Stewed tomatoes



Stewed tomatoes is a dish made by cooking tomatoes in a stew. It is often cooked with garlic and herbs, and consumed with bread or meat. It is eaten as either a main dish or a side dish. Stewed tomatoes are sometimes prepared in the United States on occasions such as Thanksgiving.

History
Food historian Andrew F. Smith stated that stewed tomatoes became popular in the United States in the early 19th century, with recipes appearing as early as 1829, as tomatoes in general became popular in the United States. Stewed tomatoes commonly appeared in restaurants in the 1840s. Canned stewed tomatoes were common starting in the 1940s. Currently, the dish is prepared on special occasions like Thanksgiving, in American kitchens, often as a combination with casseroles and puddings. Noted food historian Betty Fussell stated that stewed tomatoes were one of the most loved and common dishes for her grandfather's generation. She adds that she remembers heating tomatoes and adding butter, salt and sugar in it, to create a dish that was served with bread on a daily basis. In 2019, Dayton.com, a news website based in Dayton, Ohio, reported that stewed tomatoes were popular in Dayton restaurants.

Preparations
The earliest recipe of the dish can be found in the work The Frugal Housewife by Lydia Maria Child published in the year 1829. Child has explained a simple recipe of a catsup created by boiling tomatoes in hot water and adding herbs and garlic which can be served as a side dish with chowder and meat. However, over the decades there have been variations.

Preparing
Stewed tomato recipes often include sugar, peppers, onions, and salt. Stewed tomatoes can be canned with tomato juice and other ingredients.