4 of the most delicious tomato juice recipes for the winter

Tomato juice is a byproduct of fresh tomatoes. It can be used for daily consumption or added as an ingredient to main and first courses. Commercially produced juices often contain unnatural preservatives that can be harmful to human health. Preparing natural juice at home will help protect you and your family from low-quality products.
The benefits and harms of tomato juice
Fresh tomatoes contain many beneficial vitamins that boost vitality. In winter, tomatoes are too expensive to make fresh juice. A solution is canned tomato juice, which contains all the same nutrients as fresh tomatoes.
Useful properties of tomato products:
- improves the condition of cancer patients, reduces the likelihood of developing cancer in healthy people;
- improves the condition of a person who has experienced a stressful situation;
- improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines;
- has a beneficial effect on the condition of the blood;
- reduces eye pressure.
Harm from tomato juice:
- The product should not be consumed by people with open peptic ulcers, during exacerbation of gastritis, pancreatitis, or urolithiasis;
- Not recommended for use during food poisoning.
Be sure to check the lids for leaks. If you don't, there's a chance 30% of the jars will blow off. Turn them upside down, place them on a piece of newspaper, and seal them. Unsealed jars will leak. Do not store them.
Tips for choosing tomatoes and preparing jars for preserving juice
- Choose slightly overripe tomatoes for juicing. The fruits should be juicy.
- To get a thick juice, take half juicy and half fleshy tomatoes.
- Do not allow spoiled tomatoes to come into contact with the juice; even if the rotten area is cut off, the finished tomato product may spoil during storage.
- Before processing the tomatoes into juice, wash and dry them.
- Wash jars with baking soda or dish soap. Rinse several times. Dry in the sun, if possible. Sterilize on the day of canning. You can disinfect jars in several ways: in the oven or in a double boiler.
Recipes for making tomato juice for the winter
The flavor of tomato juice depends on the tomato variety. To prepare tomato juice at home, you can use a variety of kitchen tools and ingredients.
Tomato juice without sterilization in a juicer
A juicer allows you to quickly process large quantities of fruit. The resulting juice will be runny, without seeds or skins. To maximize the yield from tomatoes, boil them before juicing.
Necessary products:
- tomatoes – 10 kilograms;
- table salt (to taste).
Cooking process:
Boil the peeled tomatoes for 10-15 minutes, then let them cool. Then, juice them. Pour the resulting tomato juice into a saucepan and place it on the stove. Once the mixture boils, add salt to taste and cook for 4-5 minutes. Pour the finished tomato juice into sterilized jars and seal with lids.
After sealing the lids, turn the jars of juice upside down and wrap them in a warm blanket. This will further sterilize the juice and help the hot jars cool more slowly.
Tomato juice through a blender
You can also puree fresh tomatoes in a blender. For a more nutritious juice, add celery.
Necessary products:
- tomatoes – 10 kg;
- celery – 3 kg;
- spices to taste.
Cooking process:
Wash the tomatoes and celery and cut into wedges to make blending easier. Place the tomato-celery mixture in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and let cool. Then, strain the mixture through a metal sieve. Remove the skins and seeds from the tomato mixture and place it over medium heat. When the mixture boils, add salt and sugar to taste. Simmer for a few more minutes until the salt and sugar dissolve. Then, pour into sterile containers and seal with metal lids.
Tomato juice through a meat grinder
If you don't have a juicer or blender, a meat grinder will help you chop the tomatoes. A mechanical device should come with an attachment for separating the juice from the skins and seeds.
Necessary products:
- tomatoes – 10 kilograms;
- garlic – 6 cloves;
- spices to taste.
Cooking process:
Cut the tomatoes into pieces to make them easier to load into the grinder. Grind all the tomatoes, and simmer the resulting tomato pulp in a saucepan for 5-10 minutes. Then, strain the mixture through a sieve, as any seeds and skins may still be present. Add the garlic, crushed with a garlic press, to the juice, along with salt, pepper, and sugar, to taste. Return to the heat. Once the tomato mixture comes to a boil, pour it into disinfected jars and seal with lids.
Pour the hot juice very carefully to avoid the jar cracking or the bottom falling off. It's recommended to pour the tomato liquid in a cup.
Tomato juice in a juicer
You can also prepare the drink using a juice cooker, if you have one.
Necessary products:
- tomatoes – 3 kg;
- sugar – 25 gr.;
- salt – 12 g;
- a pinch of ground pepper.
Cooking process:
Fill the second tier of a juicer with water. Bring it to a boil. While the water is boiling, cut the tomatoes into quarters and place them in the third tier, covering with a lid. After simmering for 5 minutes, sprinkle the tomatoes with sugar, salt, and pepper. Once all the liquid has evaporated, remove the tomatoes from the third tier and strain through a sieve. Place the resulting liquid in a saucepan, pour in the resulting juice, stir, pour into jars, and preserve.
Tomato juice in winter will evoke those warm summer days of delicious, juicy tomatoes. Prepare enough tomato juice, and you won't need to buy it at the store. This way, the naturalness and delicious taste of homemade juice will delight you all winter long.
