Nimble Pixie blog Bonus recipe – Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Posted: 31 Jul 2013 08:22 PM PDT

Great Addition to Most Vegetables and Salads

Wash, stem and slice each tomato into even slices about 1/4″ thick slices.

To pack strictly in oil: 

• The Drying

  • Organize tomatoes, making certain not to overlap on dehydrator shelves or on a cookie sheet.

  • Sprinkle each slice with a mixture containing equal parts of dried basil-oregano-parsley. Sprinkle with Salt (to facilitate drying).

  • Avoid fresh herbs. Herbs that are previously dried help keep the tomatoes bacteria free.

  • Avoid canning with garlic.

  • If using the cookie sheet and oven, the temperature should remain at 150 degrees F (65 degrees C or gas mark 1).

  • Both dehydrator and oven method will take at least 5 hours (often longer).

  • Dry tomatoes until they are firm and leather like with no moisture pockets, but NOT brittle. (If you get them too dry, soak them in lemon juice for a few minutes.)

• After Dried

  • Dip each dried tomato into a small dish of white wine vinegar (used as a preservative).

  • Shake off the excess vinegar and pack them in olive oil.

  • Fill the jar with olive oil (leaving at least 1” of room above the liquid, below the lid).

  • Do not overstuff with tomatoes. The fruit must remain soaking in the oil.

  • Screw the cap over the lid of each Mason jar.

  • Soak in boiling water for 20 minutes to seal.

  • Wait 30 days before using, so that the oil permeates the tomatoes AND the vinegar flavor dissipates.

• Remember 

  • Refrigerate jar after opening.

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

 

Olive Oil/Wine mixture

Cover all of the fruit in dry red wine. Soak Tomatoes in wine overnight. Drain fruit well. 

• The Drying

  • Organize tomatoes (making certain not to overlap on dehydrator shelves or on a cookie sheet).

  • Sprinkle each slice with a mixture containing equal parts of dried basil-oregano-parsley. Sprinkle with Salt (to facilitate drying).

  • Avoid fresh herbs. Herbs that are previously dried help keep the tomatoes bacteria free.

  • Avoid canning with garlic.

  • If using the cookie sheet and oven, the temperature should remain at 150 degrees F (65 degrees C or gas mark 1).

  • Both dehydrator and oven method will take at least 5 hours (often longer).

  • Dry tomatoes until they are firm and leather like with no moisture pockets, but NOT brittle. (If you get them too dry, soak them in lemon juice for a few minutes.) 

• After Dried 

  • Dip tomatoes in white wine vinegar (used as a preservative).

  • Stuff jars with tomatoes, leaving at least 1 ½” of air at the top of the jar. Do not overfill.

  • Fill ¼ of jar with dry red wine and ¾ of jar with olive oil (leaving at least 1” of room above the liquid, below the lid).

  • Screw the cap over the lid of each Mason jar.

  • Soak in boiling water for 20 minutes to seal.

  • Wait 30 days before using, so that the oil permeates the tomatoes AND the vinegar flavor dissipates.

• Remember 

  • Refrigerate jar after opening

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

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