Did you know that tomatoes contain various types of nutrients that are beneficial to health such as lycopene, beta carotene, and vitamin C. To get all these nutrients in a delicious and filling way, why not process fresh tomatoes into a refreshing glass of juice?
If the tomatoes in your yard are already in their prime, try processing them into juice. Want to make a lot of juice at once? Just do it, then store the rest in an airtight container to enjoy at a later date.
Don't have fresh tomatoes in stock? Juice can also be made from tomato paste, you know!
Ingredients
Making Tomato Juice from Fresh Tomatoes
- 900g tomatoes (about 2 large steak tomatoes, 6 medium globe tomatoes, 16 plum tomatoes or 50 cherry tomatoes)
- Sugar, salt and pepper to taste
Making Tomato Juice from Tomato Paste
- 180 ml unsalted tomato paste
- 750 ml cold water
- Sugar, salt and pepper to taste
Step
Part 1 of 3: Making Tomato Juice from Fresh Tomatoes
Step 1. Choose tomatoes that are really ripe and juicy
The most ideal type to be processed into juice are tomatoes that are perfectly ripe and high in water content. Tomatoes of this type even taste delicious even when eaten raw! Therefore, choose tomatoes that if the taste and texture are delicious in raw conditions. Or, you can also buy tomatoes when the harvest season arrives so that the quality can be maximized when processed into juice. Remember, juice still tastes better when it's made from fresh tomatoes instead of tomato paste.
- It's best to use organic tomatoes instead of non-organic tomatoes that have been exposed to pesticides so that there are no traces of chemical flavors in your juice later.
- Use one type of tomato or a mixture of several varieties of tomatoes. Early Girl and Big Boy tomatoes have a higher liquid content, while Roma tomatoes have a thicker liquid. If you want to use Roma tomatoes, try combining them with a higher-liquid variety.
Step 2. Wash the tomatoes thoroughly
Rinse the tomatoes under running running water, then dry the surface with a paper towel or kitchen rag. The process of rinsing the tomatoes should be sufficient to remove any dirt and bacteria adhering to the surface.
Step 3. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and remove the seeds
First, cut the tomatoes in half. Then, remove the seedy, hard-textured center and cut each tomato in half again.
Step 4. Fill a large non-reactive pan with chopped tomatoes
Use a pot made of porcelain or stainless steel instead of aluminum. Because aluminum can interact negatively with the acid content in tomatoes, putting tomatoes in an aluminum pot can change the color of the pot and/or the taste of the tomatoes.
Step 5. Squeeze the tomato juice
Use a potato masher or a wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes and extract the juices. Once the process is complete, the pot should be filled with tomato juice and pulp. Most importantly, make sure there is enough liquid to bring to a boil.
If the texture of the liquid is too dry to make it difficult to bring to a boil, try adding enough water
Step 6. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil
While it's heating, stir the tomatoes and juices so they don't burn. Continue this process until the tomatoes are soup-like in texture, i.e. soft and runny, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 7. Add various spices
If you wish, you can add a pinch of sugar, salt, or other seasonings to enhance the taste of the tomato juice. In particular, the sweetness of the sugar can offset the sour taste of the tomatoes.
If you don't know the right amount of sugar, salt and pepper, it's best to add all three little by little. You can always modify the taste though, if you need to
Step 8. Turn off the stove and let the tomatoes sit for a few minutes until they cool slightly
Don't let the tomatoes come to room temperature, but make sure they cool slightly so you don't burn your skin if accidentally splashed.
Step 9. Strain the tomato juice
Place the strainer or sieve over a large glass bowl. If using a filter, choose a product that has very small holes. Also, make sure you only use glass or plastic bowls as metal bowls can interact negatively with the acid content in tomatoes. Slowly pour the cooled tomato juice into the bowl through a sieve or sieve until the juice and pulp separate.
- Every now and then, shake the sieve or sieve to unblock the openings and remove more liquid. After that, press down on the tomato pulp with a rubber spatula to squeeze out any remaining liquid trapped inside.
- Discard any tomato pulp that is left in the colander as you will most likely not be able to reprocess it into other dishes.
Step 10. Cover the container with the juice and put it in the refrigerator
Store the juice for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving. Before consuming, make sure the juice is stirred first, OK! Tomato juice can last up to a week if stored in an airtight container and refrigerated.
Part 2 of 3: Making Tomato Juice from Tomato Paste
Step 1. Prepare 180 ml of tomato paste
If possible, choose a tomato paste that contains the fewest additives on the market. Increase the dose to 360 ml if you want more juice. However, make sure you also double the amount of water used, yes!
Step 2. Pour the tomato paste into a medium-sized container with a lid
Choose a container equipped with a lid to make the juice last longer. If using 360 ml of tomato paste, choose a larger container.
Step 3. Fill the can with water four times
Then, pour the water into a container of tomato paste. If you want, you can also measure the portion of water with a measuring cup. However, understand that the portion will be more proportional if you measure it with a used can of tomato paste.
Step 4. Stir in the water and tomato paste until well combined
If possible, process both ingredients in a hand blender so they blend better and don't clump together.
Step 5. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste
Stir or reprocess all ingredients with a hand mixer until well blended. If the tomato paste used already contains salt, ignore the use of salt.
Step 6. Store the juice in the refrigerator until it is time to consume it
Don't forget to throw away any juices that are more than a week old!
Part 3 of 3: Storing Tomato Juice in Cans
Step 1. Prepare all the necessary equipment
To store tomato juice, you need to prepare a glass jar that is equipped with a metal ring and a clean lid so that its sterility can be guaranteed. In addition, also prepare a special tool to clamp and lift the container which will be very hot after being sterilized in the canner.
- It's best not to canned tomato juice without the help of a canner, especially since tomato juice must be heated to a very high temperature so that it can last longer and be free of bacteria. As a result, the juice is safe for consumption when the container is opened later.
- Use a boiling water canner, dial-gauge pressure canner, or weighted-gauge pressure canner for best results.
Step 2. Sterilize the container to be used
The trick, you only need to boil each container for 5 minutes or sterilize it using a dishwasher. After that, place the container on paper towels or a dry kitchen towel to drain any excess liquid before filling with tomato juice.
Step 3. Prepare fresh tomato juice
If you want to store it in a can, it's best to use fresh tomatoes instead of tomato paste. After that, pour the tomato juice until it fills most of the container, but don't forget to leave about 1.5 cm of free space between the surface of the juice and the lid of the container.
Step 4. Strain the seeds, skin and tomato pulp
Step 5. Boil the tomato juice for 10 minutes
Do this process to kill any remaining bacteria before the juice can be canned. At this point, it's a good idea to take one of the extra steps below to maximize the shelf life of the juice:
- Add vinegar or lemon juice. The acid in vinegar and lemon juice can increase the shelf life of juice when canned. Usually, you only need to pour 1 tsp. acidic liquid for each juice container.
- Add salt. Since salt can also act as a natural preservative, try adding 1 tsp. salt into every 900 ml of juice. However, always remember that adding salt will affect the taste of the juice!
Step 6. Pour the tomato juice into the container
Don't forget to leave about 1.5 cm of free space on the surface of each container, OK! Then, attach the lid to the case and tighten the metal ring around it.
Step 7. Sterilize the container in the canner at high temperature
Follow the instructions on the canner's packaging, although generally the container needs to be heated for 25 to 35 minutes to maximize the sterilization process. After the container is completely sterile, immediately remove it from the canner and leave it at room temperature for 24 hours without interruption.
Step 8. Store the container of tomato juice in a cool and dry place
Tips
- If you don't like the natural taste of tomato juice, or if you want to increase the nutritional value, try processing tomatoes with the addition of a variety of vegetables such as chopped celery, carrot chunks, and chopped onions. If you want, you can also add a drop or a drop of hot sauce to enrich the taste of the juice, you know!
- Get creative with different types of tomatoes. In general, large steaks have a more tender and fleshy taste. Meanwhile, plum tomatoes and cherry tomatoes generally taste a little sweeter. That's why you can reduce the amount of sugar if you use tomatoes that are smaller and have a sweeter taste.
