Dehydrate:
Leave skins on again, cut into large pieces so that you have plenty of tomato for the amount of skin. Cut into thirds by rounds. Salt very very lightly. Dry almost 20 hours, but do watch them as they burn.If they stick up and make the trays leave gaps don't be concerned, within an hour they will have shrunk enough to close the gaps.
As they dry I had to turn the dehydrator off a few times to let the moisture redistribute a bit because they will burn even in the dehydrator. Continue off and on until they are not too sticky.

Since these are wetter than other dried things I have frozen, I froze them on the dehydrator trays then transferred to freezer bags so they would be free-flowing.

Cherry Tomatoes:
Very expensive but these dry into almost a candy. Slice in half. Place cut side UP on dehydrator trays. Takes 12-20 hours to dry, but don't dry them overnight. Watch them and rotate the racks. Leave soft and let cool. Continue to cycle the dehydrator off and back on until they aren't too sticky. Store in freezer.

Freeze Raw Tomatoes (to replace #10 cans):
Quickly cut out cores. Use food processor to roughly chop up so the skins aren't too pronounced. Put into 12 qt container. Lightly salt to taste, allowing 15 min or so for the salt to flavor them. Taste again.
Ladle into 2 qt freezer boxes. These hold 4 lb tomatoes. Each #10 can is 6 1/2 lb tomatoes. So 3 qts raw tomatoes is almost a #10 can.

When faced with all those stunning red beauties at the Farm Stand -

~The most important note is to very gently salt and allow time to cook. Something magical happens at the 4 hour point. The sugars just come out! AND by chance I didn't have time to can some on the same day, so I had to hold in the oven overnight. What a happy discovery that the very long roast yielded a VERY sweet tomato sauce in the morning!

~Another happy discovery is to use early girl and roma tomatoes mixed. The early girls are dry enough but add such brightness.

~Roast the tomatoes
Wash, cut the core out and cut into quarters. 4 inch deep hotel pan will fit about 20 lb tomatoes. Salt gently about 2 t in the full pan. Preheat the oven to 450*. Put pan in oven and TURN DOWN to bake 200*. Roast uncovered, usually overnight, or about 8 hours. In the morning stir gently and TURN oven UP to convection 350*. Simmer an hour or so, check to see if it is reduced enough.

You can keep the temp at 350* and check about every 15-30 minutes, or turn down to convection 250* to really turn them into a thick thick sauce.

~Deal with the skins-

-Use the immersion blender to make a smooth sauce or paste which still has the skins and seeds in it. Very easy, but it does have some texture.

-Cool slightly and process through my victorio strainer with the pumpkin screen and the grape spiral because the skins get so dry that they clog the end. OR use the tomato/apple screen to take out the skins and most seeds.

~Simmer the tomatoes on the stovetop
Just simmer gently 4 hours or more in my 15 qt brazier.

~Very Smooth Tomatoes (like for tomato soup):
Blanch and dip in ice water briefly to peel and core them. Heat on stovetop in 15 qt brazier (about 20 lb will fit). Salt lightly to taste. Roast in oven at least 4 hours on about 350* - 200*. Taste for salt. Finish reducing on stovetop. Use stick blender to make a smooth sauce after reducing.

~Canning Instructions:
Fill jars and can in steam canner 45 minutes.
-Steam Canning: Bring the canner to the end of the "steam indicator zone". Reduce heat but keep the canner simmering gently. It will stay in the zone without simmering, but keep it simmering, it is a good safeguard.
-Waterbath: Fill to bottom of rack. Bring to happy simmer and keep it there.

~On these more dense contents (like applesauce too) be sure to bring to a full simmer and keep simmering as you fill jars. Fill each completely and lid it. Place in very warm canner to keep warm while you fill the rest. Be sure to keep it simmering to the end.

~With a full 15 qt brazier I ended with 9 quarts. It is good to can 7 - this allows the tomatoes to maintain a happy simmer right to the end. Then fill the extra two quarts very full and lid. The lids may seal lightly. Then keep in fridge until you need them.

~NOTE
if keeping jars in fridge either without canning or those which didn't seal, TOP WITH OLIVE OIL. This creates an airtight barrier on top of the tomatoes in the jar. The olive oil hardens beautifully in the fridge. Like my grandma would've used parafin to seal jams!

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