June marks the start of tomato harvesting season, meaning they'll be at their peak throughout the summer months. However, ensuring the fruits remain fresh for as long as possible can prove challenging. A farmer has recently revealed the ideal spot in your kitchen to help preserve them.
Room Temperature Recommended Over Fridge
Tomato farmer Matt Hau from Pine Grove Pastures in Wisconsin, US, spoke to Simply Recipes regarding the optimal location for storing tomatoes at home. Refrigerating them immediately is something you'll want to avoid. Regardless of where your tomatoes were purchased, whole fruits can all be kept in the same location. The tomato farmer recommended storing fresh tomatoes at room temperature, as the coldness of the fridge can compromise their flavour, reports the Express.
He told Simply Recipes: "A cold tomato doesn't taste as good as a room temperature tomato." Simply position the tomatoes on your kitchen worktop at room temperature "for the best flavour and texture", while ensuring they're kept away from direct sunlight. Fresh, ripe tomatoes are best consumed within two to five days of purchase.
Signs of Ripeness and Freshness
You should check that the tomatoes yield slightly to gentle pressure, as overly firm fruit indicates they haven't yet fully ripened. Hau additionally suggested seeking out an even colour and leaving the green stems intact on the tomatoes. He said: "If the vines are still on, or at least that green, leafy edge, it's usually a sign that it has been picked fresh and not too early."
Storage for Leftover or Cut Tomatoes
However, should you not plan to consume the tomatoes immediately, refrigerating them will help slow down the ripening process. If you find yourself with leftover or partially used tomatoes following a meal, they should not be left sitting on the worktop. Instead, these tomatoes ought to be placed directly into the fridge. To maximise the shelf life of leftover tomatoes, Hau advised positioning the fruit cut-side down in a glass bowl or an airtight container before refrigerating.
Avoid storing leftover or cut tomatoes uncovered in the fridge, as this will cause the fruit to dry out. He said: "It's going to dehydrate in the fridge pretty quickly, and then it'll be more of a pasty tomato the next day, instead of a juicy one."
