What makes a good 'canning' tomato?

cdntomato · November 19, 2006

Not a canned sauce tomato, but a tomato that will be canned whole or in pieces?

Hot pack?
Cold pack?

Size?
Shape?
Colour? (this is a controversial one :>)
etc.

Thanks in advance. And please do include varietal recommendations.

Viceroy, Gardener, Ferguson, Picardy

Jennifer

username5 · November 19, 2006

In my opinion most any tomato makes a good canning tomato.

I generally hot pack.

Tomato color is more of an aesthetic choice than anything else.

While their can be variations from one tomato variety to the next in terms of flavor most of the distinctness is lost in the canning process in my opinion.

In other words the taste/texture difference between one tomato and another is greatly reduced once canned.

One of my favorite canning tomatos is Neves Azorean Red. The simple reason is that it is a very productive plant for me and the tomatos are large. The largeness means I have less work to do blanching, removing skin etc. I have canned many other varieties and when the tomatos were actually used I was unable to distinguish which variety they were tastewise.

montanamato · November 19, 2006

Peels easily, small core, few seeds, little juice, blood red...

I can anything, but hate to waste the space on really juicy tomatoes that will take extra time to cook down....I also don't like to can a sweet tomato...I don't like the results for most dishes I will use them for...

Favorites in the past have been Sioux, Rutgers, Hung/Ital. paste, Carmello, Dona, Costoluto Genovese and Bonny Best...j

Now, I try to mainly can paste types...My favorites last year were Rio Fuego and Ropreco paste. My main problem with the larger bomb shaped canners are they are really stretching my season to get a good harvest...

Jeanne

cdntomato · November 19, 2006

Jeanne, I really like Sioux as well. Rutgers and Old Brooks are also good. Sounds like you are going the Italian route for canning now by going with paste/plums versus the more typical oblate beefsteak-types canned in NA.

NAR as a canner. Hmmm....nice thought. Apparently, Brandywine canned is to die for in winter.

Jennifer

November 19, 2006	#1
cdntomato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Kingston, Ontario Posts: 554	What makes a good 'canning' tomato? Not a canned sauce tomato, but a tomato that will be canned whole or in pieces? Hot pack? Cold pack? Size? Shape? Colour? (this is a controversial one :>) etc. Thanks in advance. And please do include varietal recommendations. Viceroy, Gardener, Ferguson, Picardy Jennifer

November 19, 2006	#2
username5 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Zone 5 Wisconsin Posts: 117	In my opinion most any tomato makes a good canning tomato. I generally hot pack. Tomato color is more of an aesthetic choice than anything else. While their can be variations from one tomato variety to the next in terms of flavor most of the distinctness is lost in the canning process in my opinion. In other words the taste/texture difference between one tomato and another is greatly reduced once canned. One of my favorite canning tomatos is Neves Azorean Red. The simple reason is that it is a very productive plant for me and the tomatos are large. The largeness means I have less work to do blanching, removing skin etc. I have canned many other varieties and when the tomatos were actually used I was unable to distinguish which variety they were tastewise. __________________ We don't inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

November 19, 2006	#3
montanamato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montana Posts: 1,038	Peels easily, small core, few seeds, little juice, blood red... I can anything, but hate to waste the space on really juicy tomatoes that will take extra time to cook down....I also don't like to can a sweet tomato...I don't like the results for most dishes I will use them for... Favorites in the past have been Sioux, Rutgers, Hung/Ital. paste, Carmello, Dona, Costoluto Genovese and Bonny Best...j Now, I try to mainly can paste types...My favorites last year were Rio Fuego and Ropreco paste. My main problem with the larger bomb shaped canners are they are really stretching my season to get a good harvest... Jeanne