This is our step-by-step guide on how to dehydrate tomato sauce. Dehydrating tomato sauce is real easy to do. Just like in our everyday cooking, many of our dehydrated camping meal recipes use it. So it just makes good sense to dehydrate what you use day-to-day and have it on hand in your pantry for when it’s needed.
Empty the can of tomato sauce into a mixing bowl, followed by 1/2 can of water. Mix well.
several cans Tomato sauce
Prepare the Dehydrator
Ladel the thinned tomato sauce onto the fruit roll sheet; one 15-ounce can will fill two 13.5-inch round dehydrator trays.
Dehydrate the Tomato Sauce
Set the dehydrator thermostat temperature to 160 °F (71 °C). Dry for 20 to 24 hours until done.
When is the Dehydrated Tomato Done
When done, the dried tomato sauce should easily break into smaller pieces when bent. There should be no wet areas or mushy pieces.
Equalizing and Conditioning Dehydrated Tomato Sauce
After a short cooling period, loosely pack the dehydrated tomato pieces into a clean, dry canning jar with a tight-fitting lid, leaving some headspace.
Every day, for 7 to 10 days, check the jar for moisture. Roll the jar contents around and note any clumping or sticking. If seen, put it all back on the dehydrator for several more hours.
If you notice any mold at all, even the slightest bit, throw it all out.
Storing the Dehydrated Tomato Sauce
Use appropriate-sized canning jars for storage. Depending on how well you dehydrate them and your pantry storage conditions, the dehydrated tomato sauce pieces should keep for at least 12 months.
An optional food-safe desiccant packet will aid with moisture control.
Attach or include a label describing the jar contents and the date the product was dehydrated. The label identifies the canning jar contents, and the date helps with the rotation schedule. A first-in, first-out rotation helps us to use items that have been on the shelf the longest, so we're using the oldest food first.
Notes
Drying times will vary depending on your dehydrator and environmental conditions. Refer to your dehydrator owner’s manual for recommended temperatures and times for dehydrating specific foods. Remember to use drying times as a guide.