Annoying tomato paste packaging
I don't think I've ever seen a recipe calling for more than a tablespoon of tomato paste. But it's sold in little cans that can't be reclosed. I don't use it every day, so every time I do, I wind up throwing away most of the canful. How long does it keep after opening? And is there any way to safely store it for long periods of time?
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24 Comments:
You can divide it into tablespoon quantities, freeze them, then put them in a baggie - take out only what you need.
I saw that somewhere - I'm thinking America's Test Kitchen?
It annoys me, too. I've looked for the tubes, but haven't found them in my area. I'd like tubes of anchovy paste as well.
PerkyMac at 8:01PM on 12/11/07
This is worth the $2.99 just because there's no waste. And it's a really tasty product.
chiff0nade at 8:44PM on 12/11/07
I agree with chiff0nade.... that's the brand I use and i love it. Great taste and you can just keep it in fridge until next time.
I have always found the tubes at either Whole Foods or the equivilant, or higher end grocery stores.
Alm25 at 9:05PM on 12/11/07
I've found the tubes in gourmet markets and italian markets. So convenient!
Kerosena at 9:16PM on 12/11/07
I have used tubes forever for those little quantities. They sell them everywhere. I thought everyone knew about that. They even had it at Walmart.
JerzeeTomato at 9:41PM on 12/11/07
I'm alone and disabled, so all my shopping is done on the internet. I truly live in the boonies. Acme delivers, but the choices are slim pickens. Price is always an object of importance in my circumstances. Thanks for the tip chiffOnade.
PerkyMac at 9:51PM on 12/11/07
Get a good can opener.
This might seem stupid, but when you have a good can opener, you can keep cans of opened food food for a very long time in the fridge, because this can opener cuts off a very clean lid which seals very neatly back onto the can. An open can of tomato paste can be kept a week or two in the fridge this way.
Those tubes are a rip-off. They charge about five times the price for the same volume of product. I buy Luigi Vitelli tomato paste for $.69 a can, and these are double concentrated san marzano tomatoes. The can opener will pay for itself.
seyo at 11:39PM on 12/11/07
Good suggestions, everyone. Thanks for responding.
I'm going to have to look for tubes. I haven't seen them in my local markets.
minstrel at 12:52AM on 12/12/07
I finally found the tube at KROGER.
eatorama at 12:59AM on 12/12/07
Uh, I've been opening cans (with a can opener that's nearly a family heirloom) and covering them with plastic wrap or a conveniently sized plastic lid or even tin foil, then putting them back in the fridge for years. They keep for awhile like that, at least a week. Unless I've been inadvertently poisoning myself and family for years, of course. Or maybe that's not what you mean?
Christina at 1:06AM on 12/12/07
I freeze it in tablespoon quantities like PerkyMac said. It works great! I tried the tube once and the tomato paste got all weird and brown looking!
jenjen at 1:20AM on 12/12/07
I save small containers that I get with condiments when we get Chinese take-out.
I wash them carefully and divide the can into two or three containers and put them in the freezer.
I don't use it frequently enough to just put the tin in the refrigerator
suegsf at 4:43AM on 12/12/07
If I do find myself opening a 7 oz. can of tom paste for a small quantity, I seal it back up by putting a small sheet of plastic wrap over the remaining contents and pressing the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the paste. Otherwise, air hits the remaining product, turning the suface of it brown. If I don't use the remaining paste within a day or two I wind up tossing it. Love those tubes!
chiff0nade at 6:13AM on 12/12/07
I love the tubes, but very rarely see them. So no, JerzeeTomato, they are not available everywhere. Being lazy and all, I don't ever think to portion out and freeze tablespoon size globs (although an excellent idea) I just use what I need, cover top with a baggie & rubber band, and freeze. When I need it again, I just take it out of the freezer a bit early, and carve out what I need with a fork (easier than using a spoon).
Lilla at 8:43AM on 12/12/07
James Beard referred to the tablespoon blobs (which he liked) as "doots" - I always hear that word in my head when I deal with tomato paste.
lemons at 10:15AM on 12/12/07
Love it lemons! Doots is so much more uplifting than blobs.
PerkyMac at 11:03AM on 12/12/07
One small Tupperware style container, which lives in the freezer. Every time I need most of a can and not all, the remains go in there, scooped in to roughly large tablespoon sized servings - just scrapped along the edges of the contained. That way, when you need just one, all you have to do is wait a minute (to give the plastic time to warm up enough to open) and you're ready to go. I pretty much always just through the paste in, still frozen. It's small and thaws quickly.
(The tubes are way too expensive for what they are, and unnecessary. Also? Little plastic tubes are not exactly environmentally friendly.)
Peasantwench at 11:43AM on 12/12/07
Another convenient way to freeze leftover tomato paste (or anything that you want to store in small quantities) is to use small ice cube trays.
souvenir at 11:47AM on 12/12/07
I use the ice cube tray method for pesto too. we used to have pounds (literally) of basil every year. you make a lot of pesto. freeze it, and throw a cube in a pot of minestrone months later. Same would work for the paste, but i LOOOOOOVE the idea of the tube.
Ditto the squeeze bottles of sweetened condensed milk (for the coffee of course).
kitchengeeking at 12:05PM on 12/12/07
I use Glad Press N Seal. Plop tablespoon sized potions out, press around them. Freeze em. Then then you want one, just peel it off.
DanaMc at 12:29PM on 12/12/07
No need to go to the trouble of freezing individual tablespoons. I just spoon the tomato paste into a baggie, squeeze out the air, seal, and freeze. Then I can cut off what I need with a knife. (Run the knife's blade under hot water for a few seconds if you have trouble cutting through the frozen paste.)
Dee at 1:26PM on 12/12/07
Re: can opener -- OXO Good Grips makes a good smooth-edge model for under $20 (unseals the entire lid from the can without cutting it). I have one that I use all the time because it keeps the filthy lid from falling into the can.
That said, it's usually not a good idea to store food in its original can, especially tomato products. If it's a can with the white lining, you can fudge on this rule.
The tubes are a bit pricier, but the product is much better than most you get in cans, and there is no waste, so in the long-run, probably not much more expensive. You can also get garlic paste, anchovy paste, pesto, and other similar small-quantity ingredients in tubes. In my area, they are all sold at ordinary, large chain supermarkets. They are widely available by Internet.
When I do have leftovers from the can, I do the freezer method. But, whether you freeze or refrigerate, I agree with making sure to keep the product from making contact with air (the plastic wrap on the surface technique works well).
LoCo at 2:12PM on 12/12/07
Thanks chiffonade and others for all the tubed suggestions...it is a problem using those cans!
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 6:25PM on 12/12/07
While you'll need to buy in bulk, Amazon sells both the anchovy paste and the tomato paste in tubes... still, 12 tubes of each is a lot, I guess. I bet they make great holiday gifts, though.
DaveFaris at 6:41PM on 12/12/07