Sundried tomatoes????

[tvillemom]

If I am making my own RAW sundried tomatoes....should I just slice and put them in the dehydrator, or should I add some spices and olive oil? If I only am drying them out in the dehydrator, then what is the purpose of using them if the recipe asks you to "soak sundried tomatoes"? Could you technically just use "all" fresh tomatoes....what's the difference???
Wendi

[StudentforLife]

Well, I think it's more for the flavor of the dried tomatoes. Sun dried tomatoes,(even when soaked), have a much different flavor and texture than regular tomatoes. When you soak them you just make it easier to chop in a food processor.

[tvillemom]

Thanks SFL....that's kinda what I was wondering, does drying the tomato change the flavor. Thanks for replying, I'll start drying a batch tonight!
Wendi

[Tirza]

I made dehydrated tomatoes and found that they tasted just like dried fresh tomatoes. Not like sun-dried tomatoes. I did not marinate them. They were very dry and leathery. I tried putting some into olive oil but they just seemed to sit there.

If anyone else has made them to turn out with the taste and texture of sun-dried tomatoes, I would appreciate hearing how you did it.

Thanks

[rawpriestess]

there is a vast world of difference between dried tomatoes, or sun dried tomatoes


dried tomatoes are just that tomatoes that have been dried

sun dried tomatoes are a tomatoe, usually a roma, or a highly flavorful tomato, that is marinated in spices, and herbs and then dried, it has a super delicious and highly flavorful taste.

to sundry tomatoes, take 12 roma tomatoes, and cut in half lengthwise, marinate in 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 T olive oil 1 tsp oregano, 2 tsp basil 1 tsp thyme, and allow to marinate for at least 24 hours in the fridge, toss or stir every 4 hours or so,

the next day, place the tomatoes with as much of the herbs and garlic on the on teflex sheets on top of mesh sheets in the dehydrator, and turn on the dehydrator to 145 degrees, allow to dehydrate for 4hours, then turn dehydrator down to 115 and continue dehydrating until you can flip the tomatoes on to a mesh screen.

Place a teflex sheet on the tray below the tray the tomatoes are on to catch any further drips of olive oil or tomato juice, and dehydrate to either chewy, or crispy (my choice) once the tomatoes are to your liking, place in a jar, cover the tomatoes with olvie oil, 1 clove crushed garlic and 2 T basil 1 tsp oregano and 1 tsp thyme, place in the fridge, when you wish to use the tomatoes, place the jar in warm water to liquify the olive oil and take out tomatoes, if you wish to rehydrate, only barely cover with water, as you will lose alot of the flavor in the water, if you can, use the soak water in your recipes or in salad dressing, it's excellent.

[StudentforLife]

Thanks for the info RP. I've never tried to make my own "sundried" tomatoes before. I'll try it. It's probably cheaper in the long run too.

[sptygl]

just marinate, put on the teflex and ................
yummmmmmmm

only problem, try to save some.......i usually eat mine, and have very few to store!
they are soooo good! :D

[Tirza]

Raw Priestess - I knew you'd come through!

I'm trying it ASAP

Thanks much!

[tvillemom]

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered RP telling the difference awhile back, but I just couldn't pull the information out of my memory. Thanks RP....doing this today. :D
Wendi

[carolg]

Rp,
Thanks. How long will the stored finished dried refrigerated tomatoes stay around in the jar? I know if I leave sun dried tomatoes in water water sitting in the refrigerator I collect a mold on the tomatoes and have to toss. Maybe I didn't put them in a jar? Just curious and maybe the olive oil will preserve them.

Last batch sundried used thinest blade on food processor. It was mush going on the sheets--worked, but next choices again FP, thickest blade, cut in quarters or slice thin with knife. I even used the holey side, had a tray below with the flat sheets, no tomatoes on it, and when it looked ready to flip over without having to peel anything off just flipped. Make sense?

carolg

[sanjay_sahani]

are these sun dried tomatoes to be dried first and then marinatedor other way round?

[tvillemom]

marinate first...then dehydrate!
wendi

[rawpriestess]

I cut my cherry tomatoes in half, all others into 1/2 inch thick slices, I like them thick and able to use.


if you dehydrate to crisp, and keep them under the olive oil, they will last a very very long time, years in fact, I know I did it accidentally. also they must be kept in the frige.