Making Sun Dried Tomatoes | ExpatWoman.com
 

Making Sun Dried Tomatoes

232
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 09:01

I've had a sudden notion to make my own sun dried tomatoes and have looked around the web for info on how to do it but I have a couple of questions:

1 I plan to do this naturally (as opposed to in the oven), would the high summer humidity here be a problem?

2 Where can I buy a metal grill - like the thing you put cakes on to cool. I plan to lay the tomatoes on that and cover with gauze.

Any tips would be gratefully received!

Anonymous (not verified)
0
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 11 August 2011 - 18:38
I did mine last month and found mould/black fungus on most of it.. what did I do wrong? P.S- I had to bin it :o( too much moisture in the toms to start with? what variety did you use? you could do it by parking car in a suntrap and putting the toms on a tray on the dashboard under the windscreen and then take them in at night and repeat the next day.
29
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 August 2011 - 14:42
I did mine last month and found mould/black fungus on most of it.. what did I do wrong? P.S- I had to bin it :o(
108
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 July 2011 - 10:39
Wow sounds grt Lakshmi...plan to give this a try myself...love sun dried tomatoes...thanx for sharing:))
232
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 July 2011 - 10:10
I thought I'd post how my sun dried tomato experiment went in case anybody else is thinking of making them for the first time. Success! I started very small with only four plum tomotoes. I cut two into halves and two into thirds then placed them on a metal grill on a clothes horse on the balcony and covered them with one of the little gauze food cover 'tents'. They were getting about 3/4 hours of direct sun per day. After exactly four full days/nights they were done with the exception of the larger ones. Next time I will cut all into thirds as they dry out better. I've only tasted one piece (which had oregano on it) and it was lovely. The rest I've put in a jar of olive oil and stored in the fridge. Can't wait to use them in pasta and to make some more!
232
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 July 2011 - 19:36
Thanks again muurtje for pointing me in the direction of Daiso. I went this morning and got a metal grill and food cover and my first (small) batch of tomatoes is out on the balcony already. I also managed to buy a few other bits and pieces there which I didn't even know I needed, it's that kind of shop! :)
232
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 17:48
Great muurtje, thank you! Yes, I'm in Dubai and will try to look at those places next week. Will leave my tomato experiement till I get back from holiday at the beginning of August though :)
833
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EW GURU
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 16:39
Are you in Dubai Lakshmi? Lake land is in MOE and MCC Daiso is in MCC and Oasis centre. Lake land will also sell cheese cloth, but I've seen that Spinnyes Motor city as well.
232
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 16:37
Thanks for your reply muurtje. I hadn't got as far as thinking about dust. I was just thinking of covering them with some kind of gauze or cheesecloth (no idea where to find either of those!) to keep off flies. But you're right, they will obviously get dust/sand on them if they are outdoors for several days so I will have to wash them. As you say, best way to find out if it will work is to try. Can you tell me where Daiso and Lakeland are? I've never heard of either place. Thank you :)
833
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EW GURU
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 11:17
I'm not sure if the humidity will play a role. I guess it will be a case of trying it out and seeing what happens. Will you wash the tomatoes after they have been dried to get rid of sand and dust? Those grill things, I think you can buy small ones at Daiso and larger ones probably at Lakeland. Good luck!
 
 

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