Sun Dried Tomatoes (3 Ways)

🧂 Ingredients

• 4.7 lb tomatoes
• 2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

• 1 Wash, dry, and cut – depending on the size, you can cut them in half or into
  smaller pieces. Cut through the middle/equator of the tomato – this is the usual
  way – or vertically. You can also cut them into wedges.
• 2 Place the sliced tomatoes cut side up on your tray – either a dehydrator tray,
  oven rack, baking sheet or a drying rack/screen if you are drying them in the
  sun. Make sure to place parchment paper on any metal rack/baking sheet. 
  
  The pieces shouldn't overlap and even better, leave a bit of space between them
  for air circulation.
• 3 Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with salt to help draw out the moisture.
• 4 Dry the pieces at 155ºF/68ºC for 8-12 hours. The actual timing will change based
  on the thickness of the tomato slices, so keep checking after 7-8 hours. Overall
  humidity and elevation will also impact how fast the sundried tomatoes cook.
• 5 Oven sundried tomatoes follow a similar method to the dehydrator. Dry tomatoes
  in the oven at 160ºF/70ºC for 8+ hours – keep checking on them and dehydrating
  them as long as they need. They should be dry, but pliable.
• 6 If your oven doesn't go that low, select the lowest possible temperature and
  dehydrate the tomatoes for about 4 hours – check on them after 3-4 hours and
  keep dehydrating as needed. Keep the door open to let the steam out.
• 7 If you want to follow the traditional method, the general climate needs to be
  dry and sunny for an extended period of time. To dry tomatoes in the sun, allow
  them to sit out in direct sunlight for 5-10 days.
• 8 It's best to cover them up so they don't attract bugs – the salt will help with
  that. Otherwise, you can cover them with a layer of cheesecloth or mesh netting
  to keep them protected.
• 9 After drying, store your sundried tomatoes in an airtight container in a cool,
  dry place. Make sure they have fully cooled before sealing the container to
  prevent moisture build-up. 
  
  When stored at room temperature, they can last a couple of weeks. If you keep
  them in the fridge, they can last a couple of months, and in the freezer – for
  4-6 months. 

Nutrition Info