Basic Homemade Stewed Tomatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to peel tomatoes for stewed tomatoes? ›

Stewing tomatoes is easy, but there's some prep involved. To transform those red beauties, you have to clean and peel them first. If you've ever tried to peel a ripe tomato, you'll understand why knife manufacturers everywhere regard tomatoes as a unique challenge.

Heat the tomatoes in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until they begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until desired consistency is reached, 10 to 15 minutes.

Salt (just a pinch): Adding salt might sound a bit counterintuitive; however, salt working with the acidic tomatoes will reduce their overall bitterness. Dried Oregano (crushed in your hand before adding): The released oils will help to reduce the bitterness. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

Diced tomatoes are generally tomato chunks packed in tomato juice. They can be an excellent timesaver. Crushed tomatoes are a mixture of diced tomatoes and tomato puree or paste. Stewed tomatoes are cooked and then canned, usually with other seasonings and sugar added.

The tomato skin is a different texture from the tomato flesh, and will remain so in sauces and purées—you'll get tiny chunks of skin instead of an uniformly smooth mixture. Moreover, the tomato skin is heavy in a kind of nutrient called flavonols, which impart a bitter flavor.

Boil the tomatoes for 30 to 60 seconds. Watch carefully as smaller tomatoes will need less time; you don't want the tomatoes to start cooking. You'll know the tomatoes are ready to be removed when the flesh starts to wrinkle, and the skin starts to peel away from the flesh.

In stews and casseroles, where a richer, more seasoned flavor is preferred, stewed tomatoes can be replaced with crushed tomatoes by adjusting seasonings and cooking time to allow the tomatoes to break down and meld with other ingredients.

Citric acid, bottled lemon juice, or vinegar added in the correct amounts will ensure that whether tomatoes are boiling water bath canned or pressure canned, the C. botulinum spores will not germinate when a current recipe is used and the jars are processed properly.

Good for Your Physical Health

Naturally, stewed tomatoes have all the nutrition of their main component. Tomatoes are loaded with Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system and can help prevent cold and flu. The antioxidants lycopene and beta-carotene are also abundant in tomatoes.

Best Canning Tomatoes for Sauce and Paste

Cooks have been choosing Roma-type tomatoes for sauces and paste for centuries for good reasons. These oval, palm-size fruit have small seed cavities that results in ample meaty flesh that will become sauce.

How can I make my tomatoes more flavorful? ›

Seasoning Tomatoes With Cream of Tartar

Yes, there are other ways to make your tomatoes taste even better and increase the acidity. There is lemon, vinegar, or my personal favorite, balsamic. Just imagine a tomato bruschetta with a balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top. Yummy!

Tomatoes and tomato products (tomato sauce, tomato paste, pasta sauce) are packed in cans with a special lining to prevent the acidic tomatoes from eating into the inside of the aluminum cans. This lining can be eroded over time and result in producing a gas and black spots inside the cans.

In part, thanks to Tower and many other famous chefs, today, canned tomatoes are a common ingredient in high-end restaurant dishes and are considered a staple in all home kitchens.

Mexican Stewed Tomatoes are packed in tomato juice seasoned with spices and vegetables. Onion, celery, green bell pepper, and jalapenos accompany firm tomato slices. The stewed, savory flavor is balanced by a moderate sweetness, and contains slight heat.

Yes, and it takes extra time. But it is important and time well spent for safely canned tomatoes. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, “Most bacteria, yeasts, and molds are difficult to remove from food surfaces.

You will want to peel your tomatoes any time you're looking for a completely smooth texture – preparing a hot soup or stew or tomato sauce, for example. A lot of this comes down to preference, though. You do not need to peel your tomatoes if you don't mind the skins.

While you can leave the skin on tomatoes when canning, they can be tough and a bit bitter. You'll notice that commercially canned tomatoes are peeled for this reason. If the skin doesn't bother you, leave it on.

Removing the seeds and tougher outer skin leaves tomatoes with the perfect texture and taste for pasta sauces, soups, and all other recipes based on canned tomatoes.