Preserve Tomatoes for Summer Flavor...Anytime!

by Michael J. LoFurno, ASLA

Drying vegetables for use during the winter months will enable you to enjoy their sunny flavors and relive enjoyable garden experiences.  I have tried drying peppers, oranges, apples, and herbs with varying degrees of success, but I have had particularly good luck drying tomatoes in a store-bought home dehydrator.

THE PROCESS
Drying tomatoes is easy, but first you need to pick the right varieties.  Old standbys like Roma and other “paste-type” tomatoes are a sure bet.  Other thicker-skinned tomatoes with a low fluid content will work.  Try some heirloom varieties such as Calabash or Persimmon, although   you may need to grow them from seed.

The process is simple—cut off the top and bottom of the tomato and cut 1/4-inch thick slices.  Remove any watery, seed-filled, or discolored areas.  Arrange the slices on the dehydrator tray so they are barely touching each other.  (You may be surprised by how much they will shrink.)  Group slices of the same variety together so you can monitor drying periodically.

Depending on the variety, it may take six to twenty-four hours for them to dry to the right consistency.  If the tomatoes are unusually wet they may stick to the rack.  If this happens, gently pry or peel them away from the grill and turn them over.  Continue drying until the tomatoes achieve a pliable consistency that is not too brittle.  After four hours, check every hour until you get a sense for the drying rate of your dehydrator.  The tomatoes will darken from yellow to orange or from red to burgundy when finished. Yellow varieties such as Sungold, Lemon Boy, or others, will turn a golden orange when dry.  These can really brighten up a white or red pizza.  Use clean airtight jars to store dried tomatoes.  To preserve color, keep them out of direct sunlight. 

EQUIPMENT
Due to the high humidity in the Philadelphia area, I decided against air-drying or one of the homemade devices used in more arid climates.  My dryer is a modestly priced home dehydrator.  It fits easily on the counter and is expandable.  Most use standard 110/120V power supply; power consumption can range from 300 to 700watts.  Some have a dial rheostat to vary the temperature from 95 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.  While mine has a fan and ventilation system others have rotating trays.  Some home chefs opt for special features such as a tray for making fruit leather.

USING YOUR DRIED TOMATOES
There are a number of dishes you can now prepare, including pizza.  Depending on your skill, you can make the dough from scratch or use a store-bought shell.

To prepare pizza, follow these simple directions:  Drizzle the pizza shell with olive oil.  Place the dried tomatoes directly in the oil on the shell; then cover with your favorite sauce, cheese and other toppings.  Follow the standards for pizza baking; usually 15 minutes at 450 degrees. 

For dishes that call for reconstituted tomatoes, you can rejuvenate dried slices in vinegar and water in a 50/50 mixture.  Rinse off the solution and then marinate in olive oil 24 hours; they can be stored in oil up to one month in the refrigerator.

Don’t waste any tomatoes that don’t come out quite right!  Crush or chop imperfect or broken dried tomato slices and add to pasta sauce, pesto or soups.  Dried bits and pieces can be used in making breads or casseroles too.

THE "WOW" FACTOR
What amazes me most is how sweet dried tomatoes taste.  Sometimes I just stand by the dryer and snack on these tasty morsels while they are still warm.  The aroma from the dehydrator is tantalizing!  The flavor is highly concentrated after the water is gone.  This absence of moisture protects against deterioration.  Some recipe experts suggest blanching fruit before drying.  Blanching can stave off microorganisms but also diminishes vitamin content (although it’s still more nutritious than canning).  I have kept dried tomatoes in glass jars for two years or more and they remain tasty and vibrant. 

If you have both a green thumb and know your way around the kitchen, try your hand at drying tomatoes.  The vitamin-packed flavors are astonishing and the delight from finding a new and simple way to benefit from a bumper crop of garden tomatoes will pay rewards all winter long.