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Tomato juice for winter at home
Instructions
I prepare ingredients. Any variety + shape of tomatoes works — must be MAXIMALLY ripe + juicy + sweet.
To obtain juice: easiest = juicer. Without special equipment: cut tomatoes into pieces convenient for meat grinder/food processor; remove green part near stem.
GRIND tomatoes into paste-like mass. Juice amount depends on ripeness + juiciness of fruits.
Pour thick tomato mixture (still containing seeds + skins) into pot — these need to be ELIMINATED.
To make easier: BOIL tomato 20 MINUTES — mass becomes easier to strain through sieve. NO need to collect foam. Sterilize jars + lids meanwhile.
After 20 minutes: thick mass settles + transparent juice appears on top — signal to start STRAINING. Pour part of tomato into sieve; press through with LADLE.
OR strain with stiff SILICONE SPATULA. Result: only skins + seeds remain on top.
WEIGH pure juice to calculate salt + sugar amounts. Add to tomato. Boil mixture 5 MINUTES.
Pour juice into prepared CONTAINERS.
Screw on LIDS; leave tomato to cool on table.
Perfect well-balanced taste of tomato juice made WITHOUT special appliances. Stores at room temperature until next harvest. Bon appétit!
Tips
- 1
THE 20-MIN PRE-BOIL STRAIN-PREP. Step 5's "boil 20 min before straining" is technique-essential. RAW puree straining: thick paste clogs sieve immediately, requires forceful pressing, low yield, takes 1+ hour. PRE-BOILED puree (20 min): heat breaks down cellular structure, tomato fibers soften, mass becomes EASIER to push through sieve, signature tomato-juice yield. Same technique principle: French passata preparation, Italian salsa-making, traditional Russian cooking. The "no need to collect foam" instruction: foam will be filtered out by sieve action anyway. The 20-min mark is calibrated — shorter doesn't fully soften, longer overcooks tomato character.
- 2
THE WEIGHT-BASED SALT/SUGAR PRECISION. Step 8's "weigh juice + calculate salt/sugar" is precision-recipe technique. RANDOM eyeball amounts: inconsistent flavor + preservation reliability. CALCULATED amounts (10 g salt + 25 g sugar per 1 kg crushed tomatoes): standardized flavor + safety + preservation across batches. Why this ratio: salt 1% prevents bacterial growth, sugar 2.5% balances tomato natural acidity + provides taste optimization. SUBSTITUTING tomato weight (raw vs crushed): use crushed weight after grinding (consistent measurement). Same precision-ratio principle: French confitures, German preserves, all professional canning. For another classic homemade tomato preparation worth comparing, see Homemade Tomato Paste.
- 3
THE LADLE-VS-SPATULA STRAINING CHOICE. Steps 6-7's "ladle OR stiff silicone spatula" gives equipment-flexibility. LADLE: round bowl shape efficiently presses tomato into sieve, kitchen-staple availability, classic technique. SILICONE SPATULA: flexible edge contours into sieve curve perfectly, modern + efficient, professional-equivalent yield. Both methods: extract maximum juice with minimal residue. AVOID: wooden spoon (can't press effectively), fork (prongs allow seeds through). The straining work: ~10-15 minutes of pressing/scraping for full yield. Pro-tip: hot tomato + sieve is uncomfortable — let cool 10 min before straining for safety.
- 4
THE 5-MIN POST-SEASONING BOIL. Step 8's "boil 5 minutes after adding salt + sugar" is preservation activation. STAGE 1 boil (Step 5): 20 min for straining-prep. STAGE 2 boil (this step): 5 min activates preservation chemistry, ensures salt/sugar fully dissolved + integrated, kills any contamination introduced during straining. Without Stage 2 boil: salt/sugar settle out + preservation incomplete + spoilage risk. Same multi-stage boil principle: French confitures (multiple boils), Italian conserve. The 5-min duration: sufficient activation, brief enough to preserve fresh-tomato character. For another classic Slavic-tradition juice preparation worth trying, try Plum Compote Classic.
FAQ
What's the best tomato variety? +
Recipe specifies "any variety" but quality matters. RECOMMENDED: PASTE TOMATOES (Roma, San Marzano, Plum varieties): less juice but thicker pulp, more concentrated juice result. SLICING TOMATOES (Beefsteak, Brandywine): more juice volume but thinner. CHERRY TOMATOES: very sweet result, more labor for processing (smaller fruits). MIXED varieties: more complex flavor profile. AVOID: green/unripe tomatoes (acidic + flavor weak), overripe-mushy tomatoes (off-tastes develop), greenhouse-watery tomatoes (insufficient flavor). The "maximally ripe + juicy + sweet" specification: peak-summer tomatoes, vine-ripened, ideally home-grown or farmers-market.
Can I make it without a meat grinder? +
Yes — multiple alternatives. FOOD PROCESSOR (most accessible): pulse tomatoes 30 seconds = paste-like mass. BLENDER: works but skins blend in (more straining work). HAND-CHOPPED + sieve: skip grinding entirely, chop tomatoes fine, simmer 30 min in pot, then sieve directly. JUICER (electric): produces juice directly, less straining needed, but loses some pulp. HAND-MASHER + colander: rustic-tradition method, more labor. The recipe-canonical method (meat grinder OR food processor): balances efficiency + yield. Skip-grinding methods produce slightly different texture but functional juice.
How long does it really keep? +
Properly sealed jars at room temperature: UP TO 12 MONTHS. Months 1-3: peak fresh-tomato character. Months 4-8: PEAK FLAVOR (post-canning aging develops complexity). Months 9-12: still excellent, slight color darkening. Past 12 months at room temp: not recommended. COOL CELLAR (10-15°C): extends quality to 18 months. Once OPENED: refrigerate, consume within 1 week (juice is liquid + spoils faster than paste). Storage tips: dark place ideal, clean dry pour each time, tight lid. Spoilage signs: bulging lid, fermentation bubbles, off-smell, layering with mold — discard.
What can I do with it? +
Russian/Slavic tradition has specific tomato-juice uses. CLASSIC: drink fresh from glass — slightly chilled, with pinch black pepper (traditional Russian breakfast/snack). COCKTAILS: Bloody Mary base, virgin Mary, mixed-vegetable drinks. SOUPS: gazpacho base, tomato bisque, vegetable soup foundation. SAUCES: pasta sauce base, pizza sauce starting point, stew flavoring. ASPIC: traditional Russian "studen" with tomato-juice base. COOKING: rice pilaf flavoring (replace water with juice), vegetable stew liquid. The juice is GENUINELY versatile — kept on hand for any recipe needing tomato character.
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