Tinned Tomatoes

Canned tomatoes are available in several different forms. The traditional forms are whole peeled tomatoes, packed in juice or purée, and ground tomatoes, sometimes referred to as “kitchen-ready.” Ground tomatoes are not to be confused with purée, which is similar but more cooked. Taste tests indicate that whole tomatoes packed in juice tend to be perceived as fresher-tasting than those packed in purée. Crushed tomatoes, commonly used for pasta sauces, are made by adding ground tomatoes to a heavy medium made from tomato paste. Diced tomatoes have become increasingly common for applications where a chunkier or more substantial product is needed. In recent years, the Petite Diced form (3/8″ cut pieces) has become the fastest growing segment of canned tomatoes.