The One Mistake That Instantly Ruins Tomatoes

I’m going to shoot straight with you on this one: I grew up in a home—I’m so sorry, Mama—where tomatoes were routinely brought in from the garden or the grocery and placed promptly into the fridge. I never thought twice about it until I began cooking professionally and noticed that the fine dining restaurants where I landed typically had a speed rack with carefully lined sheet trays filled with perfectly ripe, room-temperature tomatoes. I was aghast. Weren’t they going to rot sitting out there in the open like that? Turns out, the answer is a little complicated. 

Why Tomatoes Don’t Belong in the Refrigerator  

Tomatoes are summer fruits. They grow best in warm, sunny climates and die in colder temps. Their reaction to being placed in the fridge is not dissimilar to being outside in cool weather. When you place a ripe tomato in the fridge, the cold temperature shocks it, causing the outer skin and membrane to break down on a cellular level. This results in a mushy, mealy, unappetizing texture.

Placing a tomato in the cooler also disrupts the production of the enzyme that generates the sweetness and complexity of its flavor profile. In sum, if you like the flavor and texture of tomatoes, store them on your countertop. 

Are There Exceptions?

Yes! If you only eat half of a ripe tomato, you must place the sliced half into the fridge, as you would any other cut fruit or vegetable. Tomatoes that are going to over-ripen before you can eat them can also be put in the fridge—just know that their flavor and texture will be compromised the longer they hang out in there. My hot take on this subject is to only buy as many tomatoes as you can eat within a few days and store them on the countertop.

Related: