Tips for Dehydrating Tomatoes

Tips from Slow Foods Movement.

General: The purpose of drying is to take out enough water from the tomatoes so that spoilage organisms are not able to multiply and grow during storage. Any type of tomatoes can be dehydrated: heirloom, slicing, Romas,cherry, etc. Choose clean, ripe, unblemished fruits and wash thoroughly. The key to good dehydration is appropriate slicing thickness and timing. Monitor drying every couple of hours and every half hour near the end of scheduled drying time. Rotate trays up or down to correct for variations in temperature and drying time to ensure even drying. In general, monitor the tray at the bottom of the dehydrator as your "base tray" for judging temperatures further away. If you add new tomatoes later in the drying process, always add them to the top of the stack. Pieces near the front and back ends of the trays tend to start to dry first, you may need to rotate them to the center of the trays. Approximately 4 lbs of fresh tomatoes will yield approx. 1 lb dried.

Slicing thickness: cut cherry tomatoes in half and cut slicing tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Romas can be cut in half or thirds lengthwise or sliced in rounds 1/2 inch thick. Try to keep pieces uniform in size for consistency in drying time.

Preparation and Drying: for basic dried tomatoes, slice and dry in dehydrator at 145 degrees until done (6-8 hours). When dry, tomatoes will be leathery. For sun-dried tomatoes, use Romas or paste tomatoes and slice in half lengthwise or in thirds if they are large. Place cut side up in dehydrator at 120 degrees for 24 hours or until done.

Test for "doneness"" rely on appearance and feel; when no wetness can be squeezed from a piece of it when cut; when it has become rather tough and pliable; and when a few pieces squeezed together fall apart when pressure is released. It should be described as: "leathery," or "springy" when squeezed. If you dry it too long, it will become brittle or "crisp" - these are still fine to eat.

Storage: when thoroughly cool (if it is still warm, it can "sweat" and cause mold), package tomatoes in small "user-friendly" quantities (pint or quart jars or small sandwich or quart-sized storage bags) and check on your goods periodically to make sure that nothing has become damp or contaminated. Light, moisture and air will reduce quality of dried food, so a cool, dark, dry place is best.

To reconstitute dried tomatoes: cover tomatoes with equal parts hot water, let stand until soft and plumped. Or just add to your favorite soups, sauces or pot/pan as you cook. For sun-dried tomatoes, pour a mix of equal parts vinegar and water and let them sit until they form a chewy consistency. Drain and cover with olive oil seasoned with a sliver of garlic. Let them marinate in the fridge for at least 24 hours before sampling. They'll keep for up to a month in the oil.