Sun Dried Tomatoes

I got this recipe from TipNut.com, which is a great site to get all kind of useful tips for home, garden, and crafts as well. I love sun dried tomatoes, but man are they pricey! Now I'm not going to have to pay for them, and I can enjoy them in my salads this Summer!

Traditionally sun dried tomatoes were made by laying out freshly cut pieces of tomatoes in the sun to bake in the natural heat for days (the tomato pieces were first covered in cheesecloth). Nowadays, we use the oven. In just a few hours, you can have bags to freeze or jars of homemade sun dried tomatoes covered in olive oil. Use in pastas, on top of pizzas, in sauces, etc. If you have a bumper crop of fresh tomatoes from the garden, drying them in the oven is a great way to preserve them for future use.

Homemade Sun Dried Tomatoes

• Preheat oven to 200° F.


• Gently wash & dry the tomatoes, cut into pieces then scoop out the seeds.


• Place the tomato pieces cut side up on a rack or cookie sheet, do not allow the tomato pieces to touch each other, drizzle or brush a bit of olive oil over them then lightly sprinkle with salt.


• Place in oven and cook 6 to 8 hours or when done–they will be shrunken, leathery looking yet still flexible.

Storage Tips:
Pack the dried tomato pieces in sterilized jars, cover with extra virgin olive oil (make sure each piece of tomato is fully covered in oil) and seal. For extra flavor, add herbs such as basil. The flavored oil can be used in cooking and on vegetables or salad. Keep the jars of tomatoes refrigerated bringing them to room temperature before using.
Pack tomato pieces in freezer bags, remove as much air as possible, then freeze.