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Minnesota

Is there a shortcut for getting seeds out of a tomato? have never done this, so far it is hard to getting them out of the gel.

7/29/2012 5:02:03 PM

Omaha, Ne.

I just scrape them, goo and all in a full cup of water then put it in a cool out of the way place. Like in the basement. it will take 3 or 4 days, and it will start to ferment (rot) and it will stink. Then pour off the nasty goo, and floating seeds (there no good anyways) The good seeds will sink to the bottom. Flush the seeds with clean water.
Pour off most of the water. drain the seeds on a paper plate they will be clean. Let dry. They will stick a little, just bend the plate and they will be free.

7/29/2012 8:35:12 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

You have to let them ferment....

7/30/2012 1:09:41 PM

East Carbon, Utah

For larger tomatoes, I slice the tomato in half along the "equator", take a cut half in one hand, hold it over a small bowl (I use 16 oz. sour cream-type plastic containers) and dig the seeds out, with their gel, with my little finger.

Throw the stem section and damaged parts in with the seeds, along with a little water (I only use an ounce or two, depending upon how much fluid is already present), and this should help with the fermentation process.

I just cannot bear to ferment the entire tomato if it's got any size to it. What's left of the tomato can be pretty messy, but it's still great for cooking.

7/31/2012 12:27:04 AM

Minnesota

Thanks for the reply's.

8/1/2012 1:05:21 PM

United Kingdom

I always use the same method that I have for over twenty years-all my seeds are hand rubbed, it takes only a couple of minutes per variety to do.
Take out the seeds and gel etc from a quite ripe tomato, into a large wire mesh flour sieve-(Not Nylon mesh), then holding the whole thing under a running water (cold water) tap, rinse them around under the jet of water for a few seconds and then proceed to rub the seeds up against the wire mesh with two fingers, this removes all the gel and pretty much leaves the seeds clean.
No chemicals are used whatsoever-just water, the whole thing is then turned upside down and struck fairly hard onto a polythene plastic sheet, laid flat on a folded newspaper or something similar, the seeds are then arranged and spread out using the tip of one finger, then it is laid on a flat surface at cool room temperature for about a week, and then the dried seeds are sluffed off with a finger nail, and then bagged or stored in packets,
I usually get at least 95% germination from these and even after they are ten years old or more-at least 50% germination.

11/25/2012 4:08:57 AM