Today, it’s all about making tomato powder and using it. It takes up very little space on the pantry shelves, and yet we can make so many things with it. Here again, it’s all about cooking from scratch.
What Is Tomato Powder?
It’s essentially fresh, sweet tomatoes dehydrated with their peelings, then pulsed or ground into a fine powder. You can make it so much cheaper than buying it from the store. The powder is incredibly versatile for use in a wide range of tomato-based food items.
How To Make Tomato Powder
Dehydrate Your Tomatoes
Step One: Wash, Core, and Slice
Wash and core (stem) the tomatoes. Using a sharp knife, slice the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick and place the slices on the dehydrator trays or racks in a single layer. I DO NOT PEEL them.
Step Two: Set The Temperature
I set the temperature at (155°F) = (68°C) degrees per my Excalibur Dehydrator instructions. Please check your dehydrator for the correct temperatures for your specific make and model.
It took about 5 hours to dehydrate today. The time will depend on the humidity of the room where you are dehydrating them, as well as the temperature setting used in your dehydrator.
How To Condition Your Fruit or Vegetables
If you live where it is HUMID: “To condition the fruit, take the dried fruit that has cooled and pack it loosely in plastic or glass jars. Seal the containers and let them stand for 7 to 10 days. The drier pieces will absorb the excess moisture in some pieces.
Shake the containers daily to separate the pieces and check the moisture condensation.” https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/pack_store.html . As mentioned in the following paragraph and the section below regarding conditioning, I often place them on a baking or cookie sheet on my counter for 5-7 days.
I used to live in the DRY DESERT: I set my fruit and vegetables on my countertop for 5-7 days. Ten days are even better to make sure everything is evenly dry before using your FoodSaver unit.
Step Three: Tomato Powder-Use a Blender
You can use a Magic Bullet or a blender to make the powder. It’s very easy to use either one. It’s good to use the pulse button and grind a little at a time. I’ve heard that some people use their coffee grinders or food processors to achieve the desired powder consistency.
You can store the excess dehydrated tomatoes in jars and blend the amount of tomato powder you will use during the next month or so. It takes up very little space on my pantry shelves.
How To Dehydrate Tomatoes
How To Dehydrate Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1-6 tomatoes (No chemicals or preservatives. Just fresh tomatoes.)
Instructions
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Wash and core (stem) the tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes about ¼ inch thick and place them on the dehydrator racks. I DO NOT PEEL them.
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I set the temperature at (155°F) = (68°C) degrees per my Excalibur Dehydrator instructions. Please check your dehydrator for the correct temperatures.
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The time will always depend on the humidity where you are drying yours. I dry them until they are a little flexible but not brittle. Today they took about 5 hours.
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You can use the dried tomato slices for making paste, puree or just to season what you are cooking. These are great to use in soups, spaghetti sauces, or to eat as a snack!
How To Condition Your Fruit or Vegetables
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If you live where it is HUMID: "To condition the fruit, take the dried fruit that has cooled and pack it loosely in plastic or glass jars. Seal the containers and let them stand for 7 to 10 days. The excess moisture in some pieces will be absorbed by the drier pieces. Shake the jars daily to separate the pieces and check the moisture condensation." https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/pack_store.html I used to live in the DRY DESERT: I set my fruit and vegetables on my countertop for 5-7 days. Ten days are even better to make sure everything is dry before using your FoodSaver unit.
How To Make Tomato Powder
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After you dehydrate your tomatoes and they are fully "conditioned" (totally ready to store), you can make tomato powder. You can use a Magic Bullet or a blender to make the powder. It's very easy to use either one. It's good to use the pulse button and grind a little at a time. I've heard some people will use their coffee grinders or food processor to get the powder consistency they want.
How Do I Store Tomato Powder?
You can use airtight containers as shown above, or pint-sized mason jars with Ball White Lids. Either way, it’s so easy to make and store for later.
Please don’t use your FoodSaver accessories tube to remove the air from the powder. It will damage your FoodSaver by sucking the powder up the tube into the machine.
What is Conditioning?
After the food is dehydrated, place your finished product on trays for 5-7 days. Ten days is even better. Here’s the deal: we need every area of the tomatoes to be dry, or you may see mold in your jars after sealing. If you see mold, discard the entire jar; it is not safe to eat.
How do I Store the Dehydrated Tomatoes?
I use my FoodSaver and seal the jars. I don’t use oxygen absorbers because I plan to eat these within a year. Then I start the process again next year, since I love both the dehydrated tomatoes and the tomato powder as I prepare meals.
Can I Dehydrate the Tomatoes in My Oven?
Yes, you can. Many preppers like to use ovens for dehydrating fruits and veggies. You need to set the oven to its lowest temperature, put a wad of foil to keep the oven door ajar, and place the sliced tomatoes on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper. Be sure to check the tomatoes often, since your oven will dry them much faster than a regular dehydrator.
Can I Use Cherry Tomatoes?
Yes, you can dehydrate cherry tomatoes by cutting them in half and drying them with the cut side up. The advantage of using cherry tomatoes is that they are typically much sweeter to taste; therefore, the tomato powder is also much sweeter.
Which Tomatoes Are Best To Use?
Any tomato will work, but try to use only non-GMO varieties whenever possible. The more we purchase good seeds that are Heirloom Seeds, the better off we’ll be. We can save seeds and replant them as needed. This is where I buy all of my garden seeds: SeedsNow.
If you plan to use your tomatoes for juice, consider growing Early Girl or Brandywine. They tend to be larger and very juicy when ripe. We have also used Beefsteak tomatoes and had good luck due to their large size. Romas are okay, but tend to be smaller in size and have less juice content.
What Are The Easiest Tomatoes To Grow?
If you’re a beginner gardener, consider selecting cherry tomatoes. They are very easy to grow and produce a large harvest. Here are some tips on growing tomatoes. We’ve had good production with all the tomato varieties, big and small. We enjoy BLT sandwiches, so tomatoes are included in each year’s planting cycle.
What Is The Shelf Life?
As a Master Canner-Preserver, I can confidently say that the dehydrated tomatoes and the powder will remain good for one year if stored properly. Please keep the tomato powder in airtight containers. We all hope the food in storage lasts a long time, so plan on storing it in a cool, dry, and dark location whenever possible.
Are Tomatoes Healthy?
Tomatoes are a great source of the antioxidant lycopene. It has been linked to many health benefits, such as a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. They are high in Vitamin C, Potassium, Folate, and of course, Vitamin K.
How Can I Use Tomato Powder?
- Tomato soup or stew
- Spaghetti sauce
- Chili
- Sloppy Joes
- Bisque
- Juice
- Paste
- Tomato Sauce
- Ketchup
- Pizza sauce and other pasta dishes
- Sprinkle on top of salads
How to Make Your Tomato Sauce
15-ounce can: 2/3 cup tomato powder and 1-3/4 cups water
Fresh Juice
64-ounce bottle: 8 cups water and 1 cup powder
You Can Make Tomato Paste
6-ounce can: 6 tablespoons powder and 1/2 cup water
Here are the other Dehydrating Posts I have done:
- Dehydrating Apples
- Dehydrating Bananas
- Dehydrating Blackberries and Powder
- Dehydrating Blueberries and Powder
- Dehydrating Cilantro
- Dehydrating Cucumbers and Powder
- Dehydrating Ginger and Powder
- Dehydrating Green Onions and Powder
- Dehydrating Kale and Kale Powder
- Dehydrating Kiwi
- Dehydrating Lemons and Powder
- Dehydrating Marshmallows
- Dehydrating Peppermint Marshmallows and Powder
- Dehydrating Mushrooms and Mushroom Powder
- Dehydrating Onions and Powder
- Dehydrating Pears
- Dehydrating Pineapple
- Dehydrating Raspberries and Powder
- Dehydrating Spinach and Powder
- Dehydrating Strawberries
- Dehydrating Tomatoes and Powder
- Dehydrating Watermelon
Final Word
Please let me know if you’ve made tomato powder and how you used it. I love hearing from you. Tomatoes are so easy to dehydrate and then use to make our powder.
It’s all about cooking from scratch and growing our food. Thanks again for being prepared for the unexpected. May God bless this world, Linda
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