Drying Tomatoes is a Great Way to Preserve Them

Everyone loves tomatoes in all their different forms, fresh, dried, canned, stewed, baked, and even fried. Whether you have your own tomato plants or buy tomatoes at the store, drying tomatoes is a great way to preserve the excess harvest for the coming months.

Lots of gardeners are accustomed to canning tomatoes and have the necessary equipment to do this. The same equipment can be used to store tomatoes after you dry them. 

Good candidates for drying are Roma and other plum tomatoes, or any hybrid that is meaty and has low moisture. But any tomato can be dried, even cherry tomatoes.

Drying is a relatively easy process, and there are two principal ways: sun drying or oven drying.

Both Methods Explained

To sun dry your tomatoes, first acquire a clean nylon or plastic screen. (Not metal!) Slice each tomato in half (cut large ones in half inch slices), remove the tomato seeds, and dip into a mixture of half vinegar and half water. Place each slice skin-down on the screen, with enough room between so that each tomato dries out slowly with plenty of “breathing room.” Cover the tomatoes with cheese cloth and leave outside for several hot, dry, sunny days, bringing inside each night.

To dry in an oven, slice and prepare as above, then place tomatoes on wire cooling racks or foil-lined cookie sheets. Bake in a 140-150 degree oven with the door propped open slightly for 10-24 hours until they are dry, rotating the pans every 4-6 hours.

To store dried tomatoes, use sterilized canning jars. Ziploc bags can also be used.  Dried tomatoes will keep for six months. You may also can the dried tomatoes with oil and herbs for a longer-lasting product, or keep them in the freezer.

Dried tomatoes have a wonderful, unique flavor that you’ll love experimenting with time and again.

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