The Simple Tricks For Picking The Best Tomato Every Time

There's nothing tastier than a sweet, juicy, and perfectly ripe tomato. At the same time, there's also nothing more disappointing than a hard and underripe tomato or, worse yet, a mushy and mealy tomato that's overripe. But, it doesn't have to be a gamble as to which you're going to get, if you know how to pick the best ones. We've consulted cookbook author Molly Baz, who recently partnered with Amazon in a campaign to create family-friendly, nutritious meals for under $50, to help you pick the best tomato every time.

Baz brings up some important visual and tactile cues to guide you through picking a tomato at its peak. She explains, "A tomato should be heavy, indicating juiciness, and as deep and rich in color as possible. Their skins should be shiny and very tight — no wrinkles! And, they should give a little when pressed between your thumb and forefinger." Since heaviness and ripeness correlate when it comes to picking out good tomatoes, the skin of the produce should be taut, bracing against all that juice. If you see a wrinkled exterior, however, the flesh is more likely to be mealy. 

Although there are numerous varieties of tomatoes, Baz insists that her tips are foolproof, sharing, "I'd say use this advice for all tomatoes!" That said, we would add an olfactory element when choosing a ripe tomato – a strong, sweet fragrance will match a tomato's flavorful interior.

Whether you're perusing the produce aisle at the grocery store or the tomato tent at your weekly farmer's market, you'll find many shapes, sizes, and varieties. With such an overwhelming selection, we asked Molly Baz what her favorite variety is, to which she responded, "I love a Campari tomato, especially the ones that are sold on the vine because they tend to last longer, and be sweeter and fresher than those picked off the vine sooner."

If, despite your best efforts, you end up with a mealy tomato, all hope isn't lost. Baz told us that mealy tomatoes can be a great candidate for a Bloody Mary. She explains, "I like mine frozen. So, I'll chop up a mealy tomato, freeze it, and then blend it with classic bloody ingredients like olive brine, Worcestershire and hot sauce." While you can use mealy or overripe tomatoes in our Bloody Mary recipe, that's just the tip of the iceberg. 

We've amassed a list of 23 great recipes to use up older tomatoes before they spoil, including roasting and blending them into soup, chili, or a fire-roasted shakshuka. If you're left with totally wrinkly cherry or grape tomatoes, you can even use them to make a simple flavor-packed tomato confit. All of these recipes involve cooking tomatoes to enhance their umami richness or breaking them down to rid them of their mealy consistency for improved textures.