How To Store Tomatillos

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Tomatillos are not as well known as some other fruits, but once you try them for the first time, you will absolutely love them!

Because they are not as easily accessible as things like apples and bananas, knowing how to store them correctly can be quite difficult, but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. 

How To Store Tomatillos

If you are struggling to work out the best way to store your tomatillos, then you have come to the right place!

We are going to show you some ways in which you can store your tomatillos to make sure you get the best usage out of them, without them going bad. So let’s take a look!

What Are Tomatillos?

If you have never heard of tomatillos before, you’re probably wondering what they are! They look like a mixture of tomatoes and pumpkins, and are also known as “Mexican husk tomatoes”. 

Though they look like unripe tomatoes, they are very much their own fruit. They are small and completely green, and their name quite literally means “little tomato” in Spanish! They are related to tomatoes, but you can think of them as very distant cousins. 

Tomatillos are a part of the nightshade family and they can be eaten both cooked and raw. They are full of flavor, being sweet, tart, a bit earthy, and slightly fruity. 

How To Store Tomatillos

There are a few ways in which you can store tomatillos and we are going to take a look at each of them. The best ways to store tomatillos include storing them at room temperature, refrigerating them, and freezing them

Storing Tomatillos At Room Temperature 

Storing tomatillos at room temperature is the quickest and easiest way to store them, but it isn’t the best way in terms of longevity.

If you are planning to store them at room temperature, then you will need to use them up in about 1 to 2 days. To correctly store them at room temperature, follow these steps: 

  1. First, you will need to check how ripe your tomatillos are. 

This is mainly important if you are growing them yourself, but even if you picked them up from a grocery store, checking their ripeness is in your best interest. To work out if tomatillos are ripe, you will need to check the husks.

The husks will start to split when they are ripe and they will start to curl open. 

The outside of the husk can turn yellow, red, or even purple. These are all indications that the tomatillos are ripe. The color of the husk will depend purely on what kind of tomatillo it is. 

  1. If any are unripe, leave them for another 1 to 2 days.

If you notice that any of the tomatillos are not ripe, then give them an extra day or two to catch up to the ripe ones.

They can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days once they have been harvested or their container has been opened, so don’t worry if they need an extra day to ripen fully. 

  1. Finally, keep your tomatillos on your counter and use them within 2 days.

Once they are ripe, you can simply keep them on your kitchen counter and then use them within 2 days. Do not use them if they have been left out for longer than that though. 

Storing Tomatillos In Your Refrigerator

How To Store Tomatillos

This is the most popular and common way to store your tomatillos because they last a lot longer than they would at room temperature, but they are still fresher than freezing them. Follow these steps to store your tomatillos in the refrigerator. 

  1. Keep the husks on your tomatillos until you plan on using them.

It’s important to keep the husks on the tomatillos until you are ready to use them because they are an important part of ripening the fruit.

Keeping the husks on the tomatillos means they will stay fresh for even longer than they would if you were to take them off. If the husks are shriveled in any way, this means that the tomatillos are overripe, so they won’t have as much flavor. 

  1. Put the ripened tomatillos into a paper bag.

Take your tomatillos and place them into a paper bag. A simple brown paper bag will do for this step. You will also need to fold up the top to create a very loose seal.

The paper bag helps to absorb any moisture that is trapped in your tomatillos and will keep them drier for longer

  1. Put the bag into the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.

Once you have completed step 2, simply take the brown bag filled with tomatillos and place it into the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.

Make sure you place them in a way they won’t get crushed and you will be able to keep them stored here for about 3 weeks. 

Storing Your Tomatillos In The Freezer

This method is great if you have a large batch of tomatillos and can’t use them up quickly. They won’t be as fresh as they would be in the refrigerator, but they will last for much longer and still taste good. 

  1. Remove all the husks – Peel back each section of the husk individually before you freeze them. To take the stem off, twist it in the same way you would with an apple.
  1. Wash the bare tomatillos – When you have removed the husks, rinse the tomatillos in the sink to get the slime off.
  1. Place them into a freezer bag – You can store them whole or chopped, whatever works for you! Just ensure you place them into a freezer bag and then put them in the freezer. You can store them in the freezer for up to a year.

Final Thoughts

Tomatillos may not be as well known as some other fruits and vegetables, but they are definitely worth trying and you can store them in many different ways. 

Follow the steps for each method we have provided, and you won’t have to worry about your tomatillos going bad!

Further Recommendations:

Video: Tomatillo Harvest!

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