You might have heard about mealy tomatoes before but if you haven’t yet then it is a must topic for you to know.
Mealy tomatoes are a kind which is not fresh like the usual one. They are slightly different yet edible but usually, people like to avoid them because they aren’t pleasant enough like normal ones.
Now what if you ever buy mealy tomatoes by mistake or your tomato plant somehow turns into a mealy one, what will you do? No need to worry, you can still enjoy your mealy tomatoes with their best taste.
If you don’t know what to do with mealy tomatoes and are looking for a solution then here you will find everything you were looking for so long. Let’s find out every detail about the mealy tomatoes and the best way to use them.
What is a Mealy Tomato
Tomato plant owners use the word “Mealy tomatoes” to indicate a special kind of tomatoes that are different from the general ones. When a tomato gets mealy it loses its normal look, freshness, and juiciness. However, it doesn’t taste good but still, you can have it.
“Mealy tomatoes” actually have a certain unusual texture different from the fresh ones and also they taste kind of dull and less tasty, sometimes they dissolve instantly while you take a bite of them. They don’t taste that good nor do they taste that bad. They are edible but you need to apply some techniques.
What Makes Tomatoes Mealy
Basically, mealy tomatoes are something very natural which you have no control over. But they have some certain reason to be like this. Like
- When you overwater your tomato plant or less water, it can cause mealy tomatoes. It means improper watering generally creates mealy tomatoes.
- Not only that but an imbalance in nitrogen, calcium, and potassium in the soil can also cause tomatoes to turn into mealy ones. In short, you can say any extra stress on your tomato plant will turn it into a mealy one.
- Otherwise, there are some special kinds of tomatoes which easily get mealy so before you buy your tomato plant make sure it’s the best kind.
- The weather can be another factor behind it. Like too hot weather causes dehydration to the plant can create mealy tomatoes.
- Storing tomatoes in the fridge sometimes makes the tomatoes mealy when your fridge has been set to a temperature below 55 F it sometimes makes the tomatoes mealy. Though it does not always happen, professionals suggest not to store them in the freezer. Instead, it’s best to enjoy them freshly.
How To Make Tomatoes Taste Good?
Mealy tomatoes don’t taste as good as it tastes in the case of fresh juicy tomato. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be used in your food.
You can even use them in your food and enjoy them like fresh ones. But it just needs a little more processing than a fresh juicy one. Like if you want to use mealy tomatoes and want them to taste good you can use them in the following method
- You can roast these tomatoes on a low flame with seasoning and olive oil. It will give the tomatoes a wonderful taste as you can never believe that once it was in the mealy texture. Most of the tasteless or mealy tomatoes are cooked in this way. It is considered the way out of all.
- You can even broil mealy tomatoes and enjoy them like the fresh ones. In that case, broil them unless they become brown from all sides. It will blister the outer side of the tomato and caramelize its juice.
- Another way is to make the sauce with the mealy tomatoes. Just blend the tomatoes with some seasoning and it will be more edible than ever before and will taste great.
These mealy tomatoes are totally safe to eat as they have no other problem than only the tomato texture and a little dull taste. Otherwise, if you feel the taste is not good enough or the texture doesn’t look good to eat you should avoid them.
How To Prevent Mealy Tomatoes?
Now when you are concerned about your mealy tomatoes you may want to know a solution to prevent the kind. If you are noticing mealy tomatoes in your garden then start watering the plants timely. Don’t wait for the rain to appear, water them regularly in an accurate manner.
Never water too much or too little. Also check your soil to see whether they are lacking potassium, calcium, and nitrogen or not. If they are lacking, take initial steps to recover them.
Also, check the variant you are planting because some kinds are meant to be this way. So always produce the good kinds. It will help you to grow fresh healthy tomatoes. If you follow these rules hopefully you will get rid of the mealy tomatoes forever.
Wrapping Up
Never throw out mealy tomatoes, instead, you can use them in dishes, and knowing some facts, you can prevent them as well. Hope we have cleared all your confusion about mealy tomatoes!