Contents
- How to ferment tomatoes at home
- How to ferment tomatoes in a saucepan
- Pickled tomatoes in a saucepan with bell pepper
- Tomatoes pickled for the winter in a barrel
- Pickled tomatoes for the winter in a bucket
- Instant Pickled Tomatoes
- Tomatoes sautéed with garlic and herbs
- Recipe for Pickled Tomatoes with Hot Peppers
- Winter pickled tomatoes with celery
- Tomatoes for the winter, pickled with apples
- Tomatoes pickled in jars with horseradish, like cask
- Recipe for pickled tomatoes for the winter in jars
- Tomatoes pickled for the winter with mustard
- Pickled tomatoes with aspirin for the winter
- Pickled tomatoes for borscht for the winter
- Pickled tomatoes for the winter: a recipe with basil
- Winter tomatoes pickled with coriander and cloves
- Rules for storing pickled tomatoes
- Conclusion
Times are changing, but pickled tomatoes, like the perfect appetizer for the table, both on weekdays and on holidays, remain unchanged. In ancient times, dishes did not indulge in their diversity, so tomatoes were fermented exclusively in wooden barrels. To date, housing conditions are not very adapted to such bulky volumes, and the imagination of the housewives has no limits – banks, pots, buckets, and even plastic bags are used to ferment tomatoes.
How to ferment tomatoes at home
There are two fundamentally different approaches to pickling tomatoes. The first traditional one is closest to the actions that our great-grandmothers used to preserve vegetables for the winter, using wooden barrels. Its main advantage is the fact that a large amount of useful substances is preserved and even multiplied in vegetables. Well, the taste, as well as the aroma of pickles made in a similar way, deserves the highest ratings. It is not for nothing that many modern recipes for pickled tomatoes are called “like barreled”. But the main disadvantage of this fermentation method is the long production time – at least 20-30 days. But pickled tomatoes are stored in favorable conditions for a long time – until spring.
Other recipes also deserve attention, if only because it turns out to pickle tomatoes according to them quite quickly – in just 3-4 days you can already taste the tomatoes. And according to some recipes, they are ready for use within a day after preparation.
Despite some significant differences, both approaches have common manufacturing rules that must be followed in order for pickled tomatoes to turn out to be good tasting and can be stored for a sufficiently long time.
- Tomatoes, as well as all other vegetables and herbs that are used for fermentation, must be carefully sorted out, removing all fruits, even with slight damage.
- Kvasyat tomatoes of varying degrees of maturity: from ripe to very green. But in one container, fermentation of only fruits that are uniform in maturity is allowed, since the fermentation time depends on the ripeness of the tomatoes. Ripe tomatoes ferment much faster, in 20-30 days under suitable conditions.
- The color of tomatoes does not play a special role in pickling. But, since yellow and orange fruits, as a rule, have a higher sugar content, then ferment them a little faster.
- All components must be thoroughly washed several times in cold water, even with a brush, and then rinsed with slightly warm water.
- In the manufacture of brine, it is desirable in any case to boil it, then cool and strain to remove possible contaminants contained in the salt.
- The cleanliness of the dishes in which vegetables are fermented also plays an important role. All buckets, barrels and pots must be washed with a soda solution, and then rinsed with boiling water.
- There is no need to be shy about using a variety of spices and aromatic herbs for pickling, remembering that they not only improve the taste of pickled tomatoes and increase their nutritional value, but also increase their shelf life.
How to ferment tomatoes in a saucepan
In a modern kitchen, it is the saucepan that is perhaps the most convenient dish for pickling tomatoes in the traditional way. Since buckets, and even more so barrels, may simply not fit in the cramped space of the kitchen. And for pickling tomatoes in jars, another technology is more often used.
The most important thing for a recipe for pickled tomatoes in a saucepan is to prepare the minimum necessary set of spices, although, as mentioned above, the more aromatic herbs and seeds are used, the tastier pickled tomatoes will turn out.
So, for a 10 liter pan you will need:
- Tomatoes – how much will fit in a pan, on average about 7-8 kg;
- 3-4 horseradish leaves;
- 150 g dill (inflorescences with stems and a small amount of greenery, as well as seeds);
- 4-5 heads of garlic;
- 25 currant and cherry leaves;
- about 10 oak leaves;
Brine is made by adding 70-90 g of salt per 1 liter of water.
Pickling tomatoes according to the recipe is not difficult, but there are a few tricks that will help make the preparation especially tasty.
- At the bottom of the prepared pan lay 2/3 leaves of horseradish, cherries and currants, a few cloves of garlic, as well as stems, inflorescences and dill seeds.
- Then they begin to lay the tomatoes tightly, sprinkling them with the remaining herbs, garlic and spices.
- From below, it is better to place large-sized tomatoes so that smaller ones can close the resulting voids.
- The vegetables laid on top are covered with the remaining horseradish leaves and other herbs.
- Prepare a solution by boiling water with salt and cooling it to room temperature.
- Pour the brine over the stacked tomatoes. It should completely cover all vegetables.
- If suddenly there is not enough brine, then you can add clean cold water from above.
- The top of the pan is covered with gauze or clean cotton cloth, and then covered with a lid.
- If there is no lid or it does not fit tightly, then the tomatoes will definitely need oppression to form a layer of liquid to restrict air access to the vegetables.Attention! It should be borne in mind that without a load, the top tomatoes will rise up and, on contact with air, will oxidize and become unfit for consumption.
- To minimize the crushing of fruits under oppression, it must be remembered that the oppression pressure should be in the region of 10% (1 kg of load per 10 kg of tomatoes). You can use a plate with a jar of water placed on it.
- Then the most interesting begins. After all, it is in the first week that the most basic process of fermenting tomatoes takes place.
- The first 2-3 days, tomatoes are kept in a relatively warm room, and then sent to a cool, but not cold place.
- The process of pickling tomatoes should be monitored every day if possible. If the gauze is covered with a white coating of mold, then it must be thoroughly washed with cold water and cover the vegetables with it again.
- In a place that is too cold (from 0 ° to + 4 ° + 5 ° С), the fermentation process will slow down greatly, and the tomatoes will be ready only after a month or two. If there is nowhere to hurry, then this will be the most optimal way out.
- It is best to wait for the completion of the main pickling process (after about 8-10 days) in a relatively cool place (about + 15 ° C), and then send the pickled tomatoes to a cold place (you can even go to the balcony).
- Fermented tomatoes according to this recipe can be served 30-40 days after production.
Pickled tomatoes in a saucepan with bell pepper
Lovers of sweet bell peppers may well make it one of the components of the recipe when pickling tomatoes. Such an additive will add saturation to the aroma of the finished dish, and the taste will acquire additional sweetish notes.
For 10 kg of tomatoes, 1-2 kg of bell pepper is usually added.
In this recipe, vegetables are fermented using a slightly different technology.
- Tomatoes, as usual, are placed together with herbs and spices in a pan.
- Peppers, freed from the seed chambers and cut into halves or quarters, are also laid there.
- Then sprinkle the vegetables with salt and shake lightly.
- Lastly, purified cold water is simply poured into the container almost to the very brim.
- Tomatoes pickled in this way in a pot of cold water are left at room temperature for several days, after which they are removed in the cold.
Tomatoes pickled for the winter in a barrel
In wooden barrels, it is now rare for anyone to ferment tomatoes for the winter, but with a strong desire and space in the house (cellar or balcony), you can try fermenting tomatoes in a food-grade plastic barrel.
In general, the fermentation technology for this recipe is practically no different from the one that was described in detail above. It’s just that the amount of all ingredients is increased in proportion to the increase in the size of the barrel, compared to a 10-liter pan.
Top layer tomatoes are placed 3-4 cm below the top level of the barrel so that they are completely covered with brine. From above, it is better to cover the vegetables with large leaves of horseradish, and, if possible, oak.
Since the barrel is difficult to move from place to place, it is immediately installed in a relatively cool room, for example, in autumn on a balcony.
Depending on the ambient temperature, the fermentation process will be faster or slower, but in one and a half to two months it will be completed in any case. Traditionally, pickled tomatoes are given special attention in the first two weeks of the process – they are removed and washed with the cloth with which they are covered. In the future, pickled tomatoes no longer require special attention.
Pickled tomatoes for the winter in a bucket
Exactly according to the same traditional recipe, you can ferment tomatoes in buckets, and using not only enameled buckets, but also plastic buckets of various shapes and sizes from 5 to 12 liters that have been very common in recent years.
Moreover, small buckets can also be used to ferment tomatoes in a different, faster way.
Instant Pickled Tomatoes
This pickled tomato recipe is becoming more and more popular as you can start tasting fragrant tomatoes as early as 3-4 days after pickling.
The following products will be required:
- 3 kg of elastic and strong small tomatoes;
- a small bunch of cilantro, parsley and dill;
- 5 cloves of garlic;
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano herb;
- 15 peas of black pepper;
- 2 laurel leaves;
- 2 cloves.
According to this recipe, you can ferment tomatoes both in a saucepan and in glass jars.
- Lay the tomatoes in the selected dishes and pour cold water so that the fruits are completely covered. This is done in order to determine how much brine is needed for manufacturing.
- The water is drained, its volume is measured and the brine is prepared, based on the fact that 60-70 g of salt is required per liter of water.Comment! This is about 2 heaping tablespoons.
- The brine is heated to 100°C and then cooled slightly.
- While the brine is cooling, the tomatoes, along with herbs and spices, are placed in prepared containers.
- After filling, they are poured with still warm brine.
- The containers are covered with gauze and, if possible, a load is placed on top.
- If the load cannot be placed, then the container must be at least tightly covered with a lid.
- Depending on the size of the tomatoes, they are fermented for 4 to 7 days.
After this period, pickled tomatoes must be stored in a refrigerator or other cold place.
Tomatoes sautéed with garlic and herbs
Actually, all the components for this recipe can be taken from the previous one. But the manufacturing technology is slightly different.
- The garlic is crushed with a press, and the greens are finely chopped with a sharp knife. Mix the herbs well with the garlic.
- For each tomato, a cross-shaped cut is made in the area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbattaching the stalk and filled with a mixture of garlic and herbs.
- Chopped vegetables, cut up, are placed in prepared containers, shifting, as usual, with spices and spices.
- A saline solution is prepared and tomatoes are poured into it while warm, so that they are completely hidden in it.
- Cover with a lid and leave in a warm place for 24 hours.
- After that, pickled tomatoes can even be put on the festive table, and stored in the refrigerator.
Recipe for Pickled Tomatoes with Hot Peppers
When tomatoes are fermented according to this recipe, 2-3 pods of hot pepper per 10 kg of fruit are added to traditional spices.
In addition, you can try ready-made pickled tomatoes the very next day after production, if you apply the following trick. Before putting the tomatoes in a pickling container, a small cut in the form of a cross is made on each of them, or they are pierced in several places with a fork. And then pour the prepared tomatoes with still hot brine, at a temperature not lower than + 60 ° C.
Winter pickled tomatoes with celery
This recipe differs only in the addition of 50 g of celery per 5 kg of tomatoes to the composition of the required spices for pickling. Tomatoes can be fermented using both traditional and fast methods.
Tomatoes for the winter, pickled with apples
It is very tasty and healthy to add apples according to the recipe when pickling tomatoes. There is nothing unusual in this combination, given that in ancient times, almost all available vegetables and fruits were fermented together in one barrel. In this case, the recipe for soaked tomatoes implies that 5 kg of apples will be used for 1 kg of vegetables.
Tomatoes pickled in jars with horseradish, like cask
For any housewife, it is most common to ferment tomatoes for the winter in an ordinary three-liter jar. And this is not at all difficult to do even according to the traditional recipe, when as a result the taste of pickled tomatoes will be just like from a wooden barrel.
For one jar you will need the following products for salting:
- 1500 g of cream-type tomatoes;
- a bouquet of herbs in the composition: leaves of horseradish, black currant, cherries, stems and inflorescences of dill;
- 1 small horseradish root;
- 10 peas of black pepper;
- Bay leaf;
- 3 peas of allspice;
- 2-3 studs stuff.
Pickled tomatoes in jars will be just like barrel tomatoes if you cook them according to the following recipe.
- The bottom of the jar is laid cut into pieces, 6 cm long, with stems and leaves of herbs. Spices and horseradish rhizome cut into small pieces are also added there.
- Then a saline solution is prepared: about 250 g of salt are dissolved in 60 ml of boiling water.
- Pour hot brine over herbs and spices.
- After they begin to lay the tomatoes, some more herbs are placed in the middle and at the end.
- After filling the jars with tomatoes, ordinary cold water is poured from above under the neck.
- Cover with a plastic lid, and carefully roll it for a while so that the salt is more evenly dispersed throughout the volume.
- Then put in a warm place for 3 days, avoiding direct sunlight.
- Then the jar must be moved to the refrigerator and left alone for at least 2-3 weeks.
- At the end of this period, pickled tomatoes are already able to reveal their entire flavor bouquet.
Recipe for pickled tomatoes for the winter in jars
Pickled tomatoes prepared according to any of the recipes described here need a temperature condition of 0 ° + 3 ° C for storage. If there are no such conditions, then it is easier to preserve pickled fruits for the winter.
To do this, proceed as follows:
- Ferment tomatoes according to any recipe you like.
- After 3-5 days after aging in a warm place, pour the brine into a separate pan and heat to a boil.
- Rinse the seasoned tomatoes in a colander with hot boiled water.
- Pour the tomatoes with hot brine, wait 5 minutes and drain it.
- Heat the brine again to 100°C and pour over the tomatoes.
- Repeat these steps for a total of three times.
- For the third time, immediately spin the pickled tomatoes for the winter.
Tomatoes pickled for the winter with mustard
The recipe is old, and it is so popular that many modern dishes never even dreamed of. And all due to the unforgettable taste of the finished snack.
The number of ingredients is calculated for a 10 l bucket or pan:
- 5 L of water;
- About 6-7 kg of tomatoes (depending on size);
- 50 g dry mustard;
- 150 g salt;
- 250 grams of sugar;
- 8 bay leaves;
- 1/2 teaspoon of allspice and black pepper;
- leaves of horseradish and blackcurrant.
Kvass is completely traditional:
- Put the tomatoes with spices in a bucket, sprinkling with horseradish leaves, currants and spices.
- Boil water with salt and sugar. After cooling, thoroughly stir the mustard powder in the brine.
- Let the brine brew and pour over the tomatoes.
- Top with clean gauze with the necessary weight.
Pickled tomatoes with aspirin for the winter
As already noted, fermentation is a completely natural process, which does not require additional acids, but only vegetables and salt. Sometimes sugar is added for taste.
But for many housewives, the recipes used by their mothers and grandmothers are still valuable, including pickled tomatoes with aspirin.
It is very simple to ferment tomatoes in this way – three crushed aspirin tablets are poured into a three-liter jar with stacked vegetables and herbs and poured with brine. After that, the jars are covered with plastic lids and put in a cool place. Pickled tomatoes are ready on average in 2-3 weeks, but they are stored for a very long time – until spring.
Pickled tomatoes for borscht for the winter
Probably, hardly anyone will cook pickled tomatoes specifically for borscht. But if the tomatoes made a few months ago seem sour, then they can be ground through a meat grinder, and this will be a wonderful borscht dressing.
Pickled tomatoes for the winter: a recipe with basil
You can ferment tomatoes according to another curious recipe without using water.
You need to prepare:
- 3 kg of tomatoes;
- 200 g salt;
- 150 grams of sugar;
- 50 g of basil and tarragon leaves;
- currant and cherry leaves – by eye.
Pickling tomatoes according to this recipe is quite simple.
- Tomatoes are washed, dried, pricked with a fork in several places.
- Place in a prepared container, sprinkling with a mixture of salt, sugar and chopped herbs.
- Cover with clean gauze and place the load on a plate.
- Keep in a warm place until the fruits give enough juice to cover them all.
- Then cleaned in the cellar or refrigerator.
- Pickled tomatoes can be enjoyed in about a month.
Winter tomatoes pickled with coriander and cloves
The more spices and herbs put in pickled tomatoes, the richer their taste will be, and the more benefits they can bring to the human body. This recipe contains the richest in variety of spices.
Based on the volume of a 3-liter jar, it is desirable to find:
- 50 g of dill;
- 1,5 heads of garlic;
- 1 horseradish sheet;
- 3 sprigs of basil;
- 1 stalk of tarragon;
- 2 stalks of the Moldavian snakehead;
- 50 g of celery, cilantro, fennel, parsley and savory;
- 2-3 sprigs of thyme and mint;
- 10 currant and cherry leaves;
- 3 oak leaves;
- half a pod of red hot pepper;
- 10 peas of black pepper;
- 3 pieces of cloves and allspice;
- 1 bay leaf;
- 10 coriander seeds.
And the process of fermenting tomatoes is standard:
- Vegetables are placed in jars, interspersed with not very finely chopped herbs and spices.
- Pour the usual 6-7% (60-70 g of salt per 1 liter of water) saline solution and, after closing the lids, place in a cool place.
Rules for storing pickled tomatoes
Pickled tomatoes are recommended to be stored exclusively in the cold, otherwise they will not live long. Even staying at a negative temperature is not as harmful to fermented foods as being in normal room conditions. Those who do not have enough space in the refrigerator, and no cellar, can be advised to use the balcony. Just be sure to shade them with something from the light.
In the most extreme case, pickled tomatoes can be preserved in jars. After that, they can already be easily stored until spring in a regular pantry. But the access of direct sunlight to them in any case should be limited.
Conclusion
Pickled tomatoes can be prepared both for storage for the winter and for consumption at the current time, while they are still ripening on the bushes, or they can be purchased inexpensively in the markets. In any case, this appetizer can not leave anyone indifferent.