KNOW ABOUT KINDS OF CANNED TOMATOES

JD

September 27, 2019

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cooking-tips

Since canned tomatoes are processed at the height of freshness, they deliver more flavor than off-season fresh tomatoes. We tested a variety of canned tomato products to determine the best uses for each.

Whole Tomatoes

Whole peeled tomatoes are best when fresh tomato flavor is a must. Whole tomatoes are quite soft and break down quickly when cooked. Those packed in juice rather than puree have a livelier, fresher flavor.

Diced Tomatoes

Machine-diced tomatoes often contain calcium chloride, which helps the chunks maintain their shape. We use them in sauces and longcooked stews and soups where distinct pieces of tomato are desired. We favor diced tomatoes packed in juice rather than in puree.

Crushed Tomatoes

Crushed tomatoes are whole tomatoes ground very finely, then enriched with tomato puree. Their thicker consistency makes them ideal when you want to make a sauce quickly, as we do here. You can make your own by crushing canned diced tomatoes in a food processor.

Tomato Puree and Tomato Sauce

These are both cooked and strained to remove the seeds. They’re much smoother and thicker than other products, but lack a fresh tomato flavor. This makes them more suited to long-cooked dishes (think braised meat sauces), where their thick, even texture is important and bright tomato flavor is not.