How to Make Sun Dried Tomatoes
August 3rd, 2009 by Scott |
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Ready for the oven...
I’ve been going tomato crazy this year, boring the hell out of everyone at work with almost daily updates on how my batch of home grown ones are doing. My modest 4 plants are in the conservatory and have been providing me with a reasonable, if not plentiful harvest. My recent idea to fill pretty much all of the floor space with plants next year was met with instant disapproval from Gosia; needless to say I agreed with her opinion (like any good husband), but will go ahead and do it anyway.
Sun drying is just one technique you can use to preserve tomatoes should you be lucky enough to have a glut of them this year. Even better, you don’t need the sun to do it – great for those of us living in England, where this summer is turning out to be yet another wash out.
The basic idea is simple. You take a load of tomatoes, chop them in half and place on a wire tray (as pictured), then sprinkle with salt (Maldon sea salt is great) and dried herbs of your choice. It’s then out into the sun or (more realistically in the UK), into the oven until dried. In my gas oven this meant 130 degrees c (266 degrees f – the lowest it would go – around 100 would be perfect) for about 8 hours, opening the door slightly for the last few hours to prevent them burning. Once dried you can store them in a sterilised jar filled with olive oil until needed; the oil will absorb some of the flavour over time making a great by-product. Incidentally I prefer them “semi-dried” – this gives all the benefits but still leaves them instantly munchable should you be unable to resist (but be aware they wont keep long like this).
This year I’ve done it with both my own home-grown tomatoes, and cheap supermarket varieties. I can now report back that the uneven sizes of my home grown ones were a big mistake (the smaller ones burnt before the bigger ones were done). The difference in taste between my own and the supermarket ones when fresh was immediately noticable; not so once they were dried. I can therefore happily recommend this as a way of transforming cheap tomatoes into a gourmet food, should you not have any of your own to hand.
I love them tossed into pasta, salads, and on a slice of crusty bread drizzled with olive oil. Why not give it a go?
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Ok, I didn’t know you could do this in the oven! Better get on it before the tomatoes run out…
Most shop bought varieties in the Western world are done in a similar way. They still taste delicious.
Thanks RE – we’ve a glut of tomatoes too, will be good fun for the kids to do!
Lucky you with the glut! I’m jealous!
I am on the fence on my tomato plants. They started out a ball of fire but I have been getting hammered with early blight. Ripped two of them out last night and had to do some serious trimming on them. Kind of bummed but at least I know what went wrong.
If I get enough I definitely plan on drying them out. Such great concentrated flavors and packing them in olive oil makes a great oil too.
Gutted if they turned out badly. I’m already planning next years.
This is how I make these, too — except I add a drizzle of olive oil while cooking. Usually make these in the winter when tomatoes are awful-tasting, and it’s so nice to transform them into something so wonderful. I cook mine overnight. I love waking up to the smell of roasting tomatoes.
I’ve done it both with and without the oil. Both ways seem to work; yours is probably better for the semi-dried ones.
Great idea! I have a food dehydrator and may try it using that. It takes just as long as the oven but no chance of burning. Yum!
I’ve never heard of nor used a food dehydrator. Sheltered life I suppose
Oven you say, :p mmm, with spring starting to kick in, this is inspiration to go out and start with tomato growing.
Spring for you – late Summer for me. Another terrible one in the UK
I’ll have to try to make these in the oven, even though I live in sunny California. If I tried to dry them in the sun on my patio, all I would be doing would be feeding the squirrels!
Happy squirrels
I’m always interested in a way to improve the flavour of cheap supermarket tomatoes. It’s what is more readily available and I have found tomatoes to be a difficult plant to grow here in hot humid weather.
Thanks for the tip.
Around here the supermarket tomatoes are terrible; anything to help is welcome.
I love making these myself! So easy and much cheaper than buying those bottled ones in the store
I also prefer mine “semi-dried” and yes, they are the perfect way to bring out the sweetness in less than perfect tomatoes! Great post!
You’re welcome…
If you marinate them overnight in Balsamic vinegar they become very very good.
Agreed; I’m going through a balsamic phase right now.
I don’t have a greenhouse, so my tomatoes never, ever ripen properly. I get a nice selection of green fruit, some of which does get ripened on the windowsill, but most goes into chutneys.
I’ll give this a try – sun dried tomatoes are a useful thing to have around. Packed with flavour, they give a real kick to a lot of simple dishes.
Well I have lots of tomatoes, but none very big. Still, I am thankful for small blessings!
This is a fantastic idea Scott. Can’t wait to try it!!
It’s well worth it. Let me know how it goes.
Marvelous tip Scott ! am surely gonna give it a try
Glad you found it useful!
didn’t know that the oven can substitute the sun. Great preserving tips. only my oven is broken at the moment:-( & plenty of Texas sun.. LOL nah! I will use the oven when fixed, cannot have dust blow on the precious tomatoes.
Lucky you if you have sun. It’s raining here again.
Question
How do I can these in oil? Do I have to heat the jars and oil and then put in a water bath like I would for jellies? I want to preserve them in jars like I get at the store and use them as gifts. Please be more specific for this rookie trying to learn.
Thanks!
Hi Pam,
This bit is easy; simply sterilise the jars (I like the hot soapy water method; give them a good scrubbing, rinse, and put in the oven on a really low heat to dry), then place in the tomatoes and pour over the oil. Store them in the fridge and they’ll last for ages – a good 6 months or so.
dou you think using the oven would work for sun drying sea weed to eat
we use dulse for soup but I am told it makes a great dried ingredient
Beyond my experience, but I can’t see why not. A temp low enough not to burn will evaporate off the moisture.
i live in south africa where sun is plentiful right now, tomatoes too. i dry my tomatoes under netting, outside, cut side up after sprinkling with salt. i have gotne mould over the entire batch and have discarded them. besides oven drying is there ary method that i can use so that can stop mould from growing on the tomatoes. i dont think that placing them face down would prevent the deposition of fungus from the atmosphere. help please