How To Store Unripe Tomatoes When You Want Them To Stay Green
If you've got a green thumb, the last thing you want is to see precious home-grown tomatoes go to waste. But there are a few ways to make sure your green tomatoes stay in good condition in long-term storage. You can store your unripe tomatoes in a box inside a cool and dry room like a pantry or a basement. Leave a bit of room between each tomato and only store them in one layer to allow air to circulate, lessening the chance of any ripening tomatoes affecting the other unripe ones.
But if you prefer your tomatoes to stay green for longer, pop them in the refrigerator, which halts the ripening process entirely. While some experts advise against this, you can do so as long as you store them individually wrapped in paper towels and place them in the crisper drawer. Just like storing other types of produce, the paper wrapping will help absorb excess moisture that could otherwise damage the fruit. This method may be more difficult for storing a large number of tomatoes but will work if you have just a few left over.
Tomato storage preparation and tips
Before you even get to storing, eliminate any green tomatoes that appear damaged or show signs of rot from the bunch. Choose only healthy, unripened tomatoes to make sure you don't cross-contaminate. Contrary to what you may think, you don't need to thoroughly wash your tomatoes before storage. Washing beforehand will add more moisture to the tomato and could cause it to rot more quickly. Instead, give them a thorough wash right before use!
Keep your tomatoes in a cardboard box or a container lined with paper, as these materials will absorb any liquid if a tomato starts to rot. You can even store your tomatoes upside down, as tomatoes lose their moisture through their stems. This way, the bleeding moisture won't coat the whole tomato but get absorbed by the paper.
Once you've stored your tomatoes away in a cool room of about 50-65 degrees Fahrenheit, you can't just leave them be and hope they remain flawless. You'll have to keep a regular eye on them, making sure to remove any tomatoes that show signs of rot or over-ripening. The ethylene gas emitted from the ripening fruits can affect the others, speeding up the ripening process, and consequently rotting your batch of tomatoes.
Ways to eventually use up your green tomatoes
If you store your unripe tomatoes using the aforementioned methods, your tomatoes could slowly ripen over a few days to a few weeks. It all depends on how mature the tomatoes were when you first harvested or purchased them before storing them. Tomatoes stored in the fridge could spoil quicker than those stored in a dry room due to contamination from other refrigerated produce, so keep checking them for signs of ripening to know when it's time to use them up. You'll know they're ripe when the bottoms start to become a bit soft.
Making fried green tomatoes is a classic recipe for enjoying the summer fruit, but it's not your only option. If you find your green tomatoes begin to ripen and want them to last a bit longer, you can transform them into a pickle or relish. Create a pickle brine and include garlic and dill for a sweet, crunchy bite. Pickled green tomatoes work great as an addition to sandwiches, salads, or as a snack on their own. You'll be glad you properly stored your green tomatoes to enjoy a bit of summer once the sun has gone for the season.