Drying tomatoes

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Drying tomatoes

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Andrea

Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 2260
Location: Portugal

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 05 5:20 pm Post subject: Drying tomatoes

Our neighbours don't seem to have grasped the simple fact that my Portuguese is crap and have come to the conclusion that I'm mentally deficient. As all I can say when accepting yet more tomatoes is thankyou, good tomatoes, I like tomatoes, this is no great suprise and is probably why they keep bringing more.

However, the stockpile of tomatoes developing is getting beyond a joke. No meal is complete without them. They're the best tomatoes I've ever tasted & I can only hope that mine taste this good next year but we just can't eat them fast enough.

I fancy trying to dry some. I thought I'd slice them and lay them on grids in the full sun. My preserving book suggests laying them on some open weave fabric, but the only thing I can find bar my clothes is old mozzie net.

I appreciate that sun drying tomatoes probably isn't a great success in the UK, but if anyone's got any pointers I'd appreciate them as my book's a bit vague on drying.

I fancy trying some of the sweeter grapes we've got too. Sultanas for the winter when I'm organised enough to bake is a very appealing prospect.

Lozzie

Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 2595

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 05 5:48 pm Post subject:

Yaaaaay! Andrea! How the devil are you, old fruit?

Sadly I am no expert on drying tomatoes, but I have seen it done where the tomatoes are topped and halved, and the pulp and seeds pushed out with a (clean-sih) thumb - then laid to dry in the sun on racks made out of what looked like nylon net curtains stretched over a somple wooden frame. I would guess you need to keep them apart from each other, and somewhere where there is good air movement. Maybe you should have something to cover them against bugs birds and little boys, too

I read somewhere that you should bring them all in overnight too so that any morning dew does not bugger up your efforts. The process can take several days ...

I thought I would try making a food dryer out of a metal racking of some kind with a tea chest inverted over it, and a 60w bulb burning inside it.

Nice to hear from you!

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 05 7:08 pm Post subject:
You should knock up a crude solar dehydrator (or several ) Like this - Google solar dryer for loads more ideas This one is from https://www.i4at.org/surv/soldehyd.htm If it works for you, share the idea with the friendly neighbour!

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