Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil?
I bought a huge amount of dried tomatoes cheap at the Turkish store the other day, and am embarking on the experiment of soaking them in olive oil in a 1 1/2-quart Mason jar in the fridge. Flavored oil with garlic and oregano. It's ending up costing about 12 euros for 1 1/2 quarts, not a huge savings over the readymade kind in jars, but at least we know the oil is quality.
Has anyone ever done this? Daughter is skeptical.
Amanita
Apr 10, 2007 07:14AM
I'm not absolutely positive about this but I think that the dried tomatoes should be partially rehydrated with water before storing in oil. I also have a big bag of dry tomatoes I bought in Greece so I'd love to know how to prepare them. Is there the same concern about botulism as with herbs or garlic in oil?
Permalink | Reply
If you refrigerate the oil, it's okay.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS...
Permalink | Reply
Dried ingredients are ok -- no botulism.
Fresh (garlic, peppers, etc) present the risk of botulism. You should not store them in oil. Infused oil should be refigerated and used or disposed of within 2 weeks.
Botulism may be rare but it is an unspeakably horrible manner of death/disability.
Permalink | Reply
Actually, since the Mason jar happens to be missing its rubber gasket, nothing anaerobic can grow in there, right? Only aerobic. I like to use glass containers rather than tupperwares. I live in France, and many French people believe that plastic is evil and carcinogenic - although they sure drink a lot of mineral water in plastic bottles. You're definitely not supposed to let light hit your plastic bottled mineral water, though.
Permalink | Reply
It's the oil that makes it anaerobic no matter what type of container. Oil creates an anaerobic environment for anything immersed in it.
Permalink | Reply
C. Hamster is correct. You simply cannot risk botulism. To make a garlic-infused oil, you must properly acidulate the garlic, meaning you must introduce an acid into the garlic. It's the garlic that carries the botulism spores. If you wish wish to proceed, please research the proper technique. I'd tell you now, but I've only found less than authoritative sources and I don't want to steer you wrong!
Permalink | Reply
I've packed sun-dried tomatoes in oil before and there is no need to rehydrate them first. I've had great results, with tender tomatoes. I like to serve them on bread with fresh mozzarella cheese and a basil leaf. Or chopped up and used on pasta. What is your daughter skeptical about?
FYI, Nyleve mentions about botulism in oil packed with garlic. It is a possibility, but you should know that it is extremely rare.
Permalink | Reply
At 18, she thinks they won't be as delicious as store-bought - she, who hated store-bought sun-dried tomatoes until about six months ago! But now loves 'em! Thank you for the tip. How long did it take?
Permalink | Reply
I believe I let them sit for about two to three weeks before digging in. And they were nice and plump and tender. I'd say take one out after two weeks and test it. If it isn't right, give it another week.
I think your daughter might like them better than store bought.
How do you think you will use them?
Permalink | Reply
Daughter just requested sun-dried tomato sandwiches with arugula to take on her expedition to provincial art schools. Of course, these sandwiches must be on crusty fresh sourdough baguette, otherwise they'd be awful. And since the olive oil in my Mason jar has congealed, I'll use store-bought, for the time being, and will test my own creation on myself before feeding it to the family. Am thinking of making a sun-dried tomato pesto (with basil and garlic) to sauce some roast tuna tonight.
At a wine tasting, I had sun-dried tomatoes in a tomato sauce with chicken breasts, I think, but I usually just cut them up and throw them on a salad (red oak leaf lettuce, quite commonly). Mmm! I have also put them in chili and tomato sauce, and probably on pizza.
Permalink | Reply
All of those sound delicious! Next time you throw them on salad, add some goat cheese, either room temp or for extra yumminess, throw a bit of panko or breadcrumbs on it and sautee it until the cheese is just warm.
Permalink | Reply
I met Giada DeLaurentis at her cookbook signing.
I asked her a similar question, only I asked what she used for a good brand of sundried tomatoes, as I have been dissapointed in mine lately.
She said to put a small pan on the stove with a couple inches of oil, add the dried sundried tomatoes, and heat on medium for about 1/2 hr.
Then put them in a container and refrigerate.
Permalink | Reply
Oh ho! Really. I assume olive oil, right?
Permalink | Reply
This did not work for me. Now I have some blackened sun-dried tomatoes in oil. Oh well.
Permalink | Reply
I've been wondering what panko is. Will Google.
I guess I'll heat all those tomatoes and oil now for about half an hour to kill the botulism before it kills me and my family (especially with the nickname I've picked here!). I wonder if lemon juice would acidulate the oil enough. There must have been some way to do it before industrial processing came along, or there wouldn't be so many people in Europe!
Permalink | Reply
I've been boiling my garlic cloves in vinegar before packing them with the tomatoes, then processing the whole deal for 30 minutes. Don't know if it helps or not, but it does introduce acidity.
I'm sure people will crucify me for this, but I've been packing tomatoes with garlic in oil for years without issues. Botulism from something like this is very rare. Extremely rare. As a matter of fact, according to the CDC, there have only been a few cases of botulism due to garlic in olive oil ever. And these were industrial-packaged products, not home-canned.
Ultimately, it is your decision. I choose to continue to do it because I feel the risk is so low. And I enjoy the results. Like I said, I'm sure I'll get crucified, and I'm sure I'll get the "You'll regret it when you are in the hospital." speeches, but sorry, it isn't changing my mind. I refuse to get all spazzy about stuff like that. There's a lot of things that can kill you or make you sick in this world and if I spent my days worrying about each and every little thing, I'd end up living in a bubble. So, I'll pack my tomatoes in oil and garlic and I'll eat my week-old leftovers and I'll cool my stock down to room temperature.
Oh, and panko is Japanese breadcrumbs. I'm not sure what they're made out of, but they're very light and crunchy.
Permalink | Reply
I don't think your information is correct. I'm not saying botulism is common, but it's more common than your information indicates. Here is just one example:
"On 9/9/99, a mother and daughter, ages 79 and 52 were admitted to a local hospital with symptoms of nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, blurred/double vision, difficulty in swallowing, speaking and breathing, muscle weakness,
dizziness, drooping of the upper eyelid, and a tightness in the chest that later progressed to respiratory failure and paralysis. A common meal had been shared on 9/8. Onset of illness was 13 hours later. Based upon symptomology
the ER physician suspected botulism.
The Sarasota County Health Department and the Bureau of Community Environmental Health initiated an investigation. Food samples
from the identified meal were collected and shipped to the CDC Botulism Laboratory for analysis.
The 2 female patients both required ventilator support and could only communicate by squeezing hands or by writing.
The garlic cloves in olive oil were a gift from a neighbor who jarred the mixture at home.The 24- hour preliminary result of the food indicated the garlic cloves were positive for botulism toxin. The neighbor was interviewed to determine the recipe for the garlic in oil mixture.
The neighbor did not follow a published recipe for the garlic in oil. She has been canning for 10 years and decided to try this garlic infused oil. She purchased a 20-pound bag of garlic that was used in the preparation of 50 jars of product of various sizes. The jars were distributed to friends and neighbors as gifts, the rest were intended as Christmas presents."
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/ENVIRONMEN...
Permalink | Reply
See, this is why I didn't want to get into this.
Because, to me, two cases in 1999, don't spell common at all. As a matter of fact, that spells VERY rare to me.
There have also been cases of botulism reported from baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil. Should I avoid these as well? What about honey? It has a possiblity of having botulism spores.
It's why I said to the OP that it's up to her if she wants to take the risk. Me, I'll take the risk, because two cases in millions of people in tens of years is not even a statistical probability to me.
You can choose to avoid these products if that is your preference. However, I have a tendency to believe that a lot of people over react to situations that are not statistically significant.
Really, I'm done. I won't argue my point any longer. There's really nothing more I can say.
Permalink | Reply
I never said it was common. I was just pointing out that your information was wrong. That's all.
Permalink | Reply
A few thoughts:
Queen B, in an earlier post, indicated how to acidulate the garlic cloves to prevent botulism -- she boils the garlic in vinegar. This is the method I've learned (culinary school and cookbook authors) and resembles the method commercial manufacturers use, though I pierce each garlic clove several times with the tip of a paring knife so the vinegar can penetrate the interior of each garlic clove.
Botulism is far more common in Europe than it is in the US. In France, where our OP resides, botulism types B and E are "regularly reported." Source: US National Library of Medicine. (Easy to check the statistics online.) Just not worth it to risk it, especially when boiling the garlic in vinegar is so easy.
Just as a clarification, there are "10 to 30 cases a year in the US," according to the FDA. Source: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/chap2.html
Three cases cited by the FDA in the above study were directly from garlic-in-oil preparations.
Making Sense's idea of making small batches, so the oil/tomatoes mixture is not stored long enough for the botulism to grow, is also a good idea. Last, one can always add minced or roasted garlic to the final dish when assembling.
Permalink | Reply
Let me clarify that I in no way hold anything against people who have these fears.
I do think however, that in this day and age, there's a lot of over-exaggeration of things, especially by our general media. People were scared to buy spinach, and I'm talking fresh, unpackaged spinach, because of the packaged spinach "scare" and how the media portrayed it.
I felt it was important to say that I don't look down upon people who are afraid of stuff like this. I feel everyone should be educated and do their own research. And both sides should be heard.
Permalink | Reply
Actually. C. Hamster, it's amazing that it's not more common. Queen B and I and lots of others may make these products safely for our own use but you are right that there can be problems with botulism when people don't have all the information.
Every year, newspaper food sections, magazines and food shows have features on making infused oils as gifts for the holidays. Inexpensive presents. Find pretty bottles and a few herbs, garlic, ribbons, etc. and you're good to go. They caution that you should warn the recipients to refrigerate the oils but they never warn that the products can be harmful if stored too long.
Once they're out of your hands, you have no control over how long someone will keep that bottle in their fridge. What if they decide to use it 9 months later and it's loaded with botulism?
I never make more than I can use in a couple of weeks, always treating it like a fresh product. It's not meant to be a way of preserving garlic or other herbs and spices.
Permalink | Reply
Thanks, Making Sense.
Refrigeration isn't enough to prevent botulism, according to many recent studies.
Chowser, above, is incorrect. The link in that post is to a 1993 FDA article, and that information has long since been updated.
Permalink | Reply
There are plenty of people (and websites) out there who say that the precautions that I take (vinegar and boiling to process) aren't enough and will not kill the botulism toxin. There are also plenty of people that say that it doesn't matter if you eat the garlic infused oil one day or one month after canning, it's still contaminated. Some say sun dried tomatoes aren't acidic enough to counteract the botulism, so therefore they alone can cause botulism toxicity. So, there's a whole heck of a lot of conflicting info out there.
It's up to each person on how they want to take that info.
"Just as a clarification, there are "10 to 30 cases a year in the US," according to the FDA. Source: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/chap2.html
Three cases cited by the FDA in the above study were directly from garlic-in-oil preparations."
10 to 30 cases of botulism...not botulism caused by garlic in oil. Just wanted to clarify.
I don't belive my information is incorrect. I stated that there have been few cases of botulism reported directly from garlic in olive oil. I stand by that statement, as a scientist.
Permalink | Reply
To clarify.....
You said "As a matter of fact, according to the CDC, there have only been a few cases of botulism due to garlic in olive oil ever. And these were industrial-packaged products, not home-canned."
That is the part that is incorrect. There have been more than "a few" "ever" and some have been home preparations.
Permalink | Reply
I stand corrected. There have been a few and some have been home preparations. Sorry I don't know the "exact" number.
Permalink | Reply
In any case, I keep tasting them, and I've survived. Must have gotten a good batch of garlic. That heating thing softened them up a bit, but the ones in the jar are still pretty chewy.
Permalink | Reply
Have you ever tried drying the tomatoes yourself? I think you get a much better (and plumper) product that way.
I'm really surprised that your tomatoes haven't soaked up the oil. Maybe they were treated some way before you bought them to keep them from soaking up moisture? I'm just thinking out loud here...
Permalink | Reply
Home made oven dried tomatoes are so good and so much better than plumping sun dried tomatoes.
Permalink | Reply
This subject has marinated for a long time. I have decided to use the olive oil for a celebratory pizza crust when my daughter returns from Bordeaux - it usually hurts so much to add those six tbsp of oil, but this will be painless. As for the tomatoes, they will give strength to my jaw.
Permalink | Reply
Amanita,
Sorry to hear your tomatoes never softened up. I highly recommend drying your own for next time. They'll come out very plump and moist.
As for your tomatoes...I don't know what to tell you to do with them. Perhaps you can mince them up and throw them into things such as pasta? That way you're not forced to hurt your jaw?
Permalink | Reply
Interesting idea, but the last time I boiled some vinegar (for the Chicken Dukkah with vinegar reduction recipe) my neighbors just about crucified *me*. (I live in an apartment building.) The Chicken Dukkah was real good, by the way, and I got hooked on Dukkah for about a week, sprinkling it on all our salads, until my daughter made me stop.
Have been trying to figure out how the Lebanese make the delicious thyme pizzas they sell as street food here - Probably they use a nicer-tasting olive oil than mine. Also, their lemony chicken skewers are fabulous. Almost achieved it by marinating chunks of breast in lemon juice/sumac/red pepper/minced garlic, but there was something missing (Probably a ton of salt! It's so good!) Don't worry, I roasted them afterwards.
I admit that thinking about microbes has spoiled sushi for me, but I never liked it that much anyway.
Japanese breadcrumbs! Maybe they use rice flour for bread?
Permalink | Reply
This is just speculation, Amanita. We're on the same page about the overworrying abut botulism, etc. But is there any real need to process all of your dried tomatoes at once since they are shelf-stable? I tend to agree with mce1215's idea of heating them gently with the olive oil to maximize flavor but why not do it in small batches? About the amount you'll use in a couple of weeks. Sometimes a product like that will get rancid quickly once the oil has been heated. You can use that up and then make a new batch. That way, what you have on hand will always taste fresh.
After all, the drying process itself was devised as the way to preserve the tomatoes so perhaps it's just fine to store them that way and turn them into the intermediate tomatoes-in-oil product on an as-needed basis.
Permalink | Reply
Interesting point. I'm a beginner when it comes to rancidity. Also, I think I am going to have to go upmarket in olive oil, though it breaks my heart and pocketbook. I currently buy the cheapest Franprix brand, at 5 euros a liter, but, let's face it, it just doesn't taste that good, though nobody complains and we go through about a liter a week, in salad dressings. Sigh. Always the tradeoff. Olive oil gourmandism can get wildly expensive.
Permalink | Reply
I think it's normal for olive oil to congeal in the refrigerator. It will liquify again once it's room temperature. :)
Permalink | Reply