Top-Tier Black Tomatoes: Savor the Flavor of These Rich and Tasty Varieties
Growing black tomatoes in your garden can add a touch of elegance and intrigue to your vegetable patch. Here are the top-tasting black tomato varieties that are highly recommended for home growing, based on flavor, appearance, and growing characteristics.
The Favourites
- Black Prince: This heirloom variety is renowned for its rich, fruity, and smoky sweet flavor with low acidity. It grows well in cooler climates and is versatile, suitable for fresh eating, salads, and sauces.
- Black Krim: Known for its dark maroon to almost black skin, Black Krim offers an intense, balanced sweet-acidic flavor with a slightly salty note. It adapts well to a wide range of climates and is popular among chefs.
- Japanese Black Trifle: This visually striking, pear-shaped tomato maintains its color when canned, making it excellent for preserving as well as fresh use.
- Ukrainian Purple: This heirloom has deep purple to black elongated fruits and is noted for a rich, sweet flavor with a hint of tang. It's a great choice for adding exotic color and flavor to your garden.
Other Notable Varieties
While not as specifically covered in detail, these black or very dark tomato varieties are often praised for their flavor:
- Cherokee Purple: Though not purely black, this classic heirloom offers a complex sweet, smoky taste.
- Black Cherry: This smaller fruit is intensely sweet and popular for fresh eating and salads.
Standout Black Tomatoes
Many grower reviews highlight Black Prince and Black Krim as standout black tomatoes for their flavor intensity, versatility, and reliable production. These varieties tend to be indeterminate with large fruit and require staking.
The Extended List
If you're looking for a concise top 10 list, it could include:
- Black Prince
- Black Krim
- Japanese Black Trifle
- Ukrainian Purple
- Cherokee Purple
- Black Cherry
- Black Russian (although not in these results, it is widely regarded)
- Indigo Rose
- Chocolate Stripes
- Paul Robeson
While the first six are well supported in these results, the remaining varieties are commonly recognised by tomato enthusiasts as the best-tasting black tomatoes for growing.
For more detailed information about any of these varieties, such as growing tips or taste profiles, feel free to ask!
Black Cherry Tomato
Black Cherry is a cherry tomato with large, almost iridescent purple/brown fruit.
Antioxidant Benefits
Black tomatoes have higher levels of the antioxidant "anthocyanin" than their red or yellow counterparts.
Other Notable Varieties
- Black Beauty: Described as the darkest of the black tomatoes, with a navy/black flesh and rich, smooth earthy flavor that improves at room temperature.
- Black Ethiopian: A prolific plum tomato variety that is difficult to find but worth the effort.
- Black Sea Man: A showstopper with medium-sized fruit and a deep reddish green interior.
- Blue Berry: Not as black as other black tomato varieties, but it has a perfect balance of sweet and tart.
- Tasmanian Chocolate: A dwarf plant that produces chocolate-colored, ruffled fruit.
- Chocolate Lightning: A taller growing dwarf tomato that produces chocolate fruit accented with green and gold stripes.
Popular in Tomato Growing Contests
Black tomatoes are currently popular in tomato growing contests.
- Including black tomatoes in your cooking can add a unique twist to food-and-drink recipes, thanks to their rich, balanced flavors and antioxidant-rich properties.
- If you're a home gardener interested in home-and-garden activities like gardening, growing various black tomato varieties can bring an elegant touch and intrigue to your home-grown food-and-drink selection.
