Suggestions for a brown beefsteak tomato

[gardenmermaid]

Hello all,
Years ago, the first year I had a real garden, a friend and I bought heirloom tomatoes from some guy who was selling plants out of the back of a truck, who I have not seen again. Anyway, there was one that we lost the tag from that was the real standout. We only remembered that it was labeled as a black tomato. It was a fairly big beefsteak, super productive, meaty, and a reddish brown color. It was a solid color on the outside, no green shoulder, and I don't remember if there was any color variation on the inside. The color was not like any of the ’blacks' I have grown since. Definitely more of a brown –red. When sliced horizontally the seeds were in thin lines mostly around the outer area.
If this sounds familiar to anyone, I would love suggestions of varieties to grow out to try to find this one again. Thank you!

[b54red]

The color of the black varieties can vary greatly from season to season. Some years they are almost pink and other times they can go to almost black and everything in between. The large beefsteak black varieties that I am familiar with are JDs Special C Tex, Gary O' Sena, Paul Robeson, and Spudakee. Other blacks that I really like are Indian Stripe RL & PL, Margaret Curtain, Carbon, Berkley Tie Dye Pink, Big Cheef, and Black Krim.

Bill

[gardenmermaid]

Thank you, I will try some of those. Good to know about the color

[KarenO]

A brown tomato is a black that has a yellow epidermis imo. Cherokee chocolate, Tasmanian chocolate, black Krim all good examples.

[Urbanheirlooms]

My favorite Browns this year were: Tsindao & Bordovyi. Tsindao does have slightly green shoulders, but Bordovyi did not.

Black Krim does sound like a good one from everything I've heard about it. It sounds like an equal to Cherokee Purple in taste, and hardier in dry areas, too. There are bigger black tomatoes, though. I haven't grown it, yet. I know it's not a Beefsteak, but Japanese Black Trifele is supposed to be a great one.

You might try Black Giant, Black from Tula, Paul Robeson, Black, Amazon Chocolate, and such. I've grown all those, but only had good results with Black Giant, although the first fruits were seedless, as far as mature seeds went. Paul Robeson had great taste. Black was the earliest.

Maybe those aren't all pure brown, but Paul Robeson was for me, and Amazon Chocolate is supposed to be.

I'm curious about African Brown Beefsteak.

[Cheryl2017]

My favorite brown to date is Grandma Oliver chocolate. Has that wonderful it factor-at least for me!!

[Gardeneer]

I grew 4 varieties this year. They were ;
Cherokee Purple, Indian Stripe, Black from Tula and an unknown variety.
If I had to pick one it would be BFT. Second choice the unknown variety. Third Choice IS.

[Gardeneer]

Talking about color, a picture can speak A LOT


sep 3- mystry.jpg
This was my "mystery" variety.
I picked them early. As the fruits get more ripe, the color gets darker.

Here is one on the very right side.
Sep 1 - mystery 2.jpg

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Cheryl2017

My favorite brown to date is Grandma Oliver chocolate. Has that wonderful it factor-at least for me!!

I must get some seeds of that!

[efisakov]

It could have being a Cherokee Chocolate tomato.

[habitat_gardener]

Vorlon may be another possibility.

I had my first Vorlon today. It was great! Could be that end-of-season wishing-for-summer thing, though. I got only 2 tomatoes from the plant -- planted late, in not enough sun, then picked green before I left town for a week, then sat for another week. Solid, sweet, balanced flavor. The best last real tomato sandwich of the season!

[Jimbotomateo]

Originally Posted by habitat_gardener

Vorlon may be another possibility.

I had my first Vorlon today. It was great! Could be that end-of-season wishing-for-summer thing, though. I got only 2 tomatoes from the plant -- planted late, in not enough sun, then picked green before I left town for a week, then sat for another week. Solid, sweet, balanced flavor. The best last real tomato sandwich of the season!

I hear ya. Still gettin brandywines every couple days. Seems like they taste much better. Prolly all in my head!.

[Gerardo]

Tasmanian Chocolate fits the bill.

[MissS]

Purple Calabash has a very distinctive flavor that would stand apart from the rest of the pack. Perhaps that was "it".