Discover Varieties Of Big Tomatoes For Cooking

big tomatoesEver since the Spanish bought back tomatoes from the lands that they conquered in South America, tomatoes have become a staple ingredient in the kitchens around the world.  The most popular varieties of big tomatoes that are usually used for cooking are known as ‘Beefsteak’ and ‘Marmande’. The Beefsteak tomatoes are the largest and are recommended for being used in sandwiches. Many of the tomatoes can weigh as much as 2 pounds each and slicing them is simpler for sandwiches. These tomatoes can even be eaten raw.

Beefsteak is the biggest tomato that is grown

Beefsteak, which is one of the varieties of the Big Tomatoes requires a lot of sun and is grown in soil that is well drained. The tomato takes 90 days to become ripe and mature before it can be plucked. Another variety which also comes in the Beefsteak category and is also one of the varieties of big tomatoes is the “Better Boy”.  These tomatoes are extremely juicy and have a meaty flesh and incredible flavor that is well tuned for cooking.  These varieties of big tomatoes can be used for innumerable preparations in cooking such as slicing, pasta sauces, canning and many more purposes.  It takes 70 days to become fully mature and can be harvested. This variety of tomatoes can weigh as much as 10 ounces each.

However, these varieties of big tomatoes aren’t grown commercially as the other tomatoes.  These varieties are more popular with people that like to grow the big tomatoes in their home garden or in their herb gardens.  The color of the tomato is usually red or pink and has innumerable seeds as compared to some of the smaller varieties.

Marmande is also like the Beefsteak that is so well liked  in Europe

Marmande are also big tomatoes and is used extensively for making salads and even for cooking various dishes. They are grown in the sunny outdoors and are cultivated all across Europe and North America.  They require extremely sturdy vines to hold them up. They can weigh a pound each and require clay or heavy soil that is extremely well drained.  They can also be grown by novice tomato growers quite easily as there isn’t much of skill that is required. These tomatoes are usually used by the commercial growers since it has a number of seeds that is preferred by the commercial growers for canning and making pastes.  This tomato variety has very slight pleats and tastes exceptionally wonderful.

The various varieties of big Tomato include:

  • Beefmaster
  • Beefsteak VFN
  • Big Beef
  • Brandywine
  • Bucking Bronco
  • Cherokee Purple
  • Marmande
  • Mortgage Lifter
  • Coeur De Boeuf

The bigger varieties are so popular because home gardeners pick them to make their chutney, pickles, soups and other cooked tomato dishes.  They are hungry growers and require good fertilizer to produce the best fruit.


Growing Guide for Tomato Plants

State fruit - Tomato
Image via Wikipedia

One could easily be excused for saying, “Well, you plant, it grows, you pick the fruit, then pull out the plant.” But really that would be a tomato growers dream!

The life of a tomato starts with planting seeds, whether a home gardener does this or whether it is done in a nursery.  A home gardener may enjoy starting their tomato plants from seed, but many gardeners do prefer to buy their seedlings.

Where to from here in the life of a tomato plant?

1.    As mentioned there is the germinating of the tomato seed.  Seeds are planted into a fine soil in a seed box.

2.    The next step is to plant the very young seedling out into a seedling pot.

3.    From here the seedling is usually planted straight into the garden or growing pot.  It is possible to purchase fruit bearing tomato plants from some nurseries and this means that you are waiting a shorter time for the fruit to ripen in your garden or tomato container.

4.    Indeterminate tomato plants need pruning so that they are only growing a few branches on which to form fruit.   Determinate tomato plants (the bushy type) are not pruned.

5.    Tomato plants need watering on a consistent basis so that they do not dry out, otherwise this will cause a number of problems.  Tomato plants do not like wet feet, nor do they respond well if they dry out.

6.    Pests and diseases need controlling right from the first day of planting, but in saying that these become more of a problem as the plants get older.

7.    Tomato plants are voracious growers and fruit providers so they need a continuing supply of fertilizer, but this must be applied at the right time during the growing cycle or it won’t be beneficial.

8.    Care needs to be taken that the fruit does not get sunscald which is like sunburn.

9.    Tomato plants need staking and there are a number of methods that are used by the various home gardeners.  Some gardeners use several methods and others are quite adamant about a particular method.  Some gardeners who live in areas that are relatively pest and disease free do not even stake their plants at all.

10. Harvesting the tomato plant.  There are several thoughts here.  It is a good idea to leave the fruit on the vine until it starts to color.  In some areas the fruit has to be picked because of the early onset of cold weather, or even where weather is warmer but the plant has been put in the ground later in the season.  Fruit can be left on the vine until red and even in color.  If it does need to be picked early, it can be ripened indoors.

11. Seeds from the tomatoes can be taken out, dried and kept for the next year.

This is the basic cycle of the tomato plant but along the way there are steps to take to ensure that all goes well.  There are weather issues to deal with, pest and disease issues as well as watering and fertilizing.