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Post by brownrexx on Jul 5, 2015 18:38:03 GMT -5
I grew lots of kinds including Black Krim and Green Zebra but only use the red or pink ones for sauce mainly Big Beef, Brandywine pink, and Brandywine Red. I may have used a couple of Steakhouse last year but Big Beef is my "go to" tomato for sauce. They are a good size and perfectly round with no cracks.
Again, I don't think that the variety matters so much as removing some of the water before finishing the sauce. I personally like the flavor combination of Big Beef with Brandywine which gives it a little sweetness.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jul 6, 2015 11:42:34 GMT -5
Bump. Hoping more will input
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Post by OregonRed on Jul 6, 2015 13:12:57 GMT -5
"what varieties do you grow" last year I grew some kind of paste tomato, didn't like it, wont grow again.
german Johnson is my main tomato - non in garden this year, didn't have the dough to purchase starts or find seed.
this year I'm growing 2 kinds I purchased seed packets just at the garden store - some large type, no imput yet.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jul 6, 2015 16:25:30 GMT -5
I had last year Black Krim, one plant of Paul Robeson and a couple Brandywine
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camochef
Blooming
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Posts: 171
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Post by camochef on Jul 7, 2015 7:09:48 GMT -5
Having grown thousands of varieties of tomatoes for over 50 some odd years now, and Mrs Camo canning sauces from them for over 45 years, I feel somewhat qualified to answer this. First of all, I grow mostly heirloom tomatoes. Out of the 72 tomatoes placed in the garden this year, only 2 were hybrids. (Mountain fresh plus; and Mountain Fresh F-1). Neither one has made it into a sauce pot. I no longer grow, cherry tomatoes, paste tomatoes, or yellow, orange, gold, or green when ripe tomatoes. I also no longer grow Bi-colored or striped tomatoes. I also recommend highly the use of a Victorio strainer or similar apparatus, and some large stockpots in which to simmer your sauce before canning. The victorio strainer allows you to process large batches of tomatoes in almost no time at all and it removes skins, core, and seeds. The desired product then goes into 8; 10; or 12 quart stockpots, (I use all three)and occasionally a 16 quart stockpot to simmer without a lid so excess moisture evaporates.
Over the years, we've processed many blends of tomatoes, but we both agree that the best tasting sauces come from a blend of pink and black tomatoes. My personal favorite is a 50/50 blend of Pink Brandywines, (like Cowlick Brandywine or Brandywine-Glicks), with a dark tomato like Cherokee Purple or Bear Creek. I've also enjoyed sauces made with Amazon Chocolate and/or Dana's Dusky Rose combined with German Johnson-Benton Strain or Barlow Jap or Earl's Faux.
This year, besides my favorites, I'm trying a dozen new to me varieties, many that have been on my list of must try varieties, for years now. including varieties like Rebel Yell, Margaret Curtain, Dester, McKinley, Turkey, others. Will be interesting to see how they compare to the 15 favorites that I've selected to grow for years now. Many good varieties have fallen by the wayside over the years,as I've selected the best of the best to grow here in south central Pa. Hopefully, will be comparing them, not only as slicers, but also in sauces. Also in production and disease resistance. Enjoy! Camo
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 7, 2015 8:01:42 GMT -5
You certainly DO sound qualified Camo. You have tried more varieties than I have even heard of! I definitely agree with your assessment of the Pink Brandywine. I make and freeze stewed tomatoes and I think that the Pink Brandywines add a really nice flavor and a touch of sweetness. I remove skins but not the seeds.
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 7, 2015 8:04:38 GMT -5
Do you consider the seed content vs liquid content at all?
I have not had good luck with growing Roma type tomatoes. They get BER and are not nearly as flavorful as the big slicing tomatoes (in my opinion). Since the big slicers have a higher water content, I drain it off before using the tomatoes as I detailed in my sauce recipe.
I would rather drain off the water than try to boil it off and possibly boil away some of the flavors and nutrients.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jul 7, 2015 8:20:28 GMT -5
That was a great read, camochef. You have been doing this along time it appears. Nothing like experience. Thx for your input.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jul 7, 2015 8:24:41 GMT -5
I peel and chop and cook my tomatoes and then allow them to drain for an hour. This keeps my sauce from being watery. Sounds like less work than I have been doing. What do you use to drain them....like a strainer?
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 7, 2015 8:31:46 GMT -5
I don't chop my tomatoes really small either. I just dip them in boiling water and then ice water to peel them and then I squeeze them in my hand over the sink to remove a good portion of the water and then chop them into quarters. I cook the chopped tomatoes for about 20 minutes to allow them to separate and then I pour them into a stainless steel strainer to drain for an hour. The holes in a colander are too big and would allow some of the solid parts to drain through.
Easy.
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Post by tbird on Jul 7, 2015 9:01:36 GMT -5
Many good varieties have fallen by the wayside over the years,as I've selected the best of the best to grow here in south central Pa. Hopefully, will be comparing them, not only as slicers, but also in sauces Camo - are you using commercial seed for these, or saving your own?
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camochef
Blooming
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Posts: 171
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Post by camochef on Jul 7, 2015 12:36:27 GMT -5
You have tried more varieties than I have even heard of! I definitely agree with your assessment of the Pink Brandywine. I make and freeze stewed tomatoes and I think that the Pink Brandywines add a really nice flavor and a touch of sweetness. I remove skins but not the seeds. I started my first tomato patch of my own in 1957. Back then I was growing mainly Jersey Beefsteaks. Eventually grew varieties like Rutgers and other newly developed varieties. Back then, there were no known Black tomatoes or other exotic varieties. Heirloom tomatoes were shared between local families, not bought from seed companies. I spent years searching out different varieties, eventually sharing seeds with dedicated tomato growers in this country and later on throughout the world. One year I started 750 tomato plants, my high for one year, but eventually cut back to 250-350/year. I kept journals on all varieties that I grew, keeping track of weather conditions, production, planting dates, harvest dates, weights, taste, and descriptions on skin thickness, core, sweet or acidic etc. Over the years, I began to reduce the amounts I was growing each year, eliminating those that didn't produce well, or had problems with early blight or septoria or even BER. I wanted those that tasted good and produced well. That led to the removal of many good tomatoes like Limbaugh's Legacy Potato Top or Stump of the World, both great tasting tomatoes but to much trouble with early season diseases. Why last year I even eliminated Brandywine Sudduth's as it just didn't compare well with Cowlick Brandywine or Brandywine-Glicks. For a few years I was fond of the Brandywine crosses from K.M. but The only one I still grow is Bear Creek, having eliminated it's sisters...Liz Birt, Dora, and Gary O'Sena the past year or two. This year also saw the last of Amazon Chocolate as I wanted to try the new to me varieties from Darlene S. after years of turning people down to grow them. Not all experimentation, leads to eliminations. Last year, I had a pink German Johnson-Benton Strain (R.L.)either mutate or cross with a black tomato, producing the best tasting tomato of the season. A large P.L. Black tomato that I'm calling Barlow's Best Black. Waiting patiently to see if it holds true and how it compares with last years. I should mention that its descended from a R.L. German Johnson- Benton Strain that was grafted to maxifort rootstock and produced P.L. German Johnsons the following year. As you can probably tell I favor Brandywines and Brandywine crosses and those that are more than likely descended from Brandywines. Although last year, a Cherokee Purple from Homegrown Harvest was leading the group as best tasting tomato till the first Barlow's Best Black ripened. (its a very late season tomato). The most productive tomato was a Red Brandywine also from Homegrown Harvest. Strange thing was they were both varieties that I eliminated 8-10 years ago, but have now redeemed themselves. At least for another year. Sorry for rambling! Enjoy! Camo
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 7, 2015 12:41:57 GMT -5
I just came in from the garden and I know that you don't favor hybrids but this year I am growing a new one called Jersey Boy. It is a cross between Rutgers and Brandywine and we are really liking it. It is a prolific producer and it was my first one ripe. I am really liking this plant and the tomatoes are really tasty. Here is a look at the first one I picked
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camochef
Blooming
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Posts: 171
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Post by camochef on Jul 7, 2015 12:44:49 GMT -5
I have not had good luck with growing Roma type tomatoes. They get BER and are not nearly as flavorful as the big slicing tomatoes I agree completely with you about Roma type tomatoes...that's why I quit growing them about 7-8 years ago. I thought back then that I had found a solution to the problem with Opalka and Wessel's Purple Pride, (a Sausage Cherokee Purple cross), but we had a very wet year, sorta like this one, and the Opalka's swelled up like water balloons and while the Wessel's Purple Pride wasn't as bad, it just wasn't to my liking either. From then on, I eliminated all roma type paste tomatoes, preferring to use my favorite slicers instead. Enjoy! Camo
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camochef
Blooming
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Posts: 171
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Post by camochef on Jul 7, 2015 12:52:42 GMT -5
I know that you don't favor hybrids but this year I am growing a new one called Jersey Boy. Brownrexx, Brandywine and Rutgers are both heirloom tomatoes and therefore you should be able to save seed from your Jersey Boy if that is really true. Its a good looking tomato, although its hard to tell from the picture, is it Red or Pink? Looks like it may have a core that's larger than Pink Brandywines, more like Rutgers. Enjoy! Camo
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