Tinned tomatoes

sillysocks

So I've lately started cooking most sauces etc from scratch rather than using packets and jars. I'm using a couple of tins of chopped tomatoes a week, plus a good bit of tomato purée. I normally do all my shopping in Aldi so have been buying them there, where they're very cheap. My question is whether it's worth spending more on the tins and purée for a nicer dish at the end, or really are they all much the same ?

dibkins

I made soup with the Aldi ones a while back and found them very tart compared to the Roma ones i had put in the last batch. I added a bit of sugar and everything was alright. Best thing to do is have an experiment:P

MissFlitworth

I buy whatever tinned tomatoes are cheapest normally and taste & adjust with sugar for tartness. The only ones I've ever come across that are, to my tastes anyway, unusable are the ones with pre-added herbs or garlic. Always just go for whatever's cheap and unadulterated with extra stuff. Same with puree. I have a vague memory of finding Tesco's cheapest, white label tomatoes rubbish once but couldn't swear on a stack of Delias as to why.

Tree

I find any oul chopped tomato is grand for most dishes where tomato isn't the only thing in the sauce. Aldi tomatoes are grand for lasanges and curries and teh like.
The only time I'm particular about chopped tomatoes is making pizza sauce as it's just sieved chopped tomatoes, salt and garlic cloves blizted and uncooked before it goes on the pizza. I find cheaper chopped tom's don't leave much solids after straining. (and i use the strained tomato juice for cooking other dishes where it doesnt matter as much)

Melendez

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okiss

Hi Sillysocks
Another thing that you can in instead of tinned tomatoes in your cooking is Passata which is sieved italian tomatoes.
In Aldi they sell the Cucina brand. I have found this is nicer in dishes as it is smooth. Don't bother buying the one with herbs ect added as they are more expensive.

Dizzyblonde

I use the Aldi ones with the black and silver label and find them really good, and like MissFlitworth I add sugar - one teaspoon per tin of tomatoes.

Paddy1234

Why don't you just use fresh tomatoes?

livinsane

There is definitely a difference between Lidl tinned tomatoes and Roma because I did a taste test recently having found myself with one of each. Lidl brand was more acidic and sharp. The ratio of tomatoes to juice was slightly higher in the Roma tin also.

However I still primarily use Lidl tinned tomatoes but have started roasting a tray of (cheap Lidl) cherry tomatoes and adding them to my tomato based dishes. Makes a huge difference. Once you prefect the addition of herbs and sugar, you can do wonders with the cheaper branded tinned tomatoes.

Gloomtastic!

I think it was Mary Berry who recommended adding red current jelly to dishes that have tins of tomato added. Works for me....

sillysocks

Thanks all...will maybe pic up a few other brands when Im in another shop but at least I'm gathering that the Aldi ones aren't awful! I have been following recipes using them and the recipes didn't call for sugar so I never put it in and the dinners tasted nice so might as well stay used to it without the sugar!

The tinned ones are handy because I can follow the recipe quantities exactly plus time is of the essence with two kids under 4 running around as I cook!

Custardpi

The Tesco tins of whole cherry tomatoes are pretty good. Just throw them in the blender for a couple of seconds so they're coarsely broken down. Nicer flavour than either their own normal chopped tomatoes or passata.

nosietoes

Paddy1234 wrote: »

Why don't you just use fresh tomatoes?

Because unless it's between July and September, the tinned tomatoes are riper and sweeter than the more expensive fresh tomatoes because they are picked at their ripest and preserved. It'd like buying fresh peas in December.

Alun

I too think the Aldi ones are better than most of the cheap brands, including Lidl which I find a bit watery. I've tried other more expensive ones including Roma and some from the Tesco finest range, and while they are better, I'm not sure they're that much better that it justifies the extra cost. Law of diminishing returns and all that. I know it's only a small amount per tin, or per meal, but if you apply the same logic for all your ingredients, over a months it all adds up.

IvyTheTerrible

Paddy1234 wrote: »

Why don't you just use fresh tomatoes?

I find a lot of fresh tomatoes are fairly tasteless, unless you can get ones that are grown out of greenhouses in the sun. Much more flavour in tinned tomatoes.

Supercell

Slightly off topic - Jamie Oliver said on the telly the other day, when making ravioli, to always buy the plum tomatoes instead to chopped tomatoes in tins as they are a higher grade of tomato. Dunno how true that is myself but he sounds like someone who would know.

Dial Hard

I always buy whole tinned tomatoes and just throw them in my whizzer for 30 seconds before using. You get way fewer stalky bits than with the pre-chopped ones and they're not as watery either. Plus, they're generally 10 - 15c cheaper per tin too. Win-win-win

5unflower

If you do try different brands to experiment and do some taste testing, remember to always check the ingredients - I have bought cheaper as well as more expensive tins before of various brands which had added salt in them...I had not checked before using them and ended up with a far too salty dish as I had added my own amount of seasoning as normal

Alun

5unflower wrote: »

If you do try different brands to experiment and do some taste testing, remember to always check the ingredients - I have bought cheaper as well as more expensive tins before of various brands which had added salt in them...I had not checked before using them and ended up with a far too salty dish as I had added my own amount of seasoning as normal

Neither the Lidl or Aldi ones have any added salt at all.

draiochtanois

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Gloomtastic!

draiochtanois wrote: »

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We vented all this out a couple of weeks ago here, but Mrs G! keeps any leftovers in their tin in the fridge!!!! Drives me bonkers.......:mad: