Drying my tomatoes for winter

[rainyp5655]

After my success drying chillies and peppers last week, I have moved on to herbs and tomatoes. I am very pleased with the results and if you don't have one and need to store lots of your produce, I recommend a dehydrator, best 39.99 I have spent in ages. Got mine on Ebay from Andrew James as it was free P&P and they charge £10 P&P on there own website, cant quite work that out. anyway have a read if you fancy about my successful week in the garden and kitchen

The Good Life - Well Maybe!: Hanging on by its fingertips!

[Yasai]

Wow! Great blog post. Thanks for the info about the dehydrator; had no idea there were such cheap ones on the market. Definitely going to get one... at some point. Not much use for it 'til next year, unfortunately.

Btw, Gibson's a cutie

[Digger Don]

Ref your blog,
Don't wish to sound negative BUT we dried some toms in the oven a few years ago and they were all you said they were.
(Gardeners Delight - intense flavour)
We put them into sterilised jars; gave some to our family THEN
read somewhere that oil is not a suitable preservative for home dried veg as there is a possibility of getting botulism or something equally nasty.
Dumped the lot just in case - great disappointment!
Sorry cannot remember the source or validity of the information.
Perhaps somebody else can find a definitive statement on the subject.
Don

[rainyp5655]

Hi Don

Thanks for the response. I also read something similar so did a bit of research and found this method in a preserving book. I followed the directions very carefully including very careful washing of the tomatoes and also very careful sterilising of the jar. I have eaten quite a few and so far no problems at all. If I disappear from the forum, then maybe I wasn't as careful as I thought

Lorraine

[Digger Don]

Hi lorraine
Having done my civic duty and sounded a warning bell, I am very pleased to note that you are alive and kicking ( unless writing posthumously) it therefore behoves me to reconsider my original panic that happened well before I found the magic internet.
It is a bit late this year as the tom plants are on their last legs up here - but perhaps, a dehydrator for next year?
I found this web site that looks very interesting.
Preserving Summer with Olive Oil | The Olive Oil Source

Don

[Raybon]

I am making oven dried cherry tomatoes again this year, as they were so good!

I put them into plastic bags and freeze - they stack/ squish into small places very well, and are great additions to pasta, cold meats/salamis, sandwiches, or used as pizza toppings.

You can dry them overnight for a very concentrated flavour, in a little oil, herbs if you like, or blast them for ten mins in a hot oven then turn off and leave them overnight without opening the door.
Saves us a fortune and taste delicious, and you can forget about botulism and sterilising jars.......