San Marzano tomatoes- worth it?

clevebride2006

I know many people rave about them here- what is the taste difference b/w this and regular tomatoes?

When is it worth using San Marzano tomatoes in recipes? 

eta #1: is it better to use them in more "pure" recipes where you don't add a lot of other ingredients, or are they just as awesome for marinara sauce/in lasagna/other recipes calling for tomatoes? 

eta #2: I also had a hard time finding them but found them at Whole Foods, and more recently, at Kroger (private selection brand). 

TheMorrisseys

I have *heard* they make a huge difference. But, I've never, ever found them. I'm either crazy, or Ohio retailers don't carry them.

26summer

I've also heard they make a huge difference but have never tried them because I couldn't find them either Nicole!  HOWEVER, last week when I was at the market I saw them for the first time ever and picked up a large can.  I'm excited to try them out!

lovethebeach16

Add me into the "heard they make a huge difference" group. I finally found them at the store last week. Now I just need to figure out what to make with them.

clevebride2006

TheMorrisseys:

I have *heard* they make a huge difference. But, I've never, ever found them. I'm either crazy, or Ohio retailers don't carry them.

hi nicole- i find them at whole foods, but i recently just found them at kroger's too (private selection). i live in cincy. maybe you can look there?  

TPOX

I have also found them at whole foods and have yet to make anything with them.  I'm not sure what to make!

bunney

I didn't realize they were hard to find!  When I lived in MI I used to buy them at Kroger, in TN I found them at Publix, and I'm pretty sure I've seen them at Safeway in MD.  I could always find them at WF.

I'll splurge and love using them in simple marinara sauces.

groovygrl

I'd use them all the time for whatever calls for tomatoes but they're pricey so I stick to things where tomatoes are the focus.

Try making this, it is so easy & quite yummy, from Rocco Dispiritos book. I think it shows the flavor of the tomatoes well.

 heat 2 tbsp oil in saute pan over med low heat. Season thin cut chicken cutlets (1 to 1 1/2 lbs) w/ salt & pepper, cook on each side til done. 

meanwhile heat 1/3 cup olive oil in large saute pan over med hi heat (I actually don't usually use that much olive oil personally). add 7 large garlic cloves, chopped and stir until lightly golden. Add 1 can san marzano tomatoes (Drained, with 1/2 cup liquid reserved), stirl for about 3 minutes, break up tomatoes a bit. Add the reserved liquid, simmer. Season w/ salt & pepper & stir in 24 basil leaves, torn up.

Pour sauce over chicken and coat evenly, simmer briefly.  Serve over pasta, topped w/ parmesan.

 

candreco

I use them for stuff like marinara, tomato soup, like you said, stuff where the tomatoes are the focus.  Not worth it for chilis, stews and the like.  They're a little sweeter, less acidic, and just taste more tomato-y.  I can usually find Cento (big yellow cans) at my local Giant, with the Italian foods, not the regular canned tomatoes.

StephNJohn2008

I think they make a huge difference. With that said I use them for tomato sauce and that's about it. Anything where tomatoes are the star ingredient- then it's worth it.

alithebride

yes they're worth it. honestly-they're not really all that more expensive. what 1 or 2 dolars per can? they are huge cans!! i can't believe that people have such trouble finding them. my local italian grocer has about 5 different brands, my fairway has 15 different kinds, etc....

better ingredients=better results.

 make sure you buy san marzanos from ITALY. many are grown here (aka the white can with the purple or red pictures on it-grown in jersey i believe). go for the good stuff.

laptopprancer

I have never been able to tell the difference, personally.

 

champagnedreams

I think they do! I've found that at both Kroger and Whole Foods too.

scubagirl81

The most recent Cooks Illustrated did a review of canned tomatoes. They had 3 different kinds of San Marzano tomatoes, along with a bunch of others, and they all fell in the back half of the rankings. I think they ended up ranking Hunt's Whole Plum Tomatoes as the highest, but I can't get to the results online. but here's part of the article: 

"Our questions: Are San Marzanos really the ultimate canned whole tomatoes?that is, bright, sweet, and tangy, with meat that?s plush and soft enough to melt into a sauce but without completely dissolving? More important, would they taste noticeably better than regular tomatoes once they?d been cooked down in a sauce with aromatics and wine?

Surprisingly, the answer to both questions was a definitive ?no.? Though each of the three San Marzano samples elicited a few lukewarm compliments here and there??agreeable flavor?; ?nice blank-slate tomatoes??none of them delivered the bold, deeply fruity taste that we were expecting, nor did they hold their shape well. In fact, these tomatoes scored well below several of the domestic samples, the best of which were deemed ?bright,? ?complex,? ?meaty,? and?as one taster noted in amazement?like ?real? tomatoes."

 

TheBridesMom

I haven't been able to find them....at least not the certified ones.  I can only find the ones that are the variety, but they are grown in California. 

That's like calling a CA sparkling wine 'champagne'....it might taste good, but it doesn't come from the champagne region.  Different soil, weather, etc. all contribute to the final result.

maeghan21

I think they make a huge difference. I still buy regular (until this year when I'll have enough tomato plants to can my own) but if I am making dinner for company you bet it's with San Marzano tomatoes! I can find them at Walmart, local grocery stores etc

BarefootBlueJeanLife

bunney:

I didn't realize they were hard to find!  When I lived in MI I used to buy them at Kroger, in TN I found them at Publix, and I'm pretty sure I've seen them at Safeway in MD.  I could always find them at WF.

I'll splurge and love using them in simple marinara sauces.

I buy them at Safeway in MD.

aliciaroset

In my experience, no. I'm a total tomato snob and I use my own tomatoes or those from the farmers market in season, and I don't think SMs are that great. I love Amish Paste, which I always grow.

alithebride

scubagirl81:

The most recent Cooks Illustrated did a review of canned tomatoes. They had 3 different kinds of San Marzano tomatoes, along with a bunch of others, and they all fell in the back half of the rankings. I think they ended up ranking Hunt's Whole Plum Tomatoes as the highest, but I can't get to the results online. but here's part of the article: 

"Our questions: Are San Marzanos really the ultimate canned whole tomatoes?that is, bright, sweet, and tangy, with meat that?s plush and soft enough to melt into a sauce but without completely dissolving? More important, would they taste noticeably better than regular tomatoes once they?d been cooked down in a sauce with aromatics and wine?

Surprisingly, the answer to both questions was a definitive ?no.? Though each of the three San Marzano samples elicited a few lukewarm compliments here and there??agreeable flavor?; ?nice blank-slate tomatoes??none of them delivered the bold, deeply fruity taste that we were expecting, nor did they hold their shape well. In fact, these tomatoes scored well below several of the domestic samples, the best of which were deemed ?bright,? ?complex,? ?meaty,? and?as one taster noted in amazement?like ?real? tomatoes."

hm-i never use the whole tomato variety and I also wonder which variety they used and where they're from. the Italian ones are far superior to the domestially grown ones-imo anyway. in this case, in my opinion anyway-CI is wrong.

groovygrl

alithebride:

scubagirl81:

The most recent Cooks Illustrated did a review of canned tomatoes. They had 3 different kinds of San Marzano tomatoes, along with a bunch of others, and they all fell in the back half of the rankings. I think they ended up ranking Hunt's Whole Plum Tomatoes as the highest, but I can't get to the results online. but here's part of the article: 

"Our questions: Are San Marzanos really the ultimate canned whole tomatoes?that is, bright, sweet, and tangy, with meat that?s plush and soft enough to melt into a sauce but without completely dissolving? More important, would they taste noticeably better than regular tomatoes once they?d been cooked down in a sauce with aromatics and wine?

Surprisingly, the answer to both questions was a definitive ?no.? Though each of the three San Marzano samples elicited a few lukewarm compliments here and there??agreeable flavor?; ?nice blank-slate tomatoes??none of them delivered the bold, deeply fruity taste that we were expecting, nor did they hold their shape well. In fact, these tomatoes scored well below several of the domestic samples, the best of which were deemed ?bright,? ?complex,? ?meaty,? and?as one taster noted in amazement?like ?real? tomatoes."

hm-i never use the whole tomato variety and I also wonder which variety they used and where they're from. the Italian ones are far superior to the domestially grown ones-imo anyway. in this case, in my opinion anyway-CI is wrong.

So now I need to know what brands CI rated the highest???? 

BridgetMc

I've only bought them once or twice, but I didn't think they were better than organic canned tomatoes, which is what I normally buy (either Muir Glen or my store brand, which seem identical). 

Irishcurls

scubagirl81:

The most recent Cooks Illustrated did a review of canned tomatoes. They had 3 different kinds of San Marzano tomatoes, along with a bunch of others, and they all fell in the back half of the rankings. I think they ended up ranking Hunt's Whole Plum Tomatoes as the highest, but I can't get to the results online. but here's part of the article: 

"Our questions: Are San Marzanos really the ultimate canned whole tomatoes?that is, bright, sweet, and tangy, with meat that?s plush and soft enough to melt into a sauce but without completely dissolving? More important, would they taste noticeably better than regular tomatoes once they?d been cooked down in a sauce with aromatics and wine?

Surprisingly, the answer to both questions was a definitive ?no.? Though each of the three San Marzano samples elicited a few lukewarm compliments here and there??agreeable flavor?; ?nice blank-slate tomatoes??none of them delivered the bold, deeply fruity taste that we were expecting, nor did they hold their shape well. In fact, these tomatoes scored well below several of the domestic samples, the best of which were deemed ?bright,? ?complex,? ?meaty,? and?as one taster noted in amazement?like ?real? tomatoes."

 

Yes!! I saw that too!!