Hey Foodies - a question about canned tomatoes.

[Fran Kubelik]

If you had a recipe that called for 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (with juice), and it then called for you to put the whole thing in the blender, do you think it's safe to start with crushed tomatoes instead? I have San Marzano crushed tomatoes here, but crappy Trader Joe's whole peeled tomatoes.

[Callalily]

1. Be even bolder!

Used diced tomatoes. ;)

[SOteric]

2. It kind of depends on the recipe, Fran

Whole canned tomatoes tend to be plum or pear tomatoes, while diced and crushed tend to be beefsteak 4 x 5's. The major difference being that the plum and pear tomatoes have lot less water in them, and more fiber. So if you use whole canned, even if you puree them your dish will have more 'body' and less water than if you used crushed or diced. If you're putting them in a stew, it makes little difference. If you're hoping to make a fine sauce that clings to the pasta, the crushed tomatoes probably won't help you.

[Fran Kubelik]

3. Thaks, Esso!

I went with the whole tomatoes, partially also because the whole tomatoes didn't have calcium chloride in the ingredients.
I'm making a bolognese: http://www.saveurmag.com/article/Food/Anna-Nanni%27s-Ragu-alla-Bolognese-

[TommyO]

7. I'm about ready to try Anne Burrell's Bolognese

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/pasta-bolognese-recipe/index.html

Both recipes sound good, but yours has pancetta in it - drool!!!

[bamademo]

13. Food Network's New Website is Crap!

It takes forever to load and has all sorts of horrible ads.

[Systematic Chaos]

15. You need to be using the Firefox browser. Seriously.

Once you have that, you then need to look up AdBlock Plus on their plug-ins page.

I hardly ever see an ad on ANY website with this combination, and Firefox is a much better browser overall anyway.

[kundalinirising]

4. What's the diff? If they are supposed to be blended, then it's all good

And why is the TJ's brand crappy? Never had it myself. I dig the WF version but it's so cheap (og) that I wonder if any worker rights are getting trampled on.

[Systematic Chaos]

5. I've made spaghetti sauce out of the TJ's tomatoes twice now.

Both times it's turned out great, and the price on them is excellent - which is usually true for items like that from TJ's.

Why do you call them "crappy"? :shrug:

[Fran Kubelik]

6. You're right.

I was typing with one hand and stirring with the other. I didn't mean that TJ's tomatoes were crappy, I just meant to explain that I had premium San Marzano tomatoes and plain old regular tomatoes as my two choices. I went with TJ's for the record, and so far so good.

[LostinVA]

8. You ahve a great brand (Giada loves it!), but I would use the whole toms

The "juice ration" and texture will be way different.

[mike_c]

9. it actually does make a difference-- a good one....

Whole and diced tomatoes are usually canned with an ingredient that keeps them firm-- can't remember it off hand-- ah! calcium chloride I think, but crushed tomatoes usually not. If you're making a sauce with canned tomatoes and want the tomatoes to cook down smoothly, it's better to start with crushed tomatoes that don't have the calcium chloride, regardless of the recipe. They'll make a smoother sauce.

[pitohui]

10. i do it plenty of times

i think you'll be pleased

[Taverner]

11. TJ's Tomatoes are good

Go with them

Better than the other brands...

[HEyHEY]

12. Yer a canned tomato

[Fran Kubelik]

16. Yer a rotten tomato

;)

[hippywife]

14. I make homemade spaghetti sauce and

chili all the time and I've taken to using the petite diced and have noticed no discernible difference. Always turns out great. :shrug: