How To Ripen Green Tomatoes After Picking: Due to their juicy, tasty fruits, tomatoes are a popular garden crop. However, as the growing season ends or frost approaches, you may have green tomatoes that aren’t quite ripe. You can ripen these tomatoes indoors after picking to avoid waste. This detailed instruction will help you ripen green tomatoes and enjoy their full flavor.
Understanding Tomato Ripening
As tomatoes mature, they create ethylene gas, which ripens them. Ripening turns green to red (or yellow, orange, depending on the type), boosts sugar, and softens the texture. If tomatoes are harvested at the mature green stage, they can generate ethylene and ripen. This suggests the tomatoes are mature but not yet colored.
Best Time to Pick Green Tomatoes
Before learning how to ripen green tomatoes, know when to pick. Choose firm, full-sized tomatoes with a somewhat glossy skin. These are likely mature green, so they’ll ripen well after picking. Small, hard tomatoes may not ripen off the vine and may shrivel or stay green.
Methods to Ripen Green Tomatoes
Each indoor method for ripening green tomatoes has its benefits. Which method you choose depends on how many tomatoes you need to ripen and how fast. Let’s examine some effective methods.
1. Ripening in a Paper Bag
Paper bags make ripening green tomatoes easy. This approach concentrates ethylene gas around tomatoes, expediting ripening.
- Put some green tomatoes in a paper bag. Avoid plastic bags, which trap moisture and rot tomatoes.
- Add a ripe banana or apple to the bag to speed ripening. Extra ethylene gas helps these fruits ripen.
Store the bag in a warm, dry, shaded area with the top closed. - Check tomatoes regularly for ripening, as they can become red in days.
- Simple, fast, and effective for small tomato amounts.
Cons: Tomatoes overripen if not monitored.
2. Using a Cardboard Box or Shallow Tray
For bigger batches of tomatoes, ripen them in a cardboard box or shallow tray to avoid crowding.
- To avoid bruising, line a shallow box or tray with newspaper or paper towels.
- Place green tomatoes in a single layer without touching. This improves airflow and prevents rot.
- Wrap tomatoes in newspaper or a lid to trap ethylene gas and prevent wetness.
- The box should be kept in a dark, warm 55-70°F (13-21°C) area.
- Check everyday and remove ripe tomatoes to avoid overripening.
- Great for ripening large amounts, reduces bruises.
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Cons: Needs more space and temperature control.
3. Ripening on a Windowsill
A sunny windowsill is a classic and attractive way to display a few tomatoes.
- Green tomatoes should be stem-side down on a windowsill. This prevents stem-end bruising.
- Let the tomatoes get sunlight but not too much heat, which could soften them.
- Turn tomatoes occasionally to ripen evenly.
- After many days to a week, tomatoes should become red.
Pros: Easy, no resources needed.
Cons: Uneven sunlight may cause uneven tomato ripening. Others are faster than this.
4. Storing in a Warm Room
Put tomatoes in a warm room to ripen slowly if you like minimal handling.
- Spread green tomatoes on a newspaper or cloth without touching.
- Keep them in a 70°F (21°C) room with moderate humidity.
- Tomatoes ripen naturally using this procedure. Check everyday and discard soft or ripe ones.
- Easy to monitor and low-maintenance.
- Not as fast as other ways.
Tips to Prevent Rot and Speed Up Ripening
Check tomatoes regularly in a bag, box, or windowsill to eliminate those that have started to ripen. Mold from overripe tomatoes can damage surrounding tomatoes.
Avoid Moisture: Excess moisture might cause mold or deterioration. Use ventilation and avoid plastic bags, which trap moisture.
Use Ethylene-Boosting Fruits: Place ripe bananas, apples, or pears near tomatoes to release ethylene gas and hasten ripening.
What to Do With Ripened Tomatoes
When green tomatoes ripen, use them in your favorite dishes! Salads, sauces, salsas, and sandwiches benefit from ripened tomatoes. Freeze or make tomato sauce if you have too many ripe tomatoes.
Conclusion
When the weather is bad, ripening green tomatoes indoors maximizes your garden crop. You can enjoy vine-ripened flavor even after the growing season by storing them in a paper bag, cardboard box, or windowsill. By understanding the ripening process and following these steps, you can enjoy green tomatoes at their best.