Let it ripen or process it deliciously

the essentials in brief

• In order to green tomatoes After maturing, warm temperatures and high humidity must be guaranteed. Storage is possible in clay pots, cardboard boxes or glasses.
• Green tomatoes contain solanine, which breaks down as they ripen. Despite the poisonous active ingredient, unripe fruits can be consumed.
• The early harvest is preserved by pickling and boiling. The solanine content is reduced by lactic acid fermentation.
• Not yet fully developed specimens are suitable for the preparation of chutneys and jams. Soups should be made from green ripe varieties. They remain green when ripe and hardly contain any solanine.

How do green tomatoes ripen?

If the tomatoes are already slightly red, they often ripen completely even after the harvest

Green tomatoes are only suitable for storage when the flesh has ripened slightly. You can recognize this stage of ripeness by the yellowish, sticky flesh inside. Completely green specimens usually no longer ripen. If these are damaged by cracks, you should dispose of the fruit on the compost. Fungi or bacteria may already have settled in the pulp.

In the case of undamaged tomatoes, the ripening process can be influenced by certain conditions. For a better aroma, you should leave the stems on the fruit. Ideally, these are still attached to the plants so that you can store the entire plant until it is ripe. But the process also works with fallen vegetables.

Warm temperatures

If you have to harvest your tomatoes green in autumn because of the risk of frost, you can let the vegetables ripen in a warm environment. Temperatures between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius are ideal. Apples and bananas can accelerate ripening because these fruits release ripening gases. Tomatoes also excrete ethylene, which is why wrapping them in newspaper is a successful method for post-ripening. The gas collects around the berry fruits and accelerates the ripening process.

This is how green tomatoes ripen:

• Cut off fully hung plants at the base
• Remove leaves from the stem
• Hang the plant upside down

High humidity

A high level of humidity, which should be at least 80 percent, is essential for the post-ripening process. A range between 86 and 90 percent is ideal. Caution is advised, because in a cellar that is too damp, the tomatoes rot quickly and fruit flies are attracted. If the air is too dry, there is a risk of dehydration.

Red foil

Scientists have found that red foil has a positive effect on the ripening process. This reflects long-wave light frequencies that mobilize a certain protein in the tomato. She is led to believe that the plant is already bearing ripe fruit. A kind of competition arises in which immature specimens want to catch up with their supposedly mature neighbors. This accelerates the ripening process.

Storage tips

For the post-ripening to work optimally, the tomatoes should still have a piece of the stem. This prevents fungi and bacteria from getting into the pulp. Regardless of the type of storage, you should check the tomatoes daily to quickly discover possible damage. The tomatoes do not need light for the ripening process, which is why you can store the fruit in a dark room.

These places are suitable as a storage place:

• dark pantry
• warm boiler room
• cool pantry

Digression

The maturity in the dark

Bed

If the weather conditions permit, you should allow tomatoes to ripen in the greenhouse. To do this, the plant stem is kinked and placed on a wooden slat or a permeable film. It is important that the fruits have no contact with the ground. Waterlogging affects the ripening process and leads to mold growth. As soon as the outside temperature falls below twelve degrees Celsius, you should cover the plants with warming foils.

Windowsill

There is also room for a small harvest on the windowsill of the south window. In the sun you enjoy the advantage of accelerated ripening, because the red dye builds up faster in direct sunlight. Make sure that the temperatures do not fluctuate too much. If the fruit is stored for a long time at below ten degrees, the taste is severely impaired.

Paper bag

Tomatoes can also ripen in a paper bag

A paper bag is a more convenient storage method than loose newspaper. You can put several berry fruits directly into the bag and seal it. A plastic bag is also suitable if it is provided with sufficient ventilation holes beforehand.

Cardboard box and wooden basket

Larger quantities of tomatoes can be stored in a cardboard box or in a wicker basket lined with newspaper. Place the fruit in the container so that they do not touch. You can also stack your crops if you put at least six layers of newspaper between the floors. More than three layers endanger the lowest tomatoes.

Mason jar

Individual copies can be placed in a screw-top or mason jar to save space. You can optimally control post-ripening through the glass. Make sure that the container is not completely filled. When you close the lid, the fruit should be able to move around freely. This will avoid pressure points and prevent rot formation. It takes about two weeks for the tomatoes to turn red.

Roman pot

Clay pots are ideal for storage, because their porous structure ensures an optimal microclimate with humid conditions. To kill fungal spores and bacteria that may have settled in the container, you should put it in the heated oven for half an hour. Then fill the Römertopf completely with water so that the pores can soak up with water. Pour off the water and roughly dry the material.

• Store the fruits loosely on top of each other
• Place the lid or the clay coaster upside down on the vessel
• Fill with water so that the humidity inside rises
• Place the container in a warm place
• check every two to three days

Are Green Tomatoes Poisonous or Edible?

Tomatoes belong to the nightshade family, which are known for their poisonous ingredients. The plants contain the alkaloid solanine in all parts of the plant. The unripe fruits, which are hardly distinguishable from the rest of the plant because of their green color, also contain solanine. The concentration of the poisonous solanine decreases with increasing maturity. Ripe tomatoes, on the other hand, contain a lot of lycopene, which is beneficial to health.

Solanine content

The information on the solanine content varies depending on the source. Concentrations between nine and 32 milligrams of solanine per 100 grams of unripe pulp are common. There are people who eat green tomatoes. In southern countries the unripe fruits are on the menu, but in Central Europe the fear of solanine poisoning spoils the appetite.

Lots of red ones Varieties of tomatoes are harvested in an immature state, as they can withstand the long transport routes better at this stage. They ripen until they can be sold, reducing the solanine content to around two milligrams per 100 grams of semi-ripe, orange-red fruit. The Stiftung Warentest states that this amount is too small to cause poisoning. In fully ripe specimens, the solanine content is less than one milligram.

Protection mechanism

Solanine has a bitter taste and is primarily used to ward off predators. In this way, the plant protects its not yet mature seeds. Only when the development is completely finished do the fruits turn an attractive red color and the defense substance solanine is broken down.

Can you eat green tomatoes?

Unripe tomatoes are poisonous

The first signs of intoxication symptoms can appear after consuming 25 milligrams of solanine. An adult experiences severe symptoms from an amount of 200 milligrams. Consumption of higher amounts damages the central nervous system and only 400 milligrams of solanine is considered a lethal dose. Excessive consumption can cause the following symptoms in humans:

• Stomach pain or inflammation of the lining of the stomach
• Nausea and vomiting
• headache
• Scratchy throat

In order to suffer an initial poisoning, a person has to ingest 625 grams of unripe tomatoes in their raw state. This case is very unlikely, however, as the bitter taste is off-putting at such amounts. If you ingest small amounts of green tomatoes, you don't have to worry about poisoning. The Stiftung Warentest reports in number 8/2003 that the solanine content in light green tomatoes is too low.

Ideas for using green tomatoes

Green tomatoes are considered edible under certain circumstances. The film "Green Tomatoes" already suggests this, in which two women from the southern states serve roasted green tomatoes to the guests of your café. According to Stiftung Warentest, the solanine concentration in the pulp is reduced when it is processed further. You can also use unripe tomatoes sensibly and do not have to dispose of them in the compost.

Pickle green tomatoes

Solanine is resistant to acids, so that the concentration is not reduced by soaking. Since the pickled fruits are eaten as a side dish and not in large quantities, it is still safe to enjoy.

Quarter the tomatoes and put the pieces in a mason jar. Add garlic, onion rings, juniper berries, chilli and peppercorns to taste and pour vinegar over the glass. Sugar and salt refine the taste. The jar is sealed and stored in a dark place for the next three weeks.

Reduce unripe fruits

If the harvest has not fully ripe, use intact specimens for delicious winter vegetables. Cut the tomatoes into small pieces and sprinkle them generously with salt. After mixing well, let the fruits soak in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, a lot of liquid has settled on the bottom of the vessel, which you strain off. Bring the salted water to the boil and add the tomatoes and other vegetables as desired:

• Carrots
• onion
• paprika

Season the vegetables with parsley, chilli and garlic and add a little olive oil. The winter vegetables are cooked over low heat. Gently stir the stew so that the tomatoes are not mashed. Then add apple cider vinegar and let the winter vegetables soak through. You can fill it into mason jars and boil them down in a water bath or in the oven.

Lactic acid fermentation

This form of preservation is extremely popular in Turkey. According to Stiftung Warentest, the solanine content of tomatoes has been reduced by 35 percent as a result of lactic acid fermentation. A small part of it is in the lake. Presumably this decrease is due to microbial activity. In this way, unripe tomatoes with the maximum value given in the literature of 32 milligrams per 100 grams of pulp can be brought to a tolerable solanine concentration

method

Fill a one-liter jar with four fifths of tomatoes and pour boiled salted water over it. 15 grams of sea salt is sufficient for each liter of water. Put a fresh sprig of tarragon and three tablespoons of whey in the glass and cover the neck with a fresh grape leaf.

• Phase 1: store for a week at temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees
• Phase 2: Place the glass in a dark room at 15 degrees for the next two weeks
• Phase 3: store the fermentation vessel at zero to ten degrees for the last two to three weeks

Green tomatoes - recipes

Green tomatoes can e.g. B. can be inserted, but they are still slightly poisonous

You can find numerous dishes on the Internet that allegedly use green tomatoes. However, green tomatoes are not suitable for every recipe. "Tomato verde" is used in many Mediterranean dishes. However, this tomatillo is not a green tomato, but belongs to the bladder cherries. In some recipes, the fruit has been literally translated as “green tomato”, which leads to confusion. The difference in taste quickly becomes clear if you try such recipes with the tomatillo instead of an unripe tomato.

Green tomatoes in a chutney

Solanine is heat stable and cannot be destroyed by boiling. To reduce the toxicity of the chutney, you should process unripe tomatoes with half-ripe tomatoes. Additional ingredients also reduce the solanine concentration in the end product. Chutneys can be stretched with windfalls such as apples or plums. You can add raisins and chili peppers as you like.

Basic recipe:

1. Dice the ginger, garlic and onions
2. Sauté in a pan with a little olive oil
3. Cut the tomatoes and apples into small cubes
4. Put in the pan and fry lightly
5. with coriander, cloves and turmeric to taste
6. Pour apple cider vinegar on top and bring to a boil
7. Let simmer for two hours until a thick consistency is formed

Green jam

The addition of preserving sugar in jams dilutes them. This can reduce the solanine content by 35 percent. In this way, you can also use completely unripe tomatoes. If you use the jam sparingly, there is no risk of poisoning. The preparation takes place according to the instructions on the preserving sugar.

Ingredients:

• 500 grams of unripe tomatoes
• 500 grams of preserving sugar in a ratio of 1: 1
• a dash of brown rum
• ground cinnamon
• ground vanilla pods
• Orange aroma

The difference between unripe and green tomatoes

The plants of green ripe varieties hardly differ externally from the plants with red fruits. When you plant different varieties in your greenhouse, identifying green ripe and unripe tomatoes is not easy. Pay attention to the fine nuances, because green ripe tomatoes are slightly lighter green than unripe fruits when ripe. If you gently press the fruit in, the pulp will give way slightly.

Do green varieties contain solanine?

There are tomato varieties that keep their green color even when ripe

There is now a whole range of varieties to buy that keep their green color even when fully ripe. But even these varieties show negligible amounts of solanine when the tomatoes are fully ripe. If you want to be on the safe side and don't want to make green chutneys or soups from unripe fruits, you can switch to these green ripe varieties:

• 'Green Zebra'
• 'Dorothy's Green'
• 'Evergreen'
• 'Green Grape'
• 'Lime Green Salad'

Green ripe tomato soup with foam

Wash green ripe fruits and put them in a blender. Together with fresh basil leaves and a little salt, they are mixed into a paste. Fill the mass into a fine sieve, which is placed in a bowl overnight. The juice slowly drips off and collects in the bowl without the pulp. You can also squeeze the puree through a cloth to get a clear tomato water.

Chop the garlic into large pieces and fry them in a little olive oil. Add about 500 grams of sliced ​​green tomatoes and refine the pan with a little white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes so that the tomatoes release their liquid. After cooling, the porridge is pressed through a fine sieve to create a creamy broth. Add the tomato water.

For the milk froth, briefly boil minced garlic in milk. Add roughly chopped basil leaves and let the milk steep for 20 minutes. Then sieve off the coarse components and froth the milk. It is given over the tomato soup before consumption.

frequently asked Questions

How do green tomatoes turn red?

The berry fruits primarily need heat for the ripening process. Tomatoes therefore ripen optimally in the sun. However, the air must not be too dry, otherwise the pulp will dry out too quickly. The ideal conditions for post-ripening are at temperatures between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius and a humidity of at least 80 percent.

Place the unripe fruits on a red foil, because the reflected light accelerates ripening. Apples, bananas and apricots also use their ripening gases to ensure that the processes run faster.

Are green tomato seeds poisonous?

In numerous dishes, the inner workings of the tomato are removed before preparation. The motives for this approach are different. Some are afraid of the risk of poisoning, while other cooks want to avoid a deterioration in taste. The fact is that tomato seeds do not pose any health risks in the usual consumption quantities. The University of Reading has found that the kernels, including their gel-like coating, contain eleven times more glutamate than the pulp. As a result, the inner workings turn out to be a natural flavor enhancer.

What is lycopene?

This dye is a natural product that is produced to protect against solar radiation. Excessive sun makes tomatoes red faster. However, sunlight is not necessarily required for the production of the dye. Green tomatoes also turn red in the dark, provided the temperatures are right.

Lycopene is of particular importance to human health. It strengthens the immune system and protects against various types of cancer and circulatory diseases. People with high levels of lycopene in their blood have more youthful skin and are less prone to wrinkles.

Can the seeds in the tomato germinate?

As early as 2005, ripe tomatoes were discovered with seeds germinating in the pulp. Scientists explain this phenomenon by the start of fermentation and degradation processes that begin when tomatoes have fallen down. This gives the seeds the information that fruit growth is complete. They germinate when the fruits are overripe and the weather conditions are right. This premature germination is one of the exceptions and could also be genetically influenced.

Are seedlings in tomatoes edible?

The green parts of the tomato plant contain various solanum glycoalkaloids, which are grouped together as the active ingredient solanine. They protect the plant from predators and are toxic. Nevertheless, the consumption of green parts of plants or tomato seedlings is not fundamentally dangerous. The amount affects the toxicity. To a small extent, an adult person has no discomfort to fear.

Are green spots on ripe tomatoes poisonous?

The solanine is also contained in the stem of the tomato or in the green areas of ripening fruits. The further the ripening process progresses, the lower the solanine concentration. Many people cut the stalk out of concern for their own health. However, consuming green parts of the plant in such small quantities is completely harmless and you do not have to worry about poisoning.