A Centuries-Old Trick That's A Great Way To Store Tomatoes So They Last Longer

With practically no end to the list of tasty tomato recipes and the simple joy of a juicy tomato all on its own, this fruit is something special. It's also worth knowing how to get the best ones, whether that means learning the different tomato varieties so you can shop for them accordingly, or getting to know the mistakes to avoid when growing your own tomatoes. But all the selecting, gardening, and cooking skills are for naught if you're not sure how best to keep your tomatoes so they stay at their freshest for as long as possible. Have you ever tried packing them in wood ash?

It might sound unconventional, but storing tomatoes in wood ash for preservation is a time-tested method that the Amish community is known for. Farmers in other parts of the world take this approach as well. All you need is the clean ash from a wood-burning fire and a box. You add a layer of ash, then your fresh, ripe tomatoes, and then more ash, making sure to fully surround and pack in each tomato. Then, cover the box and keep it somewhere cool and dry. 

While some claim this keeps tomatoes fresh for months, tests have shown that it's effective for at least five or six weeks — still an incredible amount of time for tomatoes to remain unspoiled. This is due to the ash protecting the tomatoes from air and moisture, which can introduce bacteria and cause spoilage.

You may have heard you're not supposed to refrigerate tomatoes. This is because at low temperatures, tomatoes shut down the production of substances that contribute to their delicious flavor. So, refrigerated tomatoes can equal flavorless tomatoes. The exception is when you notice your tomatoes may be about to start going bad. You won't notice too much flavor breakdown in just a couple of days in the fridge, and popping them in there can hold off the rotting for a bit. The reason that the wood ash storage is so helpful is that it allows you to keep tomatoes out of the intensely cold, flavor-degrading temperatures of the refrigerator, but it keeps the fruit much better protected from moisture and air than it would be if simply left out at room temperature on a counter. There, they can rot pretty quickly.

If you don't have wood ash lying around, at least find a cool, dark, dry place for them, like your pantry. Don't wash them before you're ready to use and eat them, because the moisture can just invite bacteria if it's left sitting on the tomatoes long enough. Try to place them upside down, too, because there's a bit of potential for bacteria to get inside at the stem; this closes that area off. For a method that keeps tomatoes as long as, if not longer than, the wood ash, preserve them in a jar with lemon juice and salt.