Trying this Sun-dried Tomatoes recipe? Or create your own.
- Carbohydrate 2.222602613 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.1133980925 g
- Fiber 0.680388582036212 g
- Protein 0.498951607 g
- Saturated Fat 0.01587573295 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (57g)
- Sodium 111.8418273125 mg
- Sugar 1.54221403096379 g
- Trans Fat 0.032885446825 g
- Calories 10 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
- Wash and halve tomatoes. Gently squeeze out the seeds. Place the tomatoes on a non-stick cookie sheet, and sprinkle with salt to taste.
- Bake until tomatoes take on a leathery texture. This could literally take all day; smaller pieces will require less oven time.
Raw tomato weight translates to very little finished yield because water constitutes over ninety percent of the fresh fruit. Squeezing out the seeds prior to baking eliminates excess moisture pockets that would otherwise prolong the dehydration process significantly. Setting the oven precisely to 200 degrees Fahrenheit creates a gentle thermal environment capable of evaporating interior water without scorching the delicate fruit sugars.
Judging Doneness by Texture
Unlike roasting proteins, dehydration relies entirely on physical touch rather than internal temperature probes. Finished pieces should feel completely pliable and leathery, much like dried fruit, with zero tacky spots or oozing moisture when pressed firmly between two fingers. Pulling the pieces too early leaves residual water that invites spoilage, whereas leaving them too long creates brittle chips. Checking individual pieces periodically is necessary because varying fruit sizes dry at different rates on the sheet.
- Uneven drying occurs when pieces vary in size; halve identical plum tomatoes for uniform results.
- Condensation trapped inside storage containers indicates insufficient dehydration; return the batch to a 200 degree oven for another hour.
- Dietary adjustments require only omitting the salt entirely for sodium-free preparations, though salt does assist in drawing out remaining moisture during the initial stages.
