How do you make your own sun dried tomatoes?

I'm sure this sounds a little stupid to ask, since the name itself seems to tell it all, but anytime I have left ripe tomatoes in the sun, they rot.

Is there a certain type of tomatoe to use? I was thinking I could lay them in boxes with tin foil covering the box and put clean paper towels to absorb liquids and put them in the car with the windows rolled up to aid in dehydration and to keep bugs off of them while they dry up. But I hate to go to all of this trouble if they are just going to rot anyway.

And if you do manage to sun dry them how do you can them? I have looked online for direction and a recipe, but can't find one. We are a family of two with forty tomatoe plants, we plan on sharing with our grown children and neighbors, but I expect there will be plenty to can. Anyone know how to make spaghetti sauce and how to can it? I know how to can just plain tomatoes, but would like something different.

[edit on 28-7-2008 by goose]

reply to post by goose

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I have a bunch of tomatoes coming soon as well, I found this site which looks like a good tutorial on getting the job done.



There a pics and also a pdf link to download if you want to print out the procedure.

Good luck

If you want thy this.

One white bed sheet, tied between four post, ( T-posts ). make it tight and off the ground, belt buckle high.

Slice the 'maters about 1/2 to 1/4 " thick and lay them out on the sheet for the day. Make sure they will have the sun for the day.

Use the same set up for fruit.

If they don't get dried the first day cover with another sheet and uncover in the AM.

Roper

Thank you both, this looks doable (is that a word? LOL). Right now I am exhausted from canning 49 quarts of green beans, we think we still got 21 more to go, (to break and wash and can, lotsa of work) so I still got to break those and wash more jars, their clean, but I always wash them again before using.

We canned them in an old wash tub outside, digging a hole for the fire, fortuntely we have a gravel driveway, so we do not have to worry as much about the fire getting out especially since it rained, and sitting the tub up on blocks, we then wrapped each jar in dish rags and towels, packing them tightly in the tub, if you don't, once they get cooked the jars will float to the top and bang against one another and break. So far doing two tubs full and one canner on the stove and I have been lucky enough not to lose a single jar, they all sealed.

We still have another patch of green beans coming on in about a month, so we should have plenty of green beans of course we end up giving a case or two to our kids. I am worried about the food shortage and so we are trying to can everything we can.

We are considering buying some chickens, so we can have our own eggs and chicken to eat, if we can't afford it at the store and maybe some rabbits for a meat supply and perhaps some goats, for milk, plus we can sell them, this raising food to turn it into fuel was a great idea, but it has cut into the food supply drastically, I don't know why people think we are immune to the starvation here, that has happened all over the world, it could happen here.

I think people think that our government has a surplus and will be able to feed us, but after seeing the governments reaction to the Katrina crisis, I am not counting on anyone, but me and hubby and the family in any crisis.

reply to post by goose

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Keep doing what your doing Do not put any faith in the government to feed you, if it comes to that and they do come through it is a bonus.

Chickens and a goat or cow is on my family's list for next spring as well, it sounds like you are doing a great job of providing for yourself, it's hard work but well worth it.

You are already ahead of the game in my opinion, and by posting your efforts here, you just might be able to convince many others to start growing their own produce.

That's always a positive thing

Thank you, Hubby is an ex-marine, grew up here on a farm nearby, his parents sharecropped for a living, he has hunted and fished most of his life and has taught our son what he knows, so I feel pretty confident we would not starve, but I would prefer not to get too close to being hungry if I can help it. Hubby said when things get bad around here everybody and thier brother will be out hunting for food, so that game will become scarce pretty quickly.

I wanted to share this with anyone concerned about survival, this is where I got the idea for the rabbits, (she keeps them in her basement so it would even be possible for a city dweller to raise their own fresh meat) this girl tells how to not work and to survive on next to nothing and have plenty, she calls it possum living. LOL It is an interesting read too, I have not finished it, but it is really amazing how well she does and the information one can gleam from reading about her life. Here is the link.

www.f4.ca...

reply to post by goose

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Thanks for the link, it looks like it will be a good resource

I have the Foxfire series of books which is also a great resource into living old school, it amazes me how much basic living knowledge society has lost all in the quest for the knowledge that is taught in schools, don't get me wrong, I think that is important as well, but the basics of how to provide for yourself should be required in addition to reading writing etc.

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Here's a link to more info on the Foxfire books:

en.wikipedia.org...





[edit on 7/28/2008 by JacKatMtn]

Thank you, I will definitely look into those. If you look at Dolly's story, be sure and check out the weed she talks about that is actually delicious according to her, I am definitely going to look for it around here. LOL

She seems to have disappeared after that one bit of fame over her book, it would be interesting to know if she continued with her possum living or joined the rat race. LOL

when you make your pasta sauce you can lightly stab the tomato's with a knife then par boil them, the skin should shrivel right off.

then i usually like to roast them with some salt, pepper, fresh oregano and basil.. sometimes with a carrot and small amount of pumpkin just to add some other veg and make the tomato flavour not quite so strong.

then blend away.


my mum sometimes makes a real nice chutney if she gets a big box of cheap tomato's.

MMMMM sun drieds.. Either lightly oil plum tomatoes and put them in the oven at low heat for a few hours.. ( i did 5 hours i think ) I like to sprinkle with sea salt.. but thats just me.. .. if you dont use them as " sundried" .. i sometimes use them as a " paste" for home made sauce. They give a very rich flavor.

I have a gf that makes sundried tomatoes on her gas grill ; lightly oiled and on a low heat as well.

Store them in olive oil to maintain freshness. .

Now.. pass the fresh mozzarella and basil pls =)