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Caldera Tomato Powder

Dehydrate Caldera tomatoes at low temperature and grind them. The result is a brilliant red powder that delivers tomato umami and 500,000 SHU capsaicin in a shelf-stable format. A pinch in any dish.

Prep

10 min

Cook

12 hr

Total

12 hr

Servings

48

Peak SHU

500K

Featured Organisms

SS-TOM-04CalderaTomato · 500K SHU

Ingredients

  • 6 Caldera tomatoes (SS-TOM-04), sliced ¼-inch thick

Instructions

  1. 1

    Arrange tomato slices on dehydrator trays (or wire racks in oven at 170°F).

  2. 2

    Dehydrate until completely brittle (10–12 hours).

  3. 3

    Grind in a spice grinder to a fine powder.

  4. 4

    Store in an airtight jar away from light. Lasts 1 year.

Tips

  • Use gloves when handling the dried tomato — concentrated capsaicin.
  • Start with ¼ tsp per serving and adjust up.
Science Note

Dehydration at 170°F (77°C) removes water without degrading capsaicin (which is stable to ~200°C). The resulting powder is approximately 5x more concentrated than fresh tomato by weight. One teaspoon of Caldera powder ≈ 2.5 million SHU.

Pairs With

Volcanic Tomato Hot Sauce

A fermented hot sauce where the tomato IS the heat — no peppers added.

Caldera Extreme Dry Rub

A competition-grade dry rub with dehydrated Caldera tomato — 500K SHU for serious pitmasters.