best backyard crop in years -- tomato sauce cooking now (!) -- so; how do I preserve the rest?

[villager]

Yes! Tomato sauce with tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini and basil from the backyard!

And more squash and tomatoes are on their way!

Any good ideas for preserving the rest? Friends have suggest sun-drying -- do I want a dehydrator? Pickling? (I've never canned before -- maybe it's time?)

Freezer space is limited here...

Thoughts/tips appreciated -- looking forward to the DU "grow your own" potluck/picnic get-together! ;-)

[hippywife]

1. This will help:

National Center For Home Food Preservation

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/

Congrats on the great harvest. :hi:

Edited to add: Also search this forum for drying articles from Mother Earth News.

[villager]

2. Thanks!

:hi:

[tsuki]

3. I don't know about pickling. I do can my tomatoes. Not very difficult. nt

[villager]

4. a friend keeps tell me it's easier than I think...

n/t

[hippywife]

5. Pickling is so very easy!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=66725

:hi:

[beac]

6. Oven-dried tomatoes!

Oven-Dried Tomatoes

20 firm-ripe Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leafed parsley
Coarse or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Trim the stem ends off of the tomatoes, quarter lengthwise and remove and discard seeds. Place in a large, nonmetallic bowl and add the olive oil, vinegar, parsley, mixing well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover bowl and allow to marinate in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 200*F (95*C).

Place tomatoes in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet.

Bake for 16 to 20 hours. Ideally, the best time to place them in the oven is around 7:00 in the evening and bake the tomatoes throughout the night. The next morning you'll have plump, juicy and intensely flavorful tomatoes. Cool completely before storing.

To store: Place dried tomatoes in sterilized glass jars and pour olive oil over to cover, seal tightly with lids. Store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. Or, place tomatoes in a zipper-style bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Makes 80.

http://www.cooksrecipes.com/sauce/oven-dried-tomatoes-recipe.html

[bvar22]

7. What part of the country are you in?

We are in Central Arkansas, and our early harvest was disappointing, but cooler temps and rain in mid-July has improved the situation.

We eat as many tomatoes as possible, and Starkraven "cans" the rest.
I've heard sun dried are good, but have no experience with that.
We were going to try drying tomatoes this year, but the disappointing harvest postponed that plan until next year.

I've read about skinning tomatoes and freezing them whole for thawing out later for making sauces and such.

Happy Harvest! :party:

[yy4me]

8. Where are you that you have sun this year. We in NE are

jealous of those bragging about their gardens. With so much rain, ours have either rotted or are so far behind that we will have hardly anything to pick this year.