Tomato Powder

Today I embarked on another batch of homemade tomato paste. With the last batch, I fed the tomato peels and seeds from my moulie to my chickens—a treat they greatly appreciated.

This batch I decided to use these to make tomato powder as my stocks were depleted. This concentrated tomato ingredient adds a burst of flavour to stews, casseroles, soups, spice blends for seasoning meat and vegetables, and even herb bread dough.

You can reconstitute tomato powder into any tomato product for use in cooking.

One tbsp of water and powder for tomato paste

1/2 cup of water to one tbsp of powder for puree

Creating tomato powder is wonderfully simple. Just spread out the leftover skins, seeds, and any remaining pulp from your moulie or food mill onto a sheet in your dehydrator. Let the dehydrator work its magic until everything is completely dry. You can make tomato powder from whole tomatoes by placing slices in your dehydrator. I will do this once I have finished making my other tomato preserves to fill the shortfall.

Once dried (brittle when broken, not rubbery), transfer the mixture into a blender or food processor and blend it into a fine powder. Check your dehydrator book for recommended drying times. This tray took six hours. Store the powder in an airtight jar, and check it daily for the first few days to ensure there’s no condensation. If you spot any, return it to the dehydrator for additional drying. You can purchase moisture absorption sachets if you prefer to place in your jars of dehydrated items.

It may not look like much, but every tablespoon is a burst of flavour

The beauty of a dehydrator is that you cannot over dry anything. I often leave mine running overnight just to be sure. They are very cheap to operate, under 50 cents per day.

If you do not own a dehydrator, you can dry your tomatoes, skins, and peels in an oven at your lowest setting. I believe some air fryers also have a dehydrate setting.