My list of tomatoes grown for drying

brokenbar · January 9, 2012

I was asked by a member in a PM to list my top 20 drying tomatoes. Over the years I have trialed 100’s of varieties and those below are the ones that met my criteria year after year. These are all indeterminate.

Top 20 for Drying (D)-Sauce(S)-Salsa (SA) IMHO

This is how I use them but most can be used all three ways

Chinese (D)
Federle (D)
Opalka (D)
Dinofrios German (D)
Romeo (D)
Zapotec (D) (SA)
Big Mama (D Stabilized F8 )
Venetian Marketplace (D-S)
Nile River Egyptian (D)
Russo Sicilian Togeta (D-SA)
Costoluto Genovese (S)
Costoluto Fiorentino (D) (S)
Giant Pepperview (D)
Nick’s (D)
Amish Paste (D)
Super Italian Paste (D)
Chico Grande (D-S)
Seaches Italian (D)
Joe’s Plum (D)
Goldman's Italian American

I want dry, dry, dry, few seeds, big, meaty. I prefer tomatoes that are more twangy than sweet for drying.

I was asked about:

Borgo Cellano-too many seeds
Bisigano #2 –Not great production overall
Columbus-I have not heard of or ever grown

You will notice I do not list the touted “Ultimate Drying Tomato” Principe Borgese. Small, seeds up the wazoo and determinate sums it up.

Most heart tomatoes make decent drying tomatoes but it boils down to a matter of taste, production and size for me.

January 9, 2012	#1
brokenbar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Of The Border Posts: 1,169	My list of tomatoes grown for drying I was asked by a member in a PM to list my top 20 drying tomatoes. Over the years I have trialed 100’s of varieties and those below are the ones that met my criteria year after year. These are all indeterminate. Top 20 for Drying (D)-Sauce(S)-Salsa (SA) IMHO This is how I use them but most can be used all three ways Chinese (D) Federle (D) Opalka (D) Dinofrios German (D) Romeo (D) Zapotec (D) (SA) Big Mama (D Stabilized F8 ) Venetian Marketplace (D-S) Nile River Egyptian (D) Russo Sicilian Togeta (D-SA) Costoluto Genovese (S) Costoluto Fiorentino (D) (S) Giant Pepperview (D) Nick’s (D) Amish Paste (D) Super Italian Paste (D) Chico Grande (D-S) Seaches Italian (D) Joe’s Plum (D) Goldman's Italian American I want dry, dry, dry, few seeds, big, meaty. I prefer tomatoes that are more twangy than sweet for drying. I was asked about: Borgo Cellano-too many seeds Bisigano #2 –Not great production overall Columbus-I have not heard of or ever grown You will notice I do not list the touted “Ultimate Drying Tomato” Principe Borgese. Small, seeds up the wazoo and determinate sums it up. Most heart tomatoes make decent drying tomatoes but it boils down to a matter of taste, production and size for me. __________________ "If I'm not getting dirty, I'm not having a good time." Last edited by brokenbar; January 9, 2012 at 04:58 PM.