Sun Dried Tomatoes - Easy to Make - New Options For Flavor

30 years ago, I discovered sun dried tomatoes. Once I was introduced to them, I tried them in many decisions. Sun dried tomatoes can change a dish dramatically with the bold flavor. I used them in pasta dishes warm and cold, salads, and chicken dishes. I even included them in pizza and wraps. I am going to reacquaint myself to those recipes. For now, I wanted to share how making them are a much better option then buying them in a store. You can, as with any recipe make them your own which emboldens the flavors. 

You can technically use any tomato. My go to are Roma tomatoes. The slices are perfect every time. I have also used cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. The key is more the process than the choice of tomato.

Ingredients

10-20 Roma Tomatoes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Parsley Flakes

Garlic Powder

Cracked Black Pepper

Sea Salt (Optional) 

You will cut the tomatoes in flat circular rings. Lay them flat on a pan. Next, pat them with a paper towel. Try to get them as dry as you can. Next, you will line provide a slight sprinkling of the extra virgin olive oil. (Very Light) This will help absorb the seasonings. Place the tomatoes on the dehydrator. I season them on the dehydrator shelves. A generous amount of Parsley flakes and garlic add a great flavor. A lighter touch of cracked pepper and salt are optional.

Place the trays in the dehydrator. I used the dehydrator in my Air Fryer. The digital temperature was an awesome way to make sure you do not over dehydrate. Also the timer allow for you to monitor them better. If you use a traditional dehydrator, be sure to check and rotate the shelves to ensure the tomatoes are perfect. 

How to tell when done? 

The tomatoes will shrivel and have a tough outer texture while somewhat softer. They may start to stick a bit to the dehydrator due to loss of moisture and the low heat. (No worries) . My suggestion is to try one or two for the desired texture, then take them off.

Storage

The crop is quite small, however as you make more, you will want to store them. You have a few options. In a canning jar, you can store them with fresh basil and garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Make sure they are immersed fully in the oil. The other option is to use a sealing machine if you have one and freeze them. They do freeze well as long as you use a sealer.

Chinese Pork Belly Stir Fry

Recently, I went to pick up some grocery items and I found what I thought was bacon in the meat department.  I brought it home and while it looked like bacon, I realized it was not. On the package, it read Pork Belly. I decided to explore how I can cook the pork belly and researched the uses online. A common use is in Chinese cooking. I decided I had to try it. I was not disappointed. 

What is the difference between Pork Belly and Bacon? 

Pork Belly is uncured and comes from the underbelly of the pig. It is a cut of meat. (Now you know!) Bacon is a cured pork belly that is treated thus changing the complexity of the meat. I realized that Pork Belly should be treated as meat, and stir frying the meat is a great choice for flavor. You have to create brine to cook it in and I discovered how to stir fry the meat.

Ingredients 

2lbs of Pork Belly

Tsp of Ginger

3 Cloves of Garlic

1 tbsp or Rice Wine 

1 tbsp of Brown Sugar

2 tbsp of Honey (Hot or Reg)

3 tbsp of Soy Sauce

1/2 cup of scallions

Lemon Grass (Optional) 

You can cook the pork belly in chicken stock in a slow cooker. I prefer the stir fry method. It is messy, however the glaze and crispiness is worth the mess. You cook it like you would bacon. Drain the grease after it shrinks and starts to crisp. Add the soy sauce, rice wine/vinegar. After a few minutes as the pork belly crisps, add the brown sugar, honey, ginger, and garlic. 

Take the Pork Belly out of the pan and cut them into smaller strips. Crisp on a medium hit for one more minute to your liking. In a bowl add additional soy and honey to your liking to thicken the glaze. Top with scallions and lemon grass(optional) 

Serve and top on stir fried rice and enjoy. Also tastes great on it's own as a small meal. 

Brown Sugar Dry Rubs - Game Changer

Many years ago, I discovered a brown sugared dry rub in Lowville NY at a meat market known as Millers. Oh my goodness, if you ever drive up north to Lowville NY, stop by Millers. Their meats and seasonings inspired by local customs is incredible.

I moved away from Upstate NY a few years ago and I could not find the dry rub mix from Millers. I tried to make my own and it was much more difficult than I thought. I searched the internet and quickly learned, Amish inspired recipes and the lack of electricity kind of prevent you from finding out their secret to making a dry rub.

After exhaustive efforts, and some failures, I discovered how to not only replicate the dry rub, I can make my own variations. Here is the base recipe and some suggestions for changing things up a bit.

Basic Dry Rub

2 cups Brown Sugar

4 Tablespoons of Salt

3 Tsps of Cracked Pepper

3 Tsps Garlic Powder

1 Tsp of Onion Powder

1 tsp Cumin

1tsp Paprika

3 tsps of Parsley Flakes

Mix half the ingredients in a shakeable container. Shake the ingredients vigorously. Add the rest of of your ingredients and repeat. For meats, you may want to add more salt to your liking. The salt allows for the meat to cure longer. This dry rub mixture only get's better the more time you give it to marinate with your meats. 

BBQ is one use for dry rubs. I also use it on bacon, Chinese Pork Belly, and my hamburgers The cure gives them a caramelized flavor you will truly appreciate. 

Variations (Turn it up a notch)

Hot, sweet, and tangy. The 3 variations I love most about this dry rub. Here are some suggestions you can add or replace ingredients. As I always suggest, make it your own.

Sazon seasoning - this gives a a slight kick and subtle change to the flavor.

Cayenne Pepper - 1-3 tsps can change the heat level and make all the difference for your ribs.

Jerk Seasoning -  1-3 tsps give it a Caribbean feel that is unique for your meats. 

Time and Curing

The key for curing is time. A brown sugar rub will immerse itself into the meats working in partnership with the salt. This allows the other ingredients to permeate the food with flavor. If you feel comfortable, 24-48 hours of curing will create a very good brine. 

Quick Rub - I also use the rub for meats immediately. The brown sugar base in a skillet will caramelize quickly. You have to monitor your heat levels and cooking to avoid burning. However, once you get use to the adjustments, the rub works quite well.  

Don't forget the Chicken Wings! 

A great chicken wing recipe I discovered was to dry rub and charbroil the wings on the grill. You can eat them off the grill or my favorite is to add your favorite sauce after the wings are finished.