Tomato drying made easy

Tomatoes are a very popular and there are many great dishes and sauces we make out of them and of course, almost no one can imagine living without ketchup. But when it comes to a shelf-life tomatoes are not that great but there are ways to store and save tomatoes for later. The best way is drying. Dried tomatoes are also common, but unfortunately, there are not that many people who make good dried tomatoes. People living in the Mediterranean countries use the sun to dry tomatoes, but people in colder climates must use an oven or a dryer to achieve good results.

Which tomatoes varieties are suitable for drying?

Medium-sized tomatoes are best for drying as they contain less juice than large ones. There are also yellow or pink varieties of tomatoes, but you rarely see these types of tomatoes in the dry form because they are juicier and drying just takes too long . Tomatoes that have ripened in the sun are best for drying. Dry tomato will lose up to 90% of the original weight. The rule of thumb says that any vegetable you want to dry must be healthy with no signs of disease or rot. They cannot be too soft either.

Preparation

Wash tomatoes and remove green stems. Cut the fruit lengthwise and make several small slices. You should also try to remove as much seeds as possible. Leave the skin on as it helps to keep the cohesion and shape of the slice. Slices should be fairly small because small slices will dry better and faster. If the slice still has many seeds, drying will take longer, but seeds have no impact on the taste.

Photo: Pixabay

Drying tomatoes outside

During hot summer, you can dry tomatoes outside. It usually takes four to ten days. Of course, the weather must be hot and sunny and no rain. The dryer the climate the better. Place slices on a tray or a wire rack and cover them with cloth to protect them from insects and dirt. Use plenty of salt. Turn tomatoes several times a day to make sure they dry evenly. Move the tray inside a house for the night to eliminate morning moisture. When the drying process is over, put the dry slices in a warm oven for a while. This will further improve the taste and aroma.

Using a dryer

Cut tomatoes into small pieces and add salt, suitable herbs or spices. Put the slices in the dryer and set the temperature to 70 °C. The entire drying process takes about 10 hours.

Using an oven

Heat the oven to 120°C, put sliced tomatoes in and dry for 4 to 6 hours.

Microwave drying

Arrange slices of tomatoes on a plate and put them in a microwave for 5 to 6 minutes. Make sure the microwave is set to high power. When done, take them out and let them cool. Remove the extracted juice and put them back in the microwave (the same drying time and power) and drain the juice again and let it cool again . Repeat the process one or more time if necessary.

Source: https://farm-pl.desigusxpro.com/posadka/ogorod/paslenovye/tomat/kak-sdelat-sushyonye-pomidory-svoimi-rukami.html

Preview photo: Pixabay