Do San Marzano Tomatoes Really Make A Better Marinara?
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- čas přidán 17. 05. 2023
- Today we're blind taste-testing San Marzano tomatoes against American crushed tomatoes. I make a quick and easy marinara sauce with both types of tomatoes and then have James and Tara taste them. The results might surprise you.
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Canned tomato taste tests have been highly requested by you guys. Today's was a fun one and there will be plenty more! Please leave us a comment about what you want us to make next. As always thanks for liking and sharing our videos.
What’a ya gonna doooooooo
As a NJ TOMATO grower - noting that Rutgers Tomatoes (Both Plum and Heirloom) tend to win international contests, The fact is, much depends on what conditions the tomatoes used in these canned product THAT DAY that they were canned. Tomatoes are hand picked and it is reality that there will be some that are not quite fully ripe and some that may be over ripe - it depends on the time of year (Sometimes tomatoes seemingly all ripen at once) - and the person picking them and their "TOUCH". While contests are with the very best of the crop - canning cannot be so you will have a mix of tomato ripeness that might not make a difference in a sauce but could in a plain product with little additives. Since there is some salt naturally in tomatoes - the amount added to "TASTE" can make a difference because those labels on the cans cannot be 100% accurate as well. Also note it has been estimated that the amount of Tomatoes labeled in the USA as true SAN MARZANO tomatoes is about TEN TIMES the amount of tomatoes that the region can actually produce. SInce the European designation is legally meaningless in the USA - any body can use it. San marzano is also a type of Tomato seed and they can be grown anywhere - including the USA.
Being completely UNBIASED - Of course properly vine ripened NJ Tomatoes are the best in the world. Being honest, the reality is there is enough variability that would make a testing like yours really hard. But Nevertheless - Thank your Son for me!
When you have time I would love an easy recipe to make cannoli's. Thanks.
Yes. Cannolis.
If you have the time, it might be interesting to do a similar test but using whole tomatoes for both, instead of whole for one and crushed for the other. I also think both of these against fresh tomatoes would be interesting.
You may not be a professional chef (I am) and I can tell you, I’d open a restaurant with you any day. You know exactly what you are doing…spot on with technique, explanations and detail. Your food pics, are food porn. Rock on Jim, love your channel.
Totally agree he is amazing ! Love his family too!
"(I am)" ...oh!!!!! Take is easyyyyy😅
He's the Bob Ross of Italian cooking!
Cooking ability is a very small part of owning a successful restaurant. He's a lot better off with a home cooking CZcams channel.
@@glennzanotti3346 I think they were just making the point that Jim is as talented as a professional chef, and he's very trustworthy as well.
I've made several of your recipes, and although you may not be a "professional", I completely trust your cooking knowledge more than most professional chefs.
that's the best compliment, thank you.
No, thank you for making cooking very accessible. You're like the Bob Ross of cooking...its ok to make a mistake. "Just add *ingredient* when you get the chance, itll be just fine".
Yes! I agree 100%! I've tried so many recipes developed by professional chefs that maybe work in a commercial kitchen, but they just don't transfer to the home kitchen very well. It's also nice to see ingredients that are accessible to the average home cook. I don't have to go to three different stores to find specialty ingredients when I follow a Sip and Feast recipe, and that's so great. 😁
Home cooking is the best.
@@SipandFeast totally agree you are excellent in presentation and your food and recipes are delicious!! You are a pro in my books!!
Please test different pasta brands too. Loving this series
Great idea!
In regards to the not a professional chef/taste tester; I think I speak for most in that we love what you do. That love translates to holding your opinion of taste in high regard. You’ve taught me so much I cannot thank you enough. Keep doing what you do. ❤
Indeed; this recipe kills it. I grow basil in my aerogarden, and this is a perfect way to use it up. Just enough for the sauce, as it's generally not enough for pesto without help from the store. I kick it up a notch making it into a Bolognese, adding cooked ground meat (just seasoned with salt and pepper) when the sauce is close to ready. Hand crushed San Marazanos adding your own salt is the way to go! Springing for the Pecorino Romano is worth it.
I was born and raised in Brooklyn (which is probably why I didn't notice your accent) on Italian cooking. Lots of memories brought forth by how you do things and the ingredients you use. I like that your presentations are void of gimmicks, focusing on the cooking. I learned from my grandmother and have been cooking for over 65 years and know that it takes a lot of skill and confidence to cook for an audience. Nice work.
I appreciate that.
James is the heel that we didn't know we needed, but oh boy he is the perfect foil for this channel. Jim is like, "A good marinara sauce is all about subtlety, everything balances each other out." James: "I LIKE THE FLAVOR BLASTED ONE!"
I love Jim's reactions to James, I feel you man. Kids gonna be kids.
LOL!! I mean, I remember being a kid and thinking that overly salted, processed food was the most amazing thing ever. Good thing our tastes mature as we grow up! But James is still wayyyyy ahead of the curve compared to other kids.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I like all your content. The recipe videos always contain ingredients that are easy to obtain, and the recent taste testing videos are fun! I think it's so funny when James gives something a mediocre rating, but then keeps going back for more!
I know, right! He'll say it's ok but then he'll finish off the dish! 💜
He's getting very close to the "bottomless pit" stage of adolescence.
Lol, James cracks me up! He was ready to attack those 2 plates after Mom sampled them! 😂
Awesome video as always! Yeah, when dried oregano is in the sauce it reminds of pizza, not marinara.
No origano on pizza anyways
In my experience if you poke the tomato all the way through with your finger before you crush it they splatter a lot less
Yes!
Thanks for the tip.
I always enjoy watching your videos. What you have inadvertently proven is the value of proper seasoning. As a professional chef, I default to Cento when doing private client dinners. As you pointed out, Scalafani has quite a bit of salt. The difference in salt can make one dish taste bland and another flavorful with the exact same ingredients. Chefs tend to go with unsalted products when possible without giving up quality so that they can adjust the seasoning as they wish. Scalafani is also not available at the same price point as in the New York area. That same can sells for $4.50 to $6.50 depending on the area in which you live. I would suggest to you that just like other brands, San Marzano an heirloom variety of tomato, has a different flavor profile depending on the canner. The biggest takeaway is that your final product is only as good as the ingredients you put into it. This is particularly true in Italian cuisine. Don't skimp on tomato product!
I was surprised about the sodium level but people do need to check out the levels since they do vary from brand to brand. I almost went with Cento all-purpose but chose the other popular brand here in NY. I checked their prices on Amazon and they definitely aren't a deal anymore when buying online. They are often on sale for $2 or below in supermarkets local to me. People should 100% look for deals in their area. Thanks for liking the videos.
I agree, I only use Cento. The difference is amazing. The tomato juice is thick, dark and rich. They are just delicious.
1/2 tsp salt in the whole can is not much. If it was unsalted one would add at least that much to it when cooking.
I think cento vine ripened crushed is the best tomato I’ve tried
Just an FYI. Amazon sells Sclafani at a great price.
I love your basic test comparisons! Honest results.
Love these tasting tests!
Always fun and informative. Thanks for showing us how easy it is to make a good sauce.
Good one! Always fun when your wife and son join in the testing! Personally I use whatever I can get on canned tomatoes and I don’t think it ever makes or breaks a dish. When I follow your recipes I ALWAYS get good results regardless of brand of tomatoes. That said, DeCecco pasta is really good and I can tell a difference. I learned that from your channel.
I really enjoy these types of videos!
I see a growth spurt in James near future. Any kid that hungry is fixing to get tall!
I am glad I found your site. The taste tests of the jarred pasta sauces were outstanding. Keep up the great work.
Your films are always FUN! Thanks to you and your family!
Being new to DIY Marinara, I am gaining a wealth of knowledge from your all your 'comparision' videos, especially about expectations of the final product. 👍
I LOVE these taste test videos! So glad you have incorporated these into your normal cooking videos. I find them informative while being entertaining. You may not be a "professional" chef, but you sure are a pro at cooking!
Your channel since I have been following it has really blown up. I was a member when you had just 30k subscribers. I am so excited for you at your success and for your family. Keep up the great content!
oh my gosh!!!! I am a first time commenter and always lurker. I want to tell you I live in West Virginia. My father was 100% Italian. First generation immigrant. I was raised on sauce/gravy as you make it. I watched your jarred test video and I bought a bottle of the Victoria Brand jarred sauce and I love it. Thank you so so much for the love and effort you put into your channel. You are a wonderful and wise Italian teacher.
I love your recipes, but really I watch every video just to see what The Taste Tester has to say!!! He's so Awesome!! ❤️ 😂 ❤️
Do you have a video on making your own Italian sausage? I would like that. Also, any breakfast dishes?
C'mon Dude. Your accent isn't horrible. Sounds perfect to me! Thanks for showing us how easy it is to make a homemade marinara!
yeah it's a perfectly intelligible NY accent
Thoroughly enjoy your vids. Thanks
Keep the videos coming!! Love your comparisons 😊
Fun. I like these taste tests. Please do more.
I love these comparison taste tests you are doing, it is so helpful to really know, you are so good at explaining the differences between the ingredients. And I really trust the taste tests. Your son is good at picking the best one. He knows right away which he likes best. 👍🏻😁bravo
Absolutely LOVE these comparison episodes!! All your episodes tho, too. Food is awesome and you do them so well.
Thanks for another thoughtful resolution to regular-people cooking dilemmas. It's helpful to know what ingredients it's more worthwhile to spend extra for (fresh herbs, if you don't grow your own) and what things will taste just fine with more economical products. I love that your family are the judges!
I would like to see you compare different types of garlic, different varieties or fresh versus jarred versus dried.
Excellent guy and family. My prayers that you do well with your family and thank you for teaching me.
So glad I found your channel, I've been an Italian food addict since I was in the womb. And everything you guys do makes me smile.....and hungry.
Brilliant video...before I started watching your videos I was always bamboozled by all the different canned tomatoes at very different prices. Videos like this will make my grocery store visit so much easier and stress free. Please keep up the tests and the recipes. You have so much to teach and we all have so much to learn.
Great video! I have often wondered about this myself. Would love to see more of this too, in addition to your recipes of course. Thank you.
Really enjoy your videos! Fun with your wife and son - great family time! I have learned a lot from watching you cook and I do enjoy the food testing/comparison videos! Thank you!
love this video and you channel. Being an older Italian, I remember my grandmother making these recipes but never got her recipes. thanks again
After having pasta every Thursday and Sunday for YEARS, moms, or in your case dads, homemade will always taste better. Familiarity can influence a taste test. (that is why so many people were passionate about their preferred jar sauce).
Great comparison. Thank you and family. Love your videos.
As always, great content!
Wow. I loved seeing this. Quite informative and helpful. Thank youl
My favorite culinary channel! You guys are classic!
I just got back from Florence and Im obsessed with learning how to cook Italian. Im so psyched that I found your channel! So easy to follow and your family is adorable! Keep up the great videos!
Nice that you were here by us in Italy, Florence is beautiful ! 😊 Did you have a nice time ? About our great Italian cuisine, I often notice that in America (as well as also he in this video 4:48), when they make a tomato sauce they put a lot of garlic. We in Italy put much less. If we then have to make “spaghetti aglio e olio”, then it's another thing.
Some people say that we Italians use a lot of garlic, but honestly it seems to me just the opposite. ;) Ciao ! 👋😊
Excellent. Keep up the good work. Every time I go shopping I remember your results. Thank you.
I love these comparison videos!!!
Your family is amazing ! I love watching you guys cook and discuss food
So glad you did a blind tasting!
I grew up in a family that had almost 2 acres of garden, at maximum, and we would haul wheelbarrows of tomatoes into the kitchen, make marinara sauce and stick it in the freezer for use during the rest of the year. Now, I lack the ability to grow tomatoes like that, but theres a vegetable stand that bings in field-ridpened tomatoes and sells them in 20 lb boxes, that I use for marinara the same way. Ive found, its less about the brand of tomatoes and more about letting the fruit ripen on the vine. Homemade, imo, is so much better than anything store bought, especially when one doesnt like the sweetened jarred stuff. It just takes time to make really good sauce.
Thanks to all of you for the video, very much enjoying the taste tests! :D
What always gets me is how you say Sclafani is so common in the NY area because they are Jersey tomatoes... but I live in NJ and you have to really look to find them. They aren't that common at all. Cento and Renzi are more common here.
But GREAT idea for a video. I know you did a "which tomatoes should you buy" video in the past but making recipes with both and doing taste tests is really helpful. It is always interesting to find out which ingredients make a big difference to spend more on and which aren't as important. Thank you.
They are sold in most stores here in Long Island except Whole Foods. Cento definitely has the biggest shelf space though. Thanks for liking the video.
@@SipandFeast I don't think I've ever seen Sclafani in a supermarket. Specialty Italian stores only. Meanwhile, 5lb boxes of Diamond Crystal kosher salt are everywhere. Go figure.
I hate to say this, but here in the Pacific Northwest Cento occupies the least amount of shelf space! Mostly we are presented with canned tomatoes from the big corporations (Hunt’s, Del Monte). Pomi brand (carton) is on the top shelf, not eye level, and Cento on the bottom. The last time I shopped for Cento whole tomatoes there were only two cans in the store! I’ve never seen Sclafani. And I live in a (moderately sized) city.
I adore your videos, recipes, appreciate and love the honesty (and sometimes differing opinions) of your taste testers!
I'm in Northern NJ and my local Shoprite and Super foodtown stores have Sclafani. They are more like 2.79 a can here.
Having lived in Australia for most of my life, I must say that for many years the only tinned tomatoes available were Australian grown. Often they were quite watery and tasteless. Just lacking. Thankfully things have improved in recent years. Finally supermarkets are now selling Mutti brand Italian tomatoes, and they are wonderful. Good video! I've never seen a video of yours that I have not learned something from. Bravo!
I agree, Mutti brand is the best tasting tomatoes.
I enjoy your videos; I really enjoy that you don't waste my time watching you chop anything for 5 minutes as so many other videos
I've started using Sclafani tomatoes based on your recommendation...they are affordable, of great value, the taste is fresh and great in sauces. I can't afford to buy San Marzano's all of the time and to be honest, I really can't tell the difference.
This was a fun one, Jim. Shit’s been so busy the last few months that I’ve been listening to you guys more than watching, and I realized I haven’t been commenting; just liking and dipping out when it’s over. So I just wanted to stop back and say hey 👋🏻 Glad everyone’s doing well! Can’t wait for summer and to see what’s new with you guys! ❤from Trenton, NJ
Wow! Thanks for upping my sauce skills,Thanks for sharing 👍
Love these videos
In my humble experience as a cook and as a chef, Glen Muir canned tomatoes are my favorite - they come in various preparations - crushed, whole, pureed and paste, both organic and "regular'" and even fire roasted. Just my own opinion, mind you - I'm not a trained expert but I have cooked and made enough red sauce Italian dishes to come to my conclusion. Really good San Marzano tomatoes have a distinct mineral, almost a metallic taste that is really apparent in basic, simple preparations. Some can get a a bit snobby about San Marzanos and I get it but really it comes down to optimum ingredients prepared correctly, technique and consistency and seasoning. And love. You cannot cook great Italian food (or any food) without love in your heart. Simple, corny maybe but true. And it looks like you have that in spades! I miss cooking with my mother, my grandmother, my father, my brother and my father in law - so great to see you cooking with your son. Love your channel!
A metallic taste may be coming from the can.
Give Alta Cucina tomatoes a try
Lol ❤😂 “ this kid won’t stop”. Adorable and a very good taste tester. Thanks for sharing! 😊
I just love these taste test's. It's very helpful.😊 🍅🍅🍅
You have changed my approach to Italian cooking, Thank you.
Love your videos....and appreciate the insights with the family adding in...great stuff. Do test some pasta's please!
Love your videos!
I enjoy your contents a lot!
Your lack of pretension is one of the reasons I like your posts so much. I very rarely buy San Marzanno cuz they've gotten so expensive, so this makes me feel like maybe I'm not missing so much. Thanks for posting.
The return of the plaid chair that I love! I am not too surprised that James liked the "saltier" version - when I make sauces with less sodium and carbs, it is fine but I usually realize the difference immediately - jarred sauces, even the ones that say "low sodium" are packed with sodium, so it is better to do it yourself. I happen to like San Marzano taste, but I don't mind less salt. Great video, once again! I love switching it up.
I think I speak for everyone when I say we love your cooking and your family so much that we’re ALL coming over for Thanksgiving. 🥘♥️
Thank you for this!
Thanks for the marinara recipe. As someone who didn't grow up Italian, I always wondered why I couldn't replicate the restaurant marinara taste. Turns out I was just overcomplicating things.
Anyway I might have said this before, but your videos really taught me how to make good Italian-American food for my family. I appreciate that your recipes are family-oriented and easy, because when I cook it's always for at least 4 people. Thank you so much!
Not enough for me. I loved my dad's sauce so much I learned to have a little pasta with the sauce. Love dipping Italian bread in the sauce also.
Yeah, I don't get this "you don't wanna over-sauce yer pasta."
@@richardgray8593 Same here. I like-a da sauce.
Wow, thanks for upping my sauce skills!
Thanks for sharing 👍
❤ the channel
Never keep the taste tester from going in for more!😄 Love this video.❤
Since tomato growing season is upon us gardeners, would you make a marinara with fresh tomatoes?
I appreciate James' outright honesty is refreshing
I love James! If he likes it he just can’t stop eating it! 😂
I have been watching your videos and have been learning so much...I am even trying to pick up on the New York accent...I love all your videos.🥰
Loving the taste test videos! Would like to see more- maybe dried pasta brands?
James is quite the teenage boy- can’t fill him up! He is adorable and love his contribution to your channel. Keep up the great work. I know every time I make one of your recipes, it will be a winner! 🍝🍝
I'm liking these testing videos. Would like to see an Olive oil test. Great work on your chanel!
Thanks! We filmed the olive oil test two weeks ago just need to edit it. I will tell you in advance that tasting olive oils is not easy. Kind of like how sommeliers get tricked in blind tests and pick the $8 bottle over the $80 one.
"...with a horrible accent." That made me laugh. Love y'alls accents!
Love all your videos! What I would like to see are, “Copy Cat recipies”, from your favorite restaurants or fast food establishments.
I'd like to see this exact same scenario with the Costco whole plum tomatoes. I started buying them based on your suggestion a long time ago. I'd like to see James's and Tara's opinion! lol Love love love this channel, keep doing what you're doing!
After watching both taste tests on jarred sauce, and even though I always read ingredients on just about everything I buy...I know now to look even further, such as fresh basil as opposed to dried, extra virgin olive oil,and no added extras like too much sugar. Thanks for the tips!
I always use sclafani as I’m very brand loyal to Connecticut companies. I was excited to see this video! We’ve been moving so I haven’t been online much, can’t wait to catch up on all of these videos I’ve missed!
hahahahaha loved the new york accent comment early in the vid. much love, keep on putting out great content❤️
Im a chef and enjoy watching, never put yourself down! You are honest, strait snd forward! Appear to have great pallet, unless you are fooling us? Keep doing what you do👍. Never doubt. some attributes are missing from other channels! We use sane brand everytime and never same so adjust. Taste taste taste, as you did, only way to control the finnished product. Tyvm tc
Went through a handful of comments. I agree with the most of the thumbs up comments. You're doing me a great favor. Nothing but positive things to say on your tests. 👍👍👍
Love the tasting videos! Now I’m hungry for pasta and sauce! 😉
Good video 👍🏻 I was laughing that James ate all the pasta lol ( I love that plaid chair in the background)
I have to say it I paused the video James cracks me up each and every video 😂😂😂
I've never seen Scalafani here in the Boston area. I usually go with Cento crushed, when doing a quick sauce, they aren't San Marzano. They taste fine to me, but my parents came from Ireland, and I didn't eat Italian food till well into my teens in the 70s, what do I know?lol James rules!
I'm from Chicago, and while your accent is different, trust me, it's not horrible!😂 Also, as a father of grown up children, I'll just say that James will continue his endeavor to eat you out of house and home!😂 Great video!👍👍
He has a very light NY accent. Mine & my family is way thicker
lolol hysterical
I thought you were a professional chef! Well, now you are! Cause you are so much better and teach as you go along! I really have not seen any chefs only a few that explain. Your family is awesome including your wife who is right by yourside helping you and of course James your taste tester! I love your recipes! My father cooked like you and so did my mom. But she had worked two jobs and didnt have the time when I was a teenager. But my dad was the cook in the house and I watched and saw him make everything from chestnuts roasted to stuffed zucchini flowers and pizza! Just so much more! But you are a great chef, cook whatever but you do it perfect!😂😊
Love your videos. I dont have a drop of Italian blood in me but it is my favorite food. Now i have a place to go to give me all the “secrets” to make myself. Ty
Pro tip for crushed red pepper. If you find it too spicy but still want that flavor, pick as many of the seeds out of it as you can. Removing the seeds removes most of the spice from them.
I love the cooking videos AND the taste tests / reviews. I've learned so much from watching your channel and you've made me a better cook. I can never go back to marinara from a jar, thank you♥ ps your family is lovely :)
I use the Cento SM pretty much exclusively now. It seemed like the other brands just didn't have the sweetness and freshness that I love about the San Marzanos.
I always use the Cento San Marzano, paid almost $7 for 1 can, I purchased 2 because I don't care for jarred sauce. Crazy I know. I know I saw the Sclafani sauce somewhere. We moved to Pa. from NJ 5 years ago and I have trouble finding the same ingredients here. Love these taste tests that you all do, it's great and I learn so much. Thank you all for doing them. Stay well and safe.
These videos are great! I've been using Rao's, now I need to try making homemade sauce!
I enjoy watching you cook, learn a lot
I think your recipes are great!
When "I know the hair was bad" flashed on the screen I cackled out loud! Your hair is much better now. Oh, and the tomato sauces look bomb! 😂