I'm just now getting to this video. I'm glad I found it. Now I don't have to can my tomatoes, I know how to freeze dry them. Even though I'm not at 4800 ft. I really appreciate the effort you put into showing us the way. Thanks again.
Awesome!!!! I’m so excited. I’ve had mine for 2 years and I’ve tried to freeze dry tomatoes and it was a flop. I wasn’t doing it right. Im excited again!!! Thank you so much!!!
I’ve had good luck freeze drying cherry tomatoes, by just cutting them in half and loading into the trays, cut end up. Delicious little crunchy snacks. Started a load of Campari tomatoes yesterday, cut into eighths. Haven’t checked them yet.
Another great video! I just freeze dried grape tomatoes from my garden a few days ago sliced bad seasoned them with Italian seasoning they taste like pizza!
Green tomatoes are great to use because of their acid content. Here are today's experiments plus one with ripe tomato slices. 1. Green tomato slices with Italian seasoning, finely shredded Parmesan cheese, small pieces of pepperoni. DELICIOUS!!! A MINI MEAL IN ITSELF. The green tomato added an interesting component. Main challenge is how to "embed" everything on the tomato slice. The mini pieces of pepperoni slid off, but we added them back to the slices on a plate. 2. Green tomato slices with Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seed Seasoning and Truffle Sea Salt. A DEFINITE WINNER. I added the Trader Joe's seasoning first and let the tomato slowly rehydrate the onion bits in the seasoning, then added the Truffle Sea Salt right before placing the tray in the FD. 3. Green tomato slices with Pumpkin Pie Spice and Sugar. VERY TASTY BUT DEPENDS ON A PERSON'S PREFERENCE. It's a bit stronger than adding cinnamon and sugar to Granny Smith apples and also contains more nutrition than apples. Next time, I'll add a bit more cinnamon to the Pumpkin Pie Spice. 4. Ripe tomato slices with bacon bits and finely shredded Swiss cheese. TODAY'S OVERALL WINNER. EVERYONE LOVED THIS. ANOTHER MINI MEAL IN EACH BITE. The main challenge was keeping the bacon bits from sliding off the slices when removed from the trays. Next batch: I'll try them again slightly embedding the bacon bits into the tomato slices first, then sprinkling with the cheese. Does anyone have suggestions on how to handle the mini pepperoni pieces and/or bacon bits? Thanks!
@@Philat4800feet All recipes are gluten free which is imperative for our g dau. I like the frugality of using green tomatoes especially those picked right before the frost. Pumpkin pie spice/sugar topping mimics green tomato jam and pie filling, but not a preference of everyone. The other 3 recipes are more universal in their appeal.
Phil, I really enjoy your videos. Like the detail. My question is when you boil down the tomatoes are you sacrificing nutrients for the sake of reducing water content when the freeze dryer would do that. Keep the videos coming. Thank you.
Good question and you're correct. Boiling destroys the vitamin C. I had to weigh the pros and cons. One batch verse three batches. Tomatoes are one of the more "riskier" fruits out of the garden and prone to botulism if not put-up correctly. Boiling now provides a bit of a safe guard. The other issue is boiling them now or later. If you're going to make pizza sauce 15 years from now, won't you end up boiling them eventually?
Instead of boiling them , Slice and drain on paper towels. Change the towels at least once .. I know eventually , the powder will be cooked down . I don’t want to lose nutrients twice. Thank you for sharing your experience!
There are a lot of factors going into dry time. I run my machine at zero on initial freeze, 0 for extra freeze time, 130 for temp, and 12 hours extra freeze time. I pre freeze my food, I have my tray wrapped with foil, and I rotate my trays every 6-8 hours.
I was hoping to see how to freeze dry cherry & grape tomatoes. I've just had two batches fail. I know tomatoes have sugar which you can see in the goo the tomatoes gave off in the freeze drying process. I'm going to switch over & dehydrate the tomatoes this time.
You have just met someone who doesn’t like tomatoes. Everyone one around me loves them. I would like a dime for every time I was forced by my parents to “try” them. I HATE THEM !!!! Now as a retired person, my tastes have never changed, I still hate them. I am reviewing your site for my husband. 💙
I really don't like tomatoes much, but I bet if I FD them, I probably won’t stop eating them. It's unbelievable how much better food taste after it's FD.
Phil blossom end rot is from calcium deficiency. Also even when calcium is present in the soil, if the soil isn't correct pH the plant can't utilize the calcium. I thought you'd want to know. Could you share info on that hand crank tomato press please?
I thought these hand crack strainers were pretty common: www.amazon.com/Norpro-1951-Original-Sauce-Master/dp/B0000DDVMQ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2PF13B9RRVPU1&keywords=hand+crank+strainer&qid=1665275145&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIzLjAzIiwicXNhIjoiMi41NSIsInFzcCI6IjIuMTMifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=hand+crack+stainerai%2Caps%2C1005&sr=8-6
@@Philat4800feet No problem, not everyone knows about the calcium deficiency and pH of soil. The cracking is inconsistent water and especially when we have a big rain after a dry spell it inevitably leads to splitting.
Hi Phil, can you tell me where to purchase the 8x 12 50 packs of Mylar packs in Canada. As usual, many thanks for you assistance, really enjoyed the 10 commandments:)
Are mylar bags subject to tariffs at the boarder? During 2020 I had a hard time finding mylar bags and oxygen absorbers. I saw a post of one person who found supplies at a nearby "Home Storage Center" sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I also bought some. The prices were fair.
You do not have to boil the tomatoes down at all when freeze drying. Don't waste your time, because when it's done from the freeze dryer you add water to reconstitute to the thickness you want! It's not necessary to boil it down. Blossom end rot is not caused by infrequent watering, it's a calcium deficiency. Give them a drink of your soured milk or sour cream or what ever dairy you have as an instant nutrient feed, then give the plants a long acting calcium source. You'll need to pick the tomatoes effected, cut off blossom end rot, eat the rest. The next blossoms will not have any BER.
Correct on calcium, but consistent moisture uptake is important to get the calcium to the plant. I boil my tomatoes down due to the large quantities of tomatoes I harvest, if not, I'd be freeze drying for weeks
If you are going to remove the water by freeze drying, why would you cut tomatoes that are dripping with water as you take them out of the sink? I would dry them off with a towel first.
The tomatoes are going to be reduced before freeze drying to make tomato powder. It wasn't practical to dry the tomatoes prior to running them through a strainer.
Who doesn’t like tomatoes? I don’t. Whenever I go into the produce aisle at the grocery store, I literally feel sick at the smell of a tomato. But I eat them on burgers or in a sauce. My mother used to love eating toasted tomato sandwiches with miracle whip. Whenever she’d make one, I’d have to leave the room because of the smell. My father was like that with bananas. 🤷♀️
You must be somewhere with acidic soil. My soil is very alkane (Ph 9). We work hard to get it down to a Ph 7. Potash (potassium) is rich in our soils. Lyme will de-acidify the soil sending me in the wrong direction. True, blossom end rot is not just from irregular water, but about poor calcium uptake. Many of the cracks, can be caused by over watering when the fruit outpaces the growth of the skin. We have had five inches of rain in two weeks during growth. A record for us.
I'm just now getting to this video. I'm glad I found it. Now I don't have to can my tomatoes, I know how to freeze dry them. Even though I'm not at 4800 ft. I really appreciate the effort you put into showing us the way. Thanks again.
Hope you enjoy
Awesome!!!! I’m so excited. I’ve had mine for 2 years and I’ve tried to freeze dry tomatoes and it was a flop. I wasn’t doing it right. Im excited again!!! Thank you so much!!!
I think tomato powder is a great thing. Thanks for the video
Thanks for doing your video. I have never freeze dried tomatoes and am going to try your method very soon. 28:07
You described exactly how I like to eat garden-ripened tomatoes. There's nothing better. Love your channel.
Thanks
I’ve had good luck freeze drying cherry tomatoes, by just cutting them in half and loading into the trays, cut end up. Delicious little crunchy snacks. Started a load of Campari tomatoes yesterday, cut into eighths. Haven’t checked them yet.
I need to try that.
Love that you are putting this out there and teaching us how to do this. Would have liked it be more condensed, but was very good content. Thank you
I core them and run them through my ninja blender- I dont peel
I haven't had blossom end rot since I started adding egg shells and azomite to my compost mixture when I put them in the ground.
Another great video! I just freeze dried grape tomatoes from my garden a few days ago sliced bad seasoned them with Italian seasoning they taste like pizza!
Something I'll have to try.
Great video Phil ! You’re almost to 1000 Subs!!! Way to go!!! 👍😃
Green tomatoes are great to use because of their acid content. Here are today's experiments plus one with ripe tomato slices.
1. Green tomato slices with Italian seasoning, finely shredded Parmesan cheese, small pieces of pepperoni. DELICIOUS!!! A MINI MEAL IN ITSELF. The green tomato added an interesting component. Main challenge is how to "embed" everything on the tomato slice. The mini pieces of pepperoni slid off, but we added them back to the slices on a plate.
2. Green tomato slices with Trader Joe's Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seed Seasoning and Truffle Sea Salt. A DEFINITE WINNER. I added the Trader Joe's seasoning first and let the tomato slowly rehydrate the onion bits in the seasoning, then added the Truffle Sea Salt right before placing the tray in the FD.
3. Green tomato slices with Pumpkin Pie Spice and Sugar. VERY TASTY BUT DEPENDS ON A PERSON'S PREFERENCE. It's a bit stronger than adding cinnamon and sugar to Granny Smith apples and also contains more nutrition than apples. Next time, I'll add a bit more cinnamon to the Pumpkin Pie Spice.
4. Ripe tomato slices with bacon bits and finely shredded Swiss cheese. TODAY'S OVERALL WINNER. EVERYONE LOVED THIS. ANOTHER MINI MEAL IN EACH BITE. The main challenge was keeping the bacon bits from sliding off the slices when removed from the trays. Next batch: I'll try them again slightly embedding the bacon bits into the tomato slices first, then sprinkling with the cheese.
Does anyone have suggestions on how to handle the mini pepperoni pieces and/or bacon bits? Thanks!
I'll need to try these.
@@Philat4800feet All recipes are gluten free which is imperative for our g dau. I like the frugality of using green tomatoes especially those picked right before the frost. Pumpkin pie spice/sugar topping mimics green tomato jam and pie filling, but not a preference of everyone. The other 3 recipes are more universal in their appeal.
We love watching and learning from you! Thank you! How can I obtain your list of water amounts in foods?
In the description:
th-cam.com/video/4_ZzG7dUF2M/w-d-xo.html
Phil, I really enjoy your videos. Like the detail. My question is when you boil down the tomatoes are you sacrificing nutrients for the sake of reducing water content when the freeze dryer would do that. Keep the videos coming. Thank you.
Good question and you're correct. Boiling destroys the vitamin C. I had to weigh the pros and cons. One batch verse three batches. Tomatoes are one of the more "riskier" fruits out of the garden and prone to botulism if not put-up correctly. Boiling now provides a bit of a safe guard.
The other issue is boiling them now or later. If you're going to make pizza sauce 15 years from now, won't you end up boiling them eventually?
q ki ui00😅
Instead of boiling them , Slice and drain on paper towels. Change the towels at least once .. I know eventually , the powder will be cooked down . I don’t want to lose nutrients twice.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
That would work since a freeze dryer would remove the water anyway.
would love the to know how long the freezing process took and temp and also how long to dry thank you
There are a lot of factors going into dry time. I run my machine at zero on initial freeze, 0 for extra freeze time, 130 for temp, and 12 hours extra freeze time. I pre freeze my food, I have my tray wrapped with foil, and I rotate my trays every 6-8 hours.
Soylent red😍
I was hoping to see how to freeze dry cherry & grape tomatoes. I've just had two batches fail. I know tomatoes have sugar which you can see in the goo the tomatoes gave off in the freeze drying process. I'm going to switch over & dehydrate the tomatoes this time.
Soylent Red? Oh, that sounds wonderful. I used to buy Soylent Green, but I got a bone stuck in my throat one time.
Funny
How long does freeze drying a batch take? I have access to a harvest right freeze dryer, but no manual.
Tomatoes can take a long time. That's why I reduce them down on a stove before freeze drying. Then it's about 24-36 hours. I prefreeze them first.
@@Philat4800feet Thank you SO very kindly!!! I certainly appreciate your video and your guidance!
You have just met someone who doesn’t like tomatoes. Everyone one around me loves them. I would like a dime for every time I was forced by my parents to “try” them. I HATE THEM !!!! Now as a retired person, my tastes have never changed, I still hate them. I am reviewing your site for my husband. 💙
I feel the same about Liver and Beats
@@Philat4800feet I’m in your club for those food items as well. My list is even more extensive. 💙
Are tomatoes hygroscopic? Will it clump after a little air exposure?
I'll need to dig in to my inventory and check.
I really don't like tomatoes much, but I bet if I FD them, I probably won’t stop eating them. It's unbelievable how much better food taste after it's FD.
Try making tomato powder.
Phil blossom end rot is from calcium deficiency. Also even when calcium is present in the soil, if the soil isn't correct pH the plant can't utilize the calcium. I thought you'd want to know. Could you share info on that hand crank tomato press please?
I thought these hand crack strainers were pretty common:
www.amazon.com/Norpro-1951-Original-Sauce-Master/dp/B0000DDVMQ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2PF13B9RRVPU1&keywords=hand+crank+strainer&qid=1665275145&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIzLjAzIiwicXNhIjoiMi41NSIsInFzcCI6IjIuMTMifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=hand+crack+stainerai%2Caps%2C1005&sr=8-6
You are correct. I shouldn't have added that to the video. Can't edit once posted. I deleted that section about blossom end rot.
@@Philat4800feet No problem, not everyone knows about the calcium deficiency and pH of soil. The cracking is inconsistent water and especially when we have a big rain after a dry spell it inevitably leads to splitting.
Hi Phil, can you tell me where to purchase the 8x 12 50 packs of Mylar packs in Canada.
As usual, many thanks for you assistance, really enjoyed the 10 commandments:)
Are mylar bags subject to tariffs at the boarder? During 2020 I had a hard time finding mylar bags and oxygen absorbers. I saw a post of one person who found supplies at a nearby "Home Storage Center" sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I also bought some. The prices were fair.
@@Philat4800feet Thanks Phil I shall check that out.
You do not have to boil the tomatoes down at all when freeze drying. Don't waste your time, because when it's done from the freeze dryer you add water to reconstitute to the thickness you want! It's not necessary to boil it down. Blossom end rot is not caused by infrequent watering, it's a calcium deficiency. Give them a drink of your soured milk or sour cream or what ever dairy you have as an instant nutrient feed, then give the plants a long acting calcium source. You'll need to pick the tomatoes effected, cut off blossom end rot, eat the rest. The next blossoms will not have any BER.
Correct on calcium, but consistent moisture uptake is important to get the calcium to the plant. I boil my tomatoes down due to the large quantities of tomatoes I harvest, if not, I'd be freeze drying for weeks
I can’t believe you didn’t have cranberry, apple, pineapple, powder already instead of the actual juice. LOL hey it is a thought though!
I tried, some of these juice FD down to nothing.
What juicer do you use ?
Not sure on the name, but it's a hand crank strainer.
Thanks 😊
I FD cherry tomatoes, but tgey dont reconstitute well. Even just misting they are soggy. Yuk any suggestions?
That's how you can make your millions. Non-soggy, rehydrated veggies.
@@Philat4800feet lol
Hi Phil, i located a mylar vendor in BC however the bags he sells are 4 mill thickness, will that be sufficient for storage durability. Many thanks
Should work
@@Philat4800feet great, many thanks
No, food for long term storage should be in 7 ml. bags.
@@nancykunz7507 Thanks Nancy, much appreciated
If you are going to remove the water by freeze drying, why would you cut tomatoes that are dripping with water as you take them out of the sink? I would dry them off with a towel first.
The tomatoes are going to be reduced before freeze drying to make tomato powder. It wasn't practical to dry the tomatoes prior to running them through a strainer.
This year, we are doing the tomato powder. So versatile for the future meals. Slices etc. Don't work well at all.
Yup
Also, be sure not to use an 'aluminum' pan since tomatoes are acidic and become 'reactive' to the metal. Stainless is best.
Good to know.
What tomato grinder did you use, please?
No longer have the box. It's just a run of the mill strainer I got at my local farm store
Looks like a Victorio
Tomatoes should not be refrigerated until cut.
Who doesn’t like tomatoes? I don’t. Whenever I go into the produce aisle at the grocery store, I literally feel sick at the smell of a tomato. But I eat them on burgers or in a sauce. My mother used to love eating toasted tomato sandwiches with miracle whip. Whenever she’d make one, I’d have to leave the room because of the smell. My father was like that with bananas. 🤷♀️
I feel the same way with Beats. Should be outlawed.
the rot isn’t from infrequent watering, it is from your soil not having potash/lyme/other nutrients so it is soil quality
You must be somewhere with acidic soil. My soil is very alkane (Ph 9). We work hard to get it down to a Ph 7. Potash (potassium) is rich in our soils. Lyme will de-acidify the soil sending me in the wrong direction. True, blossom end rot is not just from irregular water, but about poor calcium uptake. Many of the cracks, can be caused by over watering when the fruit outpaces the growth of the skin. We have had five inches of rain in two weeks during growth. A record for us.
Freeze dry sliced tomatoes
I tried sliced tomato's, But they come back kind of mushy. Do you have a different experience?
Feed leftovers to the pigs and chickens, better than composting🤠!
Chickens love tomatoes.
You forgot to weigh your cupboard door.
And my clothes
Calcium will stop blossom end rot