I have good luck with Cento.

I like Cento also.

I third cento.

I agree Cento are good. I usually buy Muir Glen Organic.

Beware a brand that calls itself "San Marzano" but sells N. American tomatoes, rather than authentic San Marzanos grown in volcanic soil in Italy.

I always liked Redpack crushed when I used to purchase. It was an ATK winner back in the day. Cento has a couple lawsuits since they use not SanMarzano completely but none of that bothers me. BonApetite recently chose a California brand testing many.

I would not want un-ripe white cores in my sauce.

I use Pomi almost exclusively but also Muir Glen when they go on sale :-)

The best is Tuttorosso.

Question for some of the oldtimers: what was the name of the crushed canned tomatoes that everyone loved and ordered many years ago? I ordered some too and this thread has me thinking I should order them again, but I can't remember the name.

It looks like Cento is in the lead with Muir Glen following and one vote each for Red Pack, Pomi and Tuttoroso. I have a place to start. Thanks for all the responses!

Cento and Muir Glen are what I stock.

I buy Trader Joe's organic ones. They might come from Muir Glen...?

My daughter found an article that ranked the best San Marazano and San Marazano Style tomatoes. From that article I have started buying Cento, Red Pack, and also like some Pomi varieties in the box - I tried a can and was pretty disappointed. I would try a few and see which ones you prefer.

I like La Valle D.O.P. San Marzano. Was buying them at Fresh Market until they stopped carrying them. Contacted La Valle and was told FM will stock them again, but in the meantime they suggested ordering from Supermarket Italy which I recently did.

https://www.lavalleus.com/

https://www.supermarketitaly.com/search.php?search_query=canned%20tomatoes&section=product

In case you are interested: Epicurious Best Canned Tomatoes

I like Red Gold, not far from me.

Sue in Central Indiana

Per the above article -Red Gold is Red Pack - sold under the Red Gold label in certain parts of the country.

Costco carries redPack in giant 1/2 gallon cans. I've used it for party chili for 50+. The one solo can in my pantry is the one I see in (most) every home chefs kitchen. (food network, u-tube)...

cookebook, are you thinking of Escalon 6-in-1 ground tomatoes? I see they also have a chunky (coarse ground) version now. I might have to try some!

6-in-1 tomatoes correct link

Ovenbird, your link isn't to 6 in 1.

https://www.escalon.net/home

chipotle, thanks for the heads up! BTW, did you watch that animated movie? It is quite sweet and the technique used to make it is amazing!

I don't like that white label one at all, and if you read the label they do admit their place of origin. (I figure their Food Networkness is paid product placement since otherwise they usually cover the labels, and I figure Sleevendog's like of it is one of those different people like different things occasions).

I wouldn't use authentic San Marzano's for cooking. It's not the type of tomato as the Epicurious article implies. It's growing on the one particular hillside in the volcanic soil. Plum tomatoes, as is proved by the different origins of the products we like, grow well in lots of different places. It's the terroir, the DOP, that makes the difference. And the basil in the Marzano "style" of canning.

Muir Glen is a bit less acid tasting than some others, which is easy to make up for if you know that going in. I always taste the liquid to know what it's like, though Muir Glen are pretty consistent. They really are acidic, however, and cook up well--and if you leave them in the panty too long (many years) they'll eat through the seal on the can.

I've never to my knowledge seen Red Pack/Gold.

No, not product placement. I see those cans deep background with other obvious products in shows where a host like Colameco visits backroom kitchens or a chefs home. So many regulations that if using a product front and center and paid for the advertising it has to be disclosed somewhere, or in the scroll.

That brand is often in the top tier when tested by various magazines. But cost is important. It might be at the higher end.

I don't use tinned tomatoes except keep a can if on sale needing one sometimes where it will be so obliterated in a stew. I never think to taste one after opening. I will next time but have never cared for that flavor. Why the bonApetite was interesting since they were looking for a tin tomato used raw for pizza. A California can won over many they tested.

I grow my own so I have enough sauced to last well into the next season.

I'm sure all recommended above will serve the purpose. RedPack being the most affordable and excellent for a sauce/stew tomato.

In Newfoundland I have no choice but use what is on the tiny hardware/grocery store shelf. I learned somewhere to take the tinned whole Romas and roast them on a sheet pan with some coarse chopped onion and garlic cloves. Concentrates the flavor and adds a roasting element. In a saucepan use the tomato liquids with white wine and veg...a good beginning for any sauce.

The California one might have been Muir Glen. I'm pretty sure (as in can't swear by my memory) that the cans are lined. They don't taste metallic. Even so, I'd never use canned tomatoes on pizza. Sauce, maybe, but not whole tomatoes. OTOH, I've made spaghetti sauce from scritchy scratch, as well as other tomato based dishes, and I can't tell the difference in these long cooked things between using fresh tomatoes and good canned ones (with no weird additives), except for the cook time and bother.

Great tip about roasting the canned tomatoes!

Thanks ovenbird and chipotle. Evidently they are associated with Kraft now, but I did find them on Amazon but sold by Escalon.