Dehydrating tomatoes

Dehydrating tomatoes is an excellent way to preserve those extra tomatoes and a great way to add extra flavor to your meals. Especially for backpackers. Drying tomatoes can be done a couple of different ways and there are some things that you should watch for. Such as the type of tomatoes, the temperature that you dry at and how to prepare them.

You will need to watch the temperature while dehydrating tomatoes. Drying at less than 90º the tomato will dry too slowly, letting the mold and bacteria grow. Drying at 170º or higher, the tomato will cook or case harden (harden on the outside) and the insides will stay moist because the moisture can not get out. This will also start spoilage.

What to buy:
You will want a good hearty, meaty tomato. Make sure they are red, plump and ripe with a firm texture and have no blemishes or shriveled skin. Most tomatoes are over 90% water and the best tomatoes are the oval ones like the Roma, Italian, plum, pear or paste tomato. They have fewer seeds and more pulp which makes for a better dried tomato. Dehydrating tomatoes that contain a lot of water, like the Beefsteak, will take a lot longer and won't taste as good.

How to prepare:
Tomatoes do not need blanching. Cut the cherry tomato almost in half, lengthwise, and open it up. If you are using bigger tomatoes then you can cut them in ¼” slices. Cut a slit in the middle of the skin to help it dry. If you want to take the seeds out use a spoon or dig them out with your finger. Be careful not to remove any pulp. You don't need to take the seeds out if they don't bother you.

If you want to remove the skins then there is a separate process for that. You will need to get a few things ready first. Get a saucepan or small cooking pot with water and get it to a rolling boil. Next you will need a mixing bowl with ice cold water. You will need both of these ready before any other step.

First wash the tomato and then cut an X on the bottom of the tomato. When the tomato is washed and cut, the water is boiling and the ice cold water is ready, then put the tomato in the boiling water for 30 seconds. As soon as the 30 sec. Is done then take the tomato out and put it in the ice cold water right away. That will stop the cooking of the tomato. Next core the tomato by removing the stem and then peel the skin off. Just be careful not to damage the flesh.

Dehydrator Drying:
Dehydrating tomatoes in food dehydrators is the easiest method to use. Most dehydrators will have a thermostat so you will need to set the temperature between 135º and 145º degrees. If your dehydrator does not have a temperature setting use a reliable thermometer. Put the slices of tomato about ½ to 1 inch apart on the tray and the trays should have 1-2 inches in between them. Drying time can be from 6-18hrs depending on your machine. Rotate trays as needed to get even drying. Read the machine manufacturers recommendations for drying and rotating times.

Oven drying tomatoes:
Again a very low temperature setting is needed. Most ovens will only have a lowest setting of 200º so pre-heat to the lowest setting you have. On gas ovens you may be able to dry with just the heat from the pilot light. 150º is the ideal setting but get it as low as you can, you can help regulate it with a fan. Put your tomato slices on foil or on the racks. If you put it directly on the racks put cheesecloth on the racks first and hold it on with clothespins. If you use foil, punch little holes in the foil to help with air circulation. Try to maintain 140º-150º with your fan, rotate the trays to get even drying. Rotate more often towards the end of the drying time since they have a tendency to scorch. Drying tomatoes in the oven can take from 9-24hrs depending on tomatoes and oven.

Sun drying tomatoes:
Making sun dried tomatoes is only for certain areas of the country. The weather must co-operate and be steady for a couple of days. Not likely to happen in many areas of the world. Drying tomatoes via the sun is easy and very inexpensive. The only cost you should have is the tomatoes themselves and the equipment if you don't already have it.

Lay the slices on a non-metallic tray, metal reacts to tomato juice and will ruin the fruit, cover them with a cheesecloth to protect them from insects and put them in your dryer and wait. You will want to raise the cheesecloth some so it doesn't touch the tomatoes. You can salt them for flavor and to help put some of the moisture out. Drying time can be a few days or as much as 10-12days, it all depends on Mother Nature.

In all cases the tomatoes should be leather or somewhat brittle when they are done. Just make sure they are dried enough or they will spoil and rot.

Storing your tomatoes:
Dehydrated tomatoes can be stored in airtight containers or plastic bags. If you plan to store them in a metal container such as a coffee can put them in a plastic bag first. In any plastic bag squeeze any excess air out first and then seal. You can store tomatoes for 8-12 months, after 12 months they begin to lose their flavor and texture. Freezing them can make them last longer. If you have the means to vacuum seal them that is the ideal way to go.

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