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+-- Thread: How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? (/showthread.php?tid=82652)
How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? - labradors - 05-28-2009
Once in a great while, I can get regular, dry sun-dried tomatoes here, but I'm usually relegated to using the kind that come packed in olive oil, in a jar. The problem is: it is a two-pound jar! I do keep it in my refrigerator, but when I went to use some, yesterday, there was mold inside the jar.
Now that I've thrown out the jar with the mold and bought a new jar, I would like to avoid this problem and keep the tomatoes longer, if possible, so I'm wondering how well they freeze. Of course, I could try a test batch before committing the whole bunch to the freezer, but it would be good to know if any of you have any experience with freezing oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes.
Here's what I'll be making with the tomatoes this time, by the way. It's a recipe I developed about eight years ago for use on pasta or pasta with chicken:
Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
- 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 2 Cups Chicken stock
- 1 Cup Sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 Cups Heavy cream
- 1/2 Cup Basil, fresh chopped (or more, to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- In a saucepan, sauté the garlic in the butter until soft.
- Add the chicken stock and the sun-dried tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream and the basil and simmer until reduced to desired thickness.
- Purée until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper
Re: How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? - bjcotton - 05-28-2009
Can't help with your question, but I did copy the recipe! Thanks my friend.
Re: How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? - esgunn - 05-28-2009
I have only frozen the dry ones. I did find this on the internet...
http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-porkcass.htm
Check on the label, Web site or with the manufacturer for how long their sun dried tomatoes in oil will keep in the refrigerator, once opened. If you can't find this information, plan to eat any unused tomatoes within a few days or freeze them (see #2 below).
Other uses for sun dried tomatoes packed in oil include: mixed with pasta, potato and macaroni salads, served on crackers with cream cheese, mixed with mashed potatoes. NOTE: the olive oil will harden after it is refrigerated but will liquify again at room temperature.
To freeze sun-dried tomatoes in oil, use the “plop method” -- like when making baby food. Drop by tablespoons on a sheet of waxed or parchment paper or plastic wrap on a metal baking sheet or pan. Freeze until solid and transfer to a freezer bag. Use individual “plops” as needed. For best flavor, use within a few months. Label the date put in the freezer. NOTE: Occasionally when aluminum foil comes in contact with a highly acidic food, small harmless pinholes are formed in the foil. For this reason, it’s not recommended to place “plops” on aluminum foil or freeze them in foil.
Re: How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? - labradors - 05-28-2009
Thanks, Erin. I plan to freeze them in "plops" that will each contain the amount I use for a single batch of six personal pizzas. If I need to use more than that at a time (e.g. for the sauce), I can always just thaw out enough "plops" for the occasion.
For now, I have put a few pieces into the freezer so I can see how they are when I thaw them out. In the mean time, I'll keep the rest in the fridge, as usual. If all goes well, I'll proceed as above.
Re: How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? - esgunn - 05-29-2009
Labs, please let us know about the "plops"! I have lost many an oil packed sun dried tomato to mold!
Re: How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? - cjs - 05-29-2009
Me too, Erin and I finally resorted to freezing them and it works great.
That sauce sounds really tasty, Labs - duly copied.
Re: How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? - farnfam - 05-29-2009
I've only found the dried ones here. Do you think the jar kind are better?
Re: How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? - labradors - 05-29-2009
Cis, I prefer the dried ones, but use the oil-packed ones in the jar here because that's all they usually have.
The freezing didn't seem to hurt them at all. I thawed them out and had no trouble using them. The taste and texture seemed fine.
Re: How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? - cjs - 05-29-2009
I like both kinds - depending on what I use them for.
Re: How well do sun-dried tomatoes freeze? - cjs - 09-07-2009
Case in point - an anon brought this one up and I'd forgotten about it - I've done 3 batches of 4 lbs. each romas oven-dried and I had forgotten Labs sauce recipe. Thanks anon.