Preserving oven dried tomatoes and peaches

We’ve all had those days where a line-up of cooking and baking projects have left the kitchen upside down, with every mixing bowl dirtied and an army of utensils soiled. With any luck, there’s a empty spot on the countertop on which to set a wine glass or a coffee cup (depending on how you choose to face the mess) and then there is no other choice but to wade in and get it done.

These days, I am having more of those situations than I care to disclose. With recipe development for the cookbook in full swing and late-summer canning projects tucked around family meal prep, it is difficult to stay on top of clean up, even though I aim to ‘clean as you go‘ every time.

messy kitchen

Danny is usually an amazing help with dishes, but all last week he was laid up with a badly sprained ankle, and I was on my own – not just for the pots and pans, but for all children and household duties. Whew!

Which is why, at 8-o-clock in the evening, when faced with several pounds of peaches and tomatoes to preserve, I decided that semi-dehydrating them was the best course of action.

Preserving oven roasted tomatoes on simplebites.net

After bathing three kids and tucking them into bed, I had worked from 7 to 8 pm to get the kitchen back to zero. Earlier in the day, I had every intention of putting up the peaches in syrup and canning a few jars of crushed tomatoes once the house had settled in the evening. But that night I just didn’t have it in me.

Good thing, because these slow roasted tomatoes and peaches are fantastic.

Preserving oven roasted peaches on simplebites.net

That night I gave my fruit a quick bath in a sink of cool water with a splash of fruit & vegetable soak to help remove pesticides and dirt, then I drained and dried them and got to work. It didn’t take long to slice both peaches (freestone!) and tomatoes and lay them on wire racks. Then I left them in a slow oven to dry overnight and my work was done.

This is a completely hassle-free method to preserving. I can’t call them ‘dehydrated’ because they still have a little juice left in the center – which is how I like them. For this reason, they need to be frozen when completed.

Some like to remove the tomato seeds first, or add garlic as Alana has in this recipe on Serious Eats, but it is totally up to you. You can flavor the tomatoes with herbs and the peaches with cinnamon, or leave them in their perfect natural state.

Preserving oven dehydrated tomatoes on simplebites.net

Slow roasted tomatoes have made an appearance before in the form of cherry tomato bites, and today’s version using the larger Roma tomato can be enjoyed in the same ways. You can freeze them in airtight bags, plastic containers or jars.

I chose to pack some in olive oil once and tuck them into to freezer, where they will keep for about 6 months. Just in time for winter pizza toppings.

Plenty of you chimed in on Facebook and Instagram to sing your dirty kitchen woes; perhaps you too can still preserve a piece of summer without dirtying more dishes or firing up the old canning pot. After today’s post, I’m fairly certain that you will want to.

Oven Dried Peaches

These tart and chewy bites are highly addicting, which is why I recommend getting them into jars or bags and into the freezer as soon as possible.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Method
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 10 minutes
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • freestone peaches
  • optional: cinnamon sugar

Instructions

  • Slice peaches in half and remove the pit. Place on a wire cooling rack fitted onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar, if desired.
  • Place the tray in the oven and set oven to 150F or lowest setting. Leave overnight to dry, or up to 18 hours, depending on the size and the ripeness of the peaches.
  • Check periodically and taste test. Once peaches are sufficiently dried, remove from oven and cool. Package in ziplock bags or jars and freeze for up to 6 months.

Oven Dried Tomatoes

These are dynamic, flavour-packed little morsels. Freeze them for up to 6 months and enjoy them on pizza and in pasta for a bright taste of summer during the cold months.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Method
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 10 minutes
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • ripe tomatoes I used Romas, but any will do
  • olive oil
  • optional: fresh herbs

Instructions

  • Wash, core and slice tomatoes in half. Arrange on a wire cooling rack fitted on a baking tray and lightly drizzle with olive oil.
  • Sprinkle a few chopped herbs over top of the tomatoes. I love to use thyme or oregano.
  • Place the tray in the oven and set oven to 150F or lowest setting. Leave overnight to dry, or up to 12 hours, depending on the size and the ripeness of the tomatoes.
  • Check periodically and taste test. Once the tomatoes are sufficiently dried, remove from oven and cool. Package in ziplock bags or jars and freeze for up to 6 months. Alternately, pack in olive oil in small jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace, and freeze for up to 6 months.

 

Will you be dehydrating any fruits this fall?

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31 Comments

  1. Such a fabulous idea to oven dry these! I had never thought to do tomatoes, but it’s such a wonderful way to hold on to those beauties!

  2. I have been making the tomatoes like this for years (makes for very good tomato soup in Winter), but had never thought to do the peaches. Wow!

  3. We have a dehydrator, which is worth its weight in gold. Means the oven doesn’t have to be left on (and as it is a gas one, that’s a good thing) and it doesn’t stop me from being able to use my stove/oven to do other things.
    Dehydrated apples and bananas are my kids favourite snacks these days. And with the dehydrator I can also make my own fruit leather.
    Haven’t tried anything with olive oil on it…will have to give it a go.

  4. What a brilliant idea! It never occurred to me to do this with peaches. I’m thinking I should try this with Champagne mangoes the next time I get a case. Thanks for continuing to inspire us here!

  5. I have peaches in the oven as I type, inspired by your status of a few days ago. I really didn’t want to deal with them and knew we’d appreciate them in the winter. They smell amazing.
    And I’m getting tomatoes today and will be doing some of them up that way, love that idea.

  6. Ha! I wish I had as good of an excuse as you (cook book development! yay!) for why my kitchen looks like that right now. Dinner development just isn’t as convincing. . . oh well. This is an idea I must try – and I actually have loads of tomatoes in my garden this year to try it with!!

  7. Oh I love this! I don’t have enough of a tomoato crop to preserve for sauce, but using this method sounds perfect… winter pizza topping, along with the pesto that’s in the freezer? Yes please!

  8. 5 stars
    It’s so nice to read that your kitchen was like that! That’s how mine is on most days. It’s just so hard with 3 little kids and everything going on. My kids are going to love the peaches and tomatoes! I can’t wait to surprise them.

  9. I love this idea because I seriously have NO ROOM for another kitchen appliance (though I kinda want a dehydrator!!! but there’s no room.). Also, I don’t know how you get everything done and even your “messy day” in the kitchen looks neater than mine on a normal, calm & casual day, haha! I’m trying to use workflowy to be more efficient, and I’m even adding “clean up time” to my list of things to do when I have to make something in the kitchen. I’ll let you know how this works out 😉

    1. My dehydrator is never in the kitchen as I didn’t have room for another appliance either. It lives in the guest bedroom cupboard…and gets plugged in whereever I have space on that particular day. Since it doesn’t really make a mess it’s one of the most flexible appliances I’ve ever bought. And aside from my ice-cream maker (tiny) and food processor one of the best appliances I have spent money on.

  10. Thanks for this recipe. Have it going now. Oven Roasted Tomatoes were new to me last year. I also have a dehydrator in the utility room which I don’t use much any more. It sends my utility bill much higher than using the oven to dehydrate. With the fan in my oven it really cuts down the drying time.

  11. My oven has a dehydrate setting which I used to dry a surplus of cherry tomatoes. So good! I did not freeze them but when I was sure they were fully dried, I put them in a mason jar and shook it from time to time to make sure they were dry and not molding! Great on a winter salad.