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Post by Mari on Aug 31, 2020 22:09:49 GMT
I surfed around just a tad on the net earlier but thought I would ask here before making any attempt. I prefer not to actually dry them in the sun. I see that some folks either use their oven or a dehydrator. I appreciate any advice or tips if anyone here has done this. Thanks!  ~Moi |
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Post by solargeek on Sept 1, 2020 3:14:21 GMT
I do hundreds of sundried tomatoes each year. Standard NESCO dehydrator.
1. wipe and core tomatoes
2. slice the same (or about the same) width of slices. Smaller "pear" tomatoes can just be sliced in 1/2
3. place closely on trays but not too crowded
4. DECIDE WHAT YOU WILL USE THEM FOR. You cannot keep them more than 1 week as soft, oil covered "sundried" tomatoes even in the fridge as botulism is real and hits this kind of item hard.
SO I make 3 kinds: 1. still soft and chewy and delicious for pizzas, salads, bruschettas etc. 2. Slightly wetter for making into actual intense sauce or existing sauce enhancements. Like grinding up and adding to my home made tomato sauce. 3. crunchy for munching or totally dry and into powder.
5. Use about 135F for 8-10 hours for the soft/chewy with your slices at least 1/4" thick; use higher temps for the other types.
I put the dehydrator in my garage so as not to stink or heat up the house. I turn it on bout 7-8 pm and check it at 6 am when I get up.
Easy peasy
Just remember: 1 week only in your fridge. DO not believe the internet when others show it all pretty and say 6 months....
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Post by mtviolet on Sept 1, 2020 3:21:42 GMT
I do like solargeek, except I don't keep them in the fridge, I freeze them on a cookie sheet, when frozen I put them in a big ziploc baggie and store them in the freezer. that way you can have the soft ones year round, just add a little oil when they are thawed out. does wonders for a pizza in the middle of a blizzard.
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Post by ceresone on Sept 1, 2020 15:36:07 GMT
Did anyone have theirs turn out bitter? After my second ones did, I quit.
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Post by solargeek on Sept 1, 2020 21:38:46 GMT
I do like solargeek, except I don't keep them in the fridge, I freeze them on a cookie sheet, when frozen I put them in a big ziploc baggie and store them in the freezer. that way you can have the soft ones year round, just add a little oil when they are thawed out. does wonders for a pizza in the middle of a blizzard. Sorry I think I lost a sentence in my list of what to do I always freeze each type sundried tomato. I make (a) large cubes out of pesto, (b) medium containers labeled with each type of non processed dehydrated tomatoes (ex: good for pizza or pesto; or, good for chips; or good for strong sauce). |
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Post by Mari on Sept 3, 2020 11:54:28 GMT
Thanks solargeek , mtviolet , ceresone , for taking the time to reply to my thread. Oh my stars, I wish I had thought of doing this years ago! Dusted off my trusty Ronco dehydrator that we have had for eons and placed sliced tomatoes in. They turned out great and talk about delicious! I do plan on freezing them on cookie sheets then vacuum sealing in packets then down to the deep freeze they go... ~Moi |
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Post by UseLess on Sept 3, 2020 15:38:32 GMT
Sun-dried means to me that you put your trays outside in the sun until the sliced tomatoes are dried up. I tried that just once, years ago. BUGS and FLIES, even with cheesecloth over. No thanks.
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Post by Mari on Sept 3, 2020 20:32:30 GMT
Sun-dried means to me that you put your trays outside in the sun until the sliced tomatoes are dried up. I tried that just once, years ago. BUGS and FLIES, even with cheesecloth over. No thanks. I had read about that problem on various sites on the net - Yickamonga! - Hence me looking at other alternatives. Must say, sometimes they are a little hard to stay out of - they are sooo tasty. Ha, my husband is not a "fresh tomato eater" by any longshot. He prefers them cooked. Today, I finally convinced him to just take a whiff from the baggie that I've got some of them in - from the fridge. He got this inquisitive look on his face as he said - "Hmmmm". So I convinced him to try a piece and he's like - "These are good - they taste like candy!"  ~Moi |
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Post by joebill on Sept 4, 2020 4:15:49 GMT
Well, not on purpose.....Joe
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Post by mtviolet on Sept 14, 2020 3:36:30 GMT
Sun dried is how they used to be dried, now they are dried in a fraction of the time in a dehydrator, with no bugs or mold.
dried tomatoes make a fantastic powder too.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2020 8:52:19 GMT
I actually slice, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle some chopped garlic on top - then dehydrate. If you add a little kosher salt, they seem to dry faster and it seems to pull more flavor.
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