The Best Tomato Varieties for Canning: Preserving Your Homegrown Tomatoes
If you're an aspiring gardener looking to grow tomatoes for canning and preserving, you're in the right place.
- In this article, we'll discuss the best tomato varieties to grow for canning purposes. Whether you're planning to make tomato sauce, tomato paste, spaghetti sauce, salsa, or pizza sauce, choosing the right tomato variety can make a significant difference in the quality and flavor of your home-canned products.
Why Tomato Varieties Matter for Canning
- While it's true that you can use any tomato for canning, certain varieties are better suited for the task. These varieties are known as paste tomatoes, which have a higher ratio of meat to juice. Their thick walls and ample flesh make them perfect for creating thick, flavorful tomato sauces.
What are Paste Tomatoes?
- If you're new to gardening, you might be wondering what exactly paste tomatoes are and why they're preferred for canning. Paste tomatoes differ from other tomato varieties in their composition. They contain less juice and more flesh, allowing for the production of a thicker tomato sauce.
The Best Tomato Varieties for Canning
- Now, let's dive into the specific tomato varieties that are excellent choices for canning. These varieties have been tried and tested in my own garden, and I highly recommend them for their flavor, productivity, and suitability for preserving.
1. San Marzano
- San Marzano tomatoes are a classic choice for canning. They are indeterminate, meaning they produce tomatoes continuously throughout the season. Despite the heat of summer, San Marzano tomatoes keep producing, making them a reliable option for canning. These tomatoes have thick walls that fit perfectly into a fruit and vegetable strainer attachment, saving you time in the kitchen.
- However, it's essential to note that San Marzano tomatoes are more prone to blossom-end rot, a physiological disorder common in paste tomatoes. Despite this drawback, their overall performance makes them a top choice for canning.
2. Pink Fang
- Pink Fang tomatoes are a delightful addition to any garden. These indeterminate heirloom tomatoes produce fruit throughout the season. Their elongated shape makes them easy to process using a vegetable strainer. With very little juice and an abundance of flesh, Pink Fang tomatoes are perfect for sauces.
- One advantage of Pink Fang tomatoes is their resistance to blossom-end rot, even in hot temperatures. However, if you plan to save seeds from open-pollinated fruit, keep in mind that Pink Fang tomatoes don't produce many seeds. For those who don't prioritize seed-saving, this variety is an excellent choice.
3. Amish Paste
- Amish Paste tomatoes are a reliable choice for canning. These indeterminate tomatoes are larger than other paste varieties, making them unsuitable for processing through a strainer. However, they are ideal for recipes that call for blanching and peeling, such as diced canned tomatoes. Amish Paste tomatoes also work exceptionally well on the grill, imparting a delicious roasted tomato flavor to salsa.
- Keep in mind that Amish Paste tomatoes prefer milder temperatures and may not set fruit as well in hot climates. However, you can provide some shade to the plants by growing black-eyed peas on a trellis nearby. This will help protect the tomatoes from the scorching afternoon sun.
4. Roma
- Roma tomatoes are a staple in many gardens. As a determinate variety, they stay on the shorter side, usually around 3-4 feet tall. This compact size makes them ideal for canning large batches of tomato products simultaneously. Romas tend to fruit earlier in the season, which is advantageous in hot climates where other indeterminate varieties struggle.
- One of the benefits of growing Romas is that they don't require pruning. They are bred to bear a determined amount of fruit, and pruning can reduce their overall yield. Romas are generally low-maintenance and a great choice for beginners.
5. Paisano
- Paisano tomatoes are quickly becoming a favorite choice for canning. Similar to Roma tomatoes, they are determinate and grow to a smaller size, around 2-3 feet tall. Paisanos start fruiting earlier than most other tomato varieties, allowing for a good harvest before the heat of summer setsin. These tomatoes are perfect for making salsas and diced tomatoes due to their size and texture. Paisano tomatoes produce larger fruit compared to other determinate varieties, giving you more bang for your buck when canning.
When it comes to canning tomatoes, choosing the right variety is crucial for achieving the best results.
Paste tomatoes, with their meaty flesh and thick walls, are ideal for creating flavorful tomato sauces and other canned products. In this article, we highlighted some of the top tomato varieties for canning, including San Marzano, Pink Fang, Amish Paste, Roma, and Paisano. Each of these varieties has its unique features and benefits, catering to different preferences and growing conditions.
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