Botulism

Sorry don't know much about botulism and how quickly it grows. But if you've only just bottled the toms, well I think they'd be fine for a while (week or so?) anyway in the fridge - so don't throw away.

When we oven-dried some toms I found this recipe and followed it but without the 'flavouring', the toms were very tasty and lasted months. Don't know how long they might have lasted cos we ate them!

Oven-Dried Tomatoes

Wash carefully and wipe dry: 7 or 8 pounds of firm, ripe (preferably Roma) tomatoes.

Cut out the stem, and if the tomato has a scar (discolored area of tough skin), remove it and the hardened core lying under it. Cut the tomatoes in half, lengthwise. If the tomato is more than about 2 inches long, cut it in quarters. Scrape out all of the seeds that you can without removing the pulp.

Arrange the tomatoes, with the cut surface up, on non-stick cookie sheets (glass or porcelain dishes are OK. They will have to withstand temperatures of a few hundred degrees F if you are going to oven-dry the tomatoes).

Do *not* use aluminum foil, or bare aluminum cookie sheets. The acid in the tomatoes will react with the metal.

Mix together thoroughly:
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp salt.
Sprinkle a small amount of this mixture on each tomato. (You may customize this mixture to suit your own taste.)

Dry the tomatoes in the oven, dehydrator, or in the sun. However, no matter what method you choose, be aware that not all of the tomatoes will dry at the same rate. They are done when they are very dry, but still pliable - about the texture of a dried apricot.

Oven-drying (approximately 12 hours):

Bake, cut side up, in 170 F oven for about 3 hours. Leave the oven door propped open about 3 inches to allow moisture to escape. After 3 hours, turn the tomatoes over and press flat with your hand or a spatula. Continue to dry, turning the tomatoes every few hours, and gently pressing flatter and flatter, until tomatoes are dry.

After the tomatoes are dry, store in air-tight containers, or pack in oil.

To pack in oil:
Dip each tomato into a small dish of white wine vinegar. Shake off the excess vinegar and pack them in olive oil. Make sure they are completely immersed in the oil.

When the jar is full, cap it tightly and store at *cool* room temperature for at least a month before using. They may be stored in the refrigerator, but the oil will solidify at refrigerator temperatures (it quickly reliquifies at room temperature however).

As tomatoes are removed from the jar, add more olive oil as necessary to keep the remaining tomatoes covered.

The author notes that she has stored oil-packed tomatoes in her pantry for over a year with tremendous success. She also notes that she has tried a number of methods to pack the tomatoes in oil, but she says the vinegar treatment is the difference between a good dried tomato and a great one. It is also important from a food safety standpoint, as it acidifies the
oil and discourages growth of bacteria and mold.

Fantastic, you've just told me everything i've been looking for on the internet for the past couple of weeks!
Does it make a difference if you use a fan-assisted oven?

Also, I wonder if the vinegar technique would work with chillies too?

Thank you smallblueplanet that's fantastic, I will try your recipe.
My tomatoes are rock hard! I'm hoping the oil will soften them up a little. Oh well it's only my first year.