Sun dried tomatoes in Oil

[morverngirl]

In anticipation of having a glut of tomatoes this year, can anyone tell me how to go about making sun dried tomatoes in oil. Keep reading lovely recipes using them but I've never got round to buying.

[OllieMartin]

I did this last year (I'm not actually a fan of raw tomatoes, but love sun-dried and tomato sauces).
I bought a Westfalia dehydrator, cut each tomato in half and sat them cut-side-up in the dehydrator until they looked ready. Times vary depending on the size, but you won't want to overdo them as they go very chewy.
I'd been warned about botrytis developing if you just put them straight into oil, but found an article suggesting dipping each one into vinegar before immersing in the oil to reduce this risk with the acidity.

They were pretty tastey!

[Shadylane]

Botrytis or botulism? Can you not just store them as they are. You can buy them in like a plastic pot and just keep them in the cupboard. I would think if they've been dried then they should keep unless someone knows different. I planned on oven drying mine last year but most of em got blight. Fingers crossed this year.

[OllieMartin]

Botrytis or botulism? Can you not just store them as they are. You can buy them in like a plastic pot and just keep them in the cupboard. I would think if they've been dried then they should keep unless someone knows different. I planned on oven drying mine last year but most of em got blight. Fingers crossed this year.

Yes, botulism sounds about right!

You can keep them in a plastic pot if you dry them sufficiently, but they taste better IMHO if they're a little bit juicy so you'd need to preserve them in oil to prolong their shelf-life.

[Shadylane]

Ah right that makes sense. Might try both ways, that's if I get some toms. The threat of botulism does make me very nervous though. Vinegar idea is a good un.

[smallblueplanet]

Here you go I've copied this post of mine over from an old thread:

Dried Tomatoes (yields about 1 pint)

Wash carefully and wipe dry:
7 or 8 pounds of firm, ripe (preferably Roma) tomatoes.

Cut out the stem, and if the tomato has a scar (discolored area of tough
skin), remove it and the hardened core lying under it.

Cut the tomatoes in half, lengthwise. If the tomato is more than about 2
inches long, cut it in quarters.

Scrape out all of the seeds that you can without removing the pulp.

Arrange the tomatoes, with the cut surface up, on non-stick cookie sheets
(glass or porcelain dishes are OK. They will have to withstand
temperatures of a few hundred degrees F if you are going to oven-dry the
tomatoes). Do *not* use aluminum foil, or bare aluminum cookie sheets. The
acid in the tomatoes will react with the metal.

Mix together thoroughly:
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp salt.
Sprinkle a small amount of this mixture on each tomato. (You may customize
this mixture to suit your own taste.)

Dry the tomatoes in the oven, dehydrator, or in the sun. Directions follow
for each of these methods. However, no matter what method you choose, be
aware that not all of the tomatoes will dry at the same rate. They do not
all have the same amount of moisture, nor do they experience the same
temperature and air circulation while they are drying.

They are done when they are very dry, but still pliable - about the
texture of a dried apricot. If dried too long, they become tough and
leathery. If not dried long enough, they will mold and mildew, unless
packed in oil. So watch them carefully while they dry. Try to remove them
on an individual basis, before they become tough.

Here are the drying methods. There is a time listed with each method. This
time is approximate, and can vary significantly depending on the moisture
of the tomato. Do not rely on this time as more than a very rough guide.

Oven-drying (approximately 12 hours):

Bake, cut side up, in 170 F oven for about 3 hours. Leave the oven door
propped open about 3 inches to allow moisture to escape. After 3 hours,
turn the tomatoes over and press flat with your hand or a spatula.
Continue to dry, turning the tomatoes every few hours, and gently pressing
flatter and flatter, until tomatoes are dry.

After the tomatoes are dry, store in air-tight containers, or pack in oil.

To pack in oil:
Dip each tomato into a small dish of white wine vinegar. Shake off the
excess vinegar and pack them in olive oil. Make sure they are completely
immersed in the oil.

When the jar is full, cap it tightly and store at *cool* room temperature
for at least a month before using. They may be stored in the refrigerator,
but the oil will solidify at refrigerator temperatures (it quickly
reliquifies at room temperature however).

As tomatoes are removed from the jar, add more olive oil as necessary to
keep the remaining tomatoes covered.

The author notes that she has stored oil-packed tomatoes in her pantry for
over a year with tremendous success. She also notes that she has tried a
number of methods to pack the tomatoes in oil, but she says the vinegar
treatment is the difference between a good dried tomato and a great one.
It is also important from a food safety standpoint, as it acidifies the
oil and discourages growth of bacteria and mold.

[Snadger]

This year I shall be drying mine but NOT putting them in oil!

Last year I dried loads and put some in jars of olive oil, but firstly dipping them in vinegar as suggested.
The dried ones are fine and still edible, but the ones in oil went black and had a 'burnt' taste! Needless to say I threw them all out!

[smallblueplanet]

That's wierd Snadger I've followed the recipe above and the toms were lovely. How long was it before they went black?

[Snadger]

That's wierd Snadger I've followed the recipe above and the toms were lovely. How long was it before they went black?

I'm guessing, couple of month probably?

[morverngirl]

Thank you Manda, Do you cover in vinegar so it fully coats the tomato or just dip the cut surface before putting in oil, I'd love to try some in flavoured oils. Caroline

[smallblueplanet]

When we did the oven-dried toms the 'whole' tomato was dipped into cider vinegar before putting into the oil. I don't know anything about putting stuff into oils except that it can be dangerous if the acidity isn't enough (and of course that is why toms are dipped in vinegar)...

[Hilary B]

Tomatoes are a bit acid (which is why you could bottle them) and if semi-dried to the right degree, I suspect they would keep even without the vinegar, but perhaps not as long.....

[annacruachan]

My 100s and 1000s tomato plant is producing more fruit than we can eat or give away. I like the idea of drying them but would it work with such little toms? Has anyone done this?

[murphy99]

Just to clarify, is the oven at 170F and door open for the 12 hrs or do you turn it off after 3 hrs and then open the door?