Of all the things that summer brings, I think that tomatoes are my ultimate favorite. Every year, I can’t wait until that first red tomato is ready to be picked off the vine and enjoyed simply, just sliced with a little bit of salt. The sad part is that they don’t last forever. But just because the colder weather is on it’s way doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy those tomatoes – just in a different form!
I decided to give oven-dried tomatoes a try this year. There are so many ways to enjoy dried tomatoes, and I knew this would be a great way to give me my tomato fix well after the first frost kills off the tomato plants. And guess what? Making oven-dried tomatoes is super easy! All you need are some tomatoes, a little bit of salt, and some extra time.
Start by cutting the tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are supposed to work really well – just half them. I had bigger tomatoes, so I sliced them into rounds about 1/4-inch thick. The smaller the pieces are, the faster they will cook.
Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and sprinkle with a small amount of salt. The flavors concentrate as they dry out, so make sure you don’t over-do it on the salt.
Place the baking sheet in an oven set at a very low temperature – around 200F.
And then you wait! The waiting time will all depend on how big your tomato pieces are. It could be anywhere between 1 1/2 hours to 10+ hours. You will know when they are done because they will be dry to the touch, but still flexible.
The dried tomatoes can be stored in resealable freezer bag in the fridge for a couple of months, or even longer in the freezer. What a great way to enjoy the taste of tomatoes in the dead of winter!
I love using dried tomatoes in the winter but have never tried it myself. Thanks for the info! It sounds easy enough for a great thing in the winter months!
I can’t wait to try this tomorrow to use up some of my tomatoes. Thanks for the suggestion.