up, and they often rest well this way in a container or on the counter. However, the fruits lose moisture through their stems. J. Kenji López-Alt, author and New York Times food columnist, conducted an experiment for Serious Eats by storing tomatoes in pairs, one with the stem up and one with the stem down. The tomatoes stored with the stems down maintained their freshness, while the ones stored with the stems up began to wrinkle. In addition, the wrinkly tomatoes lost more weight due to the release of liquid.
The same preservation happened when covering the stem area with a piece of tape to prevent moisture from escaping. Thus, water loss through the stem is the culprit. The tape hack can also be used to keep tomatoes fresh if desired; however, storing them upside down is easier and doesn't require the extra step of applying the adhesive.
More tomato preservation tips
The best way to prevent tomatoes from spoiling is to eat them as soon as they ripen. Be smart when choosing tomatoes at the store or farmers market; if you'll use them within a day or two, ripe ones will do. If not, choose underripe ones, which will ripen on the countertop in a few days — unless you use a simple hack to ripen tomatoes quicker.
Contrary to popular belief, you can refrigerate tomatoes if they're already ripe and you don't plan to eat them within a few days. In an interview with the Washington Post, Lester Schonberger, a researcher at Virginia Tech, noted that tomatoes can be refrigerated for up to three days to preserve their freshness. It's only after that point that their flavor degrades. In addition, letting them return to room temperature prior to serving will help restore the flavor profile and make them more palatable. Thus, refrigerating tomatoes can help extend their life for a few more days, so long as the refrigeration is brief and they aren't served chilled.
Storing tomatoes upside down, choosing underripe tomatoes, and letting them reside in the fridge for a few days after ripening will help extend their useful life. By being mindful of which tomatoes you purchase and how you store them, you can help keep your tomatoes from going bad, allowing you to enjoy tomato season for a little longer.