By: Ashleigh Miller | August 02 2010
Posted in Recipes - Vegetables

Tomatoes are perhaps the only food in existence that taste even better dried. Removing the moisture from these glorious red orbs concentrates their flavor into a sweet, chewy, delicious bite of heaven.

Whether you're blessed with an abundance of homegrown tomatoes or resigned to making the best of those sad supermarket knockoffs, drying your own tomatoes is a spectacular way to preserve them.

Photo: Flickr

In most of the world, “sun-dried” is a misnomer. The USDA allows tomatoes dried in an oven to be labeled “sun-dried.” Why? Few regions have the hot, dry weather necessary to dehydrate fruits before they spoil. The Rocky Mountains, however, have the perfect summertime climate to do just that.

 

10 Ways to Use Sun-Dried Tomatoes Add to spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, or soup Dice finely and add to scrambled eggs Stir into your favorite dip Pile onto a grilled cheese Blend into pesto Mix into bread or biscuit dough Soften in hot water, then mix with sliced olives, mozzarella, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of oil Add to meatloaf Stir into risotto, couscous, or quinoa Eat 'em straight!

How to DIY

Slice the tomatoes approximately 1/4-inch thick. Paste tomatoes, like Romas, dry the fastest because of their low water content, but it's also possible to dry beefsteaks and even juicy cherry tomatoes. Just make sure to seed them first. Sprinkle the slices with salt, arrange them on a wire rack, and protect with cheesecloth.

Place them outside in direct sunlight, and bring them back indoors at night, or during afternoon thunderstorms. It can take anywhere from four days to two weeks to have uniformly dried tomatoes. They're done when they have a deep, sweet flavor and the texture of a raisin. (Taste testing along the way is encouraged!)

In the Oven

Can't wait two weeks? They can be ready in a day when dried in the oven. Leave off the cheesecloth and bake at 150 degrees for about eight hours. Leaving the oven door slightly ajar will allow moisture to escape.

In the ...Car?

Or, keep your house cool (and the kids entertained!) by drying your tomatoes in the car. Just roll up the windows, park in the sunniest spot in the driveway, and place the racks inside. They'll be ready to use by dinnertime!

 

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