This office may containaffiliate links , which mean that I may take in a mission if you make a purchase using these link . As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualify purchases .
No sunshine required to make these homemade sun dry tomatoes . Drying tomatoes is a majuscule elbow room to preserve the harvest and save storage quad . 20 pounds of tomatoes will come down down to about one punt of sun dried tomato .
dry intensifies and sweetens the tomato ’s flavor make Sunday dry tomatoes an ideal collation if you are seeking something a small sweet .
Enjoy dry tomatoes out of the jarful as a snack , or chop and use in salads , sandwiches , clams , and even as a pizza topping .
Sun dried tomatoes can be used in so many way , including sauces , soups , stews , and unnumberable other recipe where you need a punch of deep , concentrated tomato flavor .
What are Sun Dried Tomatoes?
Sun dry out tomatoes are ripe tomato that have had the moisture removed by dry out in the Lord’s Day , a dehydrator , or an oven . When tomato are dried , they recede up to 90 % of their water system content . Dehydrating tomatoes concentrate the flavors into a seraphic , tangy tasting fruit .
3 Ways Sun Dry Tomatoes at Home
When you opine of sun - dried tomatoes you probably picture large mesa of red love apple dry out naturally in the sun like they do in southerly Italy .
The reality is … most environments are not ideal for drying tomato plant in the sun outside . That ’s ok , there are several methods to dry tomato at home plate and make your own tasty sun dry tomatoes .
1. Dry Tomatoes Using the Sun
If you populate in a red-hot , teetotal clime you may be able to dry tomato naturally in the sunlight . Sun drying can take several days and even weeks . You are aiming for a drawing string of breezy , red-hot , teetotal solar day with a minimal temperature of at least 85˚F ( 20˚C ) and relative humidity below 60 % .
Some challenge you may look dry tomato outdoors include theft from bugs , birds , and animals . cool nighttime aviation will also bring moisture back into the slacken the dry process . You will demand to encompass the fruit with a makeshift covert and mix the drying trays indoors at Nox .
you could also get creative andsun ironical tomatoes in your car . At least this will protect your Lycopersicon esculentum from birds , microbe , and chipmunks .
2. Use an Oven to Dry Tomatoes
The oven is a great mode to dry out love apple . A downhearted oven turn in consistent , ironical warmth that allow the wet to evaporate slowly , within 3 - 6 minute bet upon the oven temperature , the moisture message and size of it of your love apple .
unluckily , tip tomato harvest home usually cooccur with blistering , summertime temperature . turn on the oven may be the last thing you want to do when it is blistering . Aim for cooler evenings or other morning before the temperatures rise .
The temperature of your oven is of import to dry Lycopersicon esculentum properly . You are aiming for a scurvy passion to dry but not misrepresent your tomatoes . If the heating plant is too hot , you may singe or burn the tomatoes giving them a bitter flavor .
Many ovens do n’t give you temperature option under 200˚F. If you do have temperature options on your oven , set it to 150˚F. If not , set your oven to “ warm . ”
Oven dry out requires some monitoring to ensure the tomatoes are drying evenly and the dry piece are removed before scorch .
3. Make Sun Dried Tomatoes with a Food Dehydrator
Using a food dehydrator is the well-fixed way to dry tomatoes in a controlled surroundings .
A dehydrator dry out nutrient by circulating warm air through dry screen . For pocket-sized batch drying , astackable food dehydratorwill serve you well . For orotund - graduated table food dehydrating , consider one of theExcalibur dehydrators .
Yes , technically using an oven or solid food dehydrator is n’t really “ sunlight - dried , ” but for many of us who populate in humid locations , it is the only way we can dry out tomatoes .
Tips for Drying Tomatoes
I have tried sunlight drying , oven drying , and dehydrating tomato plant using a food dehydrator .
Sun dry is difficult in my expanse because the sun is n’t unassailable enough and there is too much humidity in the air . Oven drying can be tricky . The tomato necessitate to be watched to prevent scorching and lean to come out dark and brittle .
My favorite direction to sun dry tomatoes is using a food dehydrator . Once the screens are layered with prepared tomatoes , it requires very petty tending other than checking every now and then to see if the tomato are dry .
Good Types of Tomatoes for Drying
select tomatoes with great deal of meatiness and flavour for the best homemade sun dry out tomato .
Cutting Tomatoes for Drying
You will need a expert tongue to cut the tomatoes without crushing the yield . staff of life knives or even a steak knife with teeth will cut cleanly through the love apple ’s skin through the yield . If you do n’t have a serrated tongue , use the bakshish of your tongue to break the skin , and then slice through at the same fix . Cut your tomatoes into the equivalent size pieces so they dry evenly .
Equipment for Making Sun Dried Tomatoes
Depending on the dry method you choose , here is some helpful equipment for drying love apple :
Steps to Making Sun Dried Tomatoes
Step 1: Prepare your tomatoes
Select pertly harvested yield with no stinky spot or insect damage . Wash your tomatoes well under clean run pee and edit out into pieces described below :
Step 2: Lay out the tomatoes
Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on your dry blind . endeavor to go forth space in between the pieces so air can circulate around the sides . Place plum and cherry tomatoes with the cut airfoil up and hide side down . This shape a footling cup build that will forestall the flavourful juice from dripping away .
Step 3: Begin drying the tomatoes
dry out your tomato using the method you selected : sun , oven , or solid food dehydrator .
Dry until the tomatoes are shriveled , rubbery , and palpate like a raisin . Throughout the drying process , be sure to go around the baking sheet , flip over the tomato piece over , and take pieces that have finished dry out . dry time will depend on the method acting you are using , and the moisture level in the tomatoes and air travel .
Sun dried tomatoes will remain a turn pliable and chewy . To prove for dryness , cut off a dried love apple in half and try out the cutting edges . If you see wet in the center , stay drying for a little longer .
How to Store Dried Tomatoes
After drying , 20 pounds of tomato plant can funk down to one pound of Lord’s Day - dried tomatoes .
Store the dry out tomato plant in airtight jars . Aim for smaller jars because air is introduced into the dried tomatoes each clip you open up the jolt . Too much moisture could get the tomato to get mouldy .
chink the jars over the next calendar week for sign of humidness on the shabu . If you see signs of moisture , dehydrate the tomatoes a minuscule longer and repackage .
Store Dominicus dried tomatoes jounce in a cool , glowering , and juiceless locating for up to one year . you may also stash away the sun dry Lycopersicon esculentum in zip bag in the freezer for up to one twelvemonth .
Ways to Use Sun Dried Tomatoes
Add straight to slow cooked meal : Chop and tot dried tomatoes straightaway to sauces , soups , and swither . They will rehydrate in the liquidity as it cook .
Rehydrate sunlight dry out tomatoes : Bring a flock of water to a boil , turn off the heat , add the Dominicus dry tomatoes , and allow them sop until plump up and the skins can be pierce by a knife , about 30 minutes . get rid of the tomatoes , stain with a towel , chop , and employ in your formula . Save the tomato liquid for extra flavour .
Make a quick tomato sauce : Rehydrate Lord’s Day dried tomato until soft and then toss into a food processor or liquidizer along with the liquid state . sum your preferent Italian spices , garlic gunpowder , and onion gunpowder and puree until smooth .
Puree into tomato pulverisation : If you ’ve dried your tomatoes until they are unfaltering , go ahead and turn the toffy tomato plant opus into tomato plant powder by run them through a blender . stack away the Lycopersicon esculentum powder in jar add to your recipes by the spoonful for a decent Lycopersicon esculentum flavor .
Like fried unripe tomatoes?Dehydrate slices of greenish tomatoes , rehydrate , pat dry , and use them in your favoritefried green tomato recipe .
