%% Category::<h1><span class="material-symbols-outlined">join_right</span> </h1> %% <h1><span class="material-symbols-outlined">join_right</span>Canned Tomatoes. </h1> Created: Mon, Sep 22nd 2025 #ingredients #sauce ## Preserving tomatoes. Whilst the main reason for canning tomatoes is for preserving them, the manner in which they are canned can determine the quality of the end product. Heat is used to kill off microorganisms, and heat has a significant impact on the flavor, color and texture of the tomatoes. So it’s safe to say that not all canned tomatoes are created equal, just as not all tomatoes are not. Adding a further factor into whether or not any eventual sauce you make with them is good or not. This is to say that even when two different processors use the same exact tomatoes, they could both end with wildly different end results. ### Different processes for different use cases. Tomatoes are washed, sorted and cooked prior to canning and the temperature at which they are cooked at is dependent on what process is being used. There are two processes commonly used to heat the tomatoes during canning. Cold break and hot break, as they are called. With the former, called cold break processing , the tomatoes are heated to a lower temperature, 160 to 170 degrees F, than is required for full sterilization. This lower temperature not only means that the tomatoes retain more of their natural color and fresher taste, but it means that some of the enzymes that break down the pectin in the tomatoes remain active, resulting in a thinner viscosity. These tomatoes are perfect for pizzas that call for a fresher tomato taste like Neapolitan for instance. The other process, high break tomatoes are heated to 195 degrees, killing a lot of the enzymes and leaving larger sized pectins, leaving the tomatoes with a deeper red hue and much thicker viscosity. ### how would one know which process is used? Without opening the can you could look for terms on the can like fresh tomato taste, or deep rich tomatoes, indicating CBP and HBP respectively. If you don’t mind a little trial and error opening them up would allow you to quickly check the color and thickness of the liquid they sit in, along with the the overall texture of the fruit Itself. ### What do they add to canned tomatoes? It might be obvious, but they add tomatoes to canned tomatoes, and there are many that just add that. Some of the best canned tomatoes available are those that only contain tomatoes and tomato juice. There are some processors that add additional ingredients, and these processors are more often than not, based in the states. - Salt - Citric acid - basil - Calcium chloride It should be stated that the only thing on the above list that is used to preserve the tomatoes, is the citric acid. The basil and the salt are added to enhance flavor, and the calcium chloride is used to keep the tomatoes firm. ## What *should* be in canned tomatoes? It is my opinion that there should only be tomatoes in there, and it has nothing to do with that being the healthiest option. If the canning process isn’t enough to fully make the tomatoes safe to eat after a certain period of time in storage then citric acid could be used to extend the shelf life of them, especially in the case of cold break proccessed. [[Citric Acid]] is a natural additive and you only need to use a small amount compared to some other forms of acid, making it ideal for this purpose. ### Salt I think this should be left to whoever it is that is going to use the tomatoes. Adding flavor to something that one could themselves really begs the question, what are you trying to hide? Did you source low quality product? Why don’t you think I am capable of seasoning my food adequately? Putting the feigned offense I would take aside, choosing tomatoes that don’t already have salt in them gives more room for adding other, potentially salty ingredients into the sauce or other application you might have in mind. ### Basil. Here’s another one, like salt, but slightly more heinous. The same points apply. I would prefer the opportunity to flavor the food I am making in the way that I want. In the case of using basil though I think the disconnect between your common food processor and a more competent cook is further magnified. You being able to choose if you even want that component in your food goes without saying. Basil is great, don’t get me wrong, but I will always prefer adding my own, fresh basil I have either just picked from my plant or bought very recently. Then there’s the fact that basil is one of the more fragile herbs and shouldn’t be heated at high heats for long durations. ### calcium chloride This shit shouldn’t be near any food at all. It’s used to help (make) the tomatoes retain their shape and firm texture. I only tried tomatoes with calcium chloride in them for a recent video and they were awful. every tomato was unnaturally firm, like it had never been touched with heat or even been in a can at all; like someone had just peeled them and stuck them in the can when I wasn’t looking. Blending them up felt like there was far too much resistance, the tub spinning along with the tomatoes around the immersion blender. I have read some utter bullshit online that states that this addition is to lend the tomatoes a more “fresh” tomato taste, but I think adding calcium chloride makes them abnormal feeling to say the least. [[Sauce research#On calcium chloride, and why it isn’t suited to making pizza sauce.|Harold McGee on calcium chloride]] ## Summary Canned tomatoes are what every pizza maker turns to when making pizza sauce, this is undisputed and has been for decades. The only thing left to dispute is which ones are better than others. Every pizza maker will have their own personal favorite. Could be that the ones they use are the ones they’ve always used, or could be that they found them through lots of trial and error. For me though, I like the deep red tomatoes, with a more mushy texture and fairly neutral taste that you will find with tomatoes that have been through a high break processing and don’t have anything added to them, allowing you to add flavors you see fit, with a texture that isn’t too wet to cause [[Pizza sauce troubleshooting.|problems]] with the baking process, and the right, pleasing texture you associate with good pizza. There may well be some people or places that use fresh tomatoes in some way or another, but I have no doubt in my mind that peeling and cooking them is part of the preparation, which you already have done when you buy canned.