Are San Marzano Tomatoes actually worth it?

Summary by Krater

A comparison of six canned tomato brands across price points, origins, and ingredient lists through blind taste tests, pH measurement, and simulated tomato sauce and butter chicken preparations to determine if expensive canned tomatoes are worth the cost.

From the video

Answers: Are expensive canned tomatoes actually worth it and is there an overall best one?

• canned tomatoes comparison
• San Marzano tomatoes vs Roma tomatoes
• blind taste test canned tomatoes
• calcium chloride in canned vegetables
• pH testing canned tomatoes
• tomato sauce preparation and testing
• butter chicken sauce recipe and testing

Ingredients

• tomatoes
• tomato juice
• sea salt
• calcium chloride
• citric acid
• organic tomatoes
• organic tomato juice
• basil
• 300 g blended tomatoes
• 25 g unsalted butter
• 1/8 onion
• 2 g salt
• 1 part Garam Masala
• 1 part turmeric
• 1/3 part garlic powder
• 1/3 part coriander
• 1/2 part cayenne powder
• 1 part cumin
• chicken breast
• yogurt
• 100 g cooked tomato sauce
• 2 g spice mix
• 5 g butter
• 50 g heavy cream
• 50 g cooked chicken

What it concludes

• Generic store brand canned tomatoes cost $1.40, San Merican costs $4.68, Bianco Dinapoli costs $5.99, Delallo San Marzano Style costs $5.79, Cento San Marzano costs $4.69, and D.O.P Certified San Marzano costs $6.30.
• Cans packed in tomato puree rather than tomato water or juice yield thicker, better-textured sauce without requiring extra simmering.
• Plum tomatoes are ideal for sauces because they contain more flesh, fewer seeds, and lower water content compared to other varieties.
• Calcium chloride is used as a firming agent to keep canned tomatoes intact during packing and cooking, but it can impart a firmer, less desirable texture and a tinny taste.
• Citric acid is added to canned tomatoes to regulate pH levels for food safety and batch consistency.
• The D.O.P. certified San Marzano tomatoes and Delallo San Marzano style tomatoes performed best in taste and texture tests across raw, pureed, and heavily spiced applications.