Learn how to make sun-dried tomatoes the authentic way... In the sun! Make 'em while the sun shines and you'll be enjoying delicious, homemade sun-dried tomatoes all year long! Extra points if they're homegrown too :)
@@user-ds4bf9fv8ujust lay them out on a towel and pat them dry. You don't have to really dry them. I use 2 quarts of water+1 cup vinegar. Bring to boil first, then add tomatoes for 2-6 min depending on size. Grape tomatoes 2 min, cherry 3, Roma 5-6
Olive oil should never be refrigerated. It can turn cloudy, and flavor will go off . If storing tomatoes in olive oil, keep in cool place. You will not get sick from this. Good for months. Your true sun drying is great. The sun will give flavor that a dehydrator cannot give, although they still can be a treat that way. Very pleasant video.
Great video. I made the mistake of plant 8 cherry tomato plants. Big mistake, it's just too much labor for the fruit. Very helpful in figuring out options for these tomatoes.
That oxygen absorber will not be useful after exposing to the air. You may want to vacuum seal them instead. And beside aerobic bacteria, there are also anaerobic bacteria. So, removing oxygen does not guarantee there is no bacteria in the jar.
You said and "air absorber?" That comes with shoes? The packets that come with shoes and medications etc are not oxygen absorbers. They are silica packets which only absorb moisture.
These will last for at least a year on the shelf. But technically dried fruits and veggies will last much longer, they just begin to lose nutrients and the quality starts to degrade more rapidly after about a year.
Do flies not bother your slices? All I have to do is walk outside and think about cutting a tomato and flies begin to gather around. Once sliced, the jig is up. Flies hound the tomatoes like white on rice… or flies on tomato.
Flies aren't a huge bother, but I do sometimes lay a layer of cheesecloth overtop as a barrier. If they're a real problem then a dehydrator is handy. Or I suppose you could even put a fan on them to keep flies off.
Some sun dried tomatoes taste as if they might have been marinated in olive oil or something. Have you heard of anybody dipping them in oil before putting them in the sun?
I know some people preserve them in olive oil (like the ones you buy at the store). There is a slight risk of botulism if you do this if there is any moisture leftover at all, so I don't preserve mine in olive oil, but you could certainly rehydrate them in olive oil for a bit before serving, or cook them in olive oil on low for a while before using to infuse the flavour into the oil.
I wish I could find a way to sun dry them. Between bugs; bears; deer; dogs; birds; I would not be able to keep them protected. I just don't have a sunny spot that is above ground level so I could keep them away from the seekers of food in my neighbourhood. Jealous of your set up.
