What is it?

Any of several varieties of large tomatoes with thick, plump flesh, a beefsteak has smaller seed cavities and therefore a greater ratio of flesh to juice and seeds than other kinds of tomatoes. It’s good cooked or raw and has an intense tomatoey flavor.

Kitchen math:

1 lb. = about 1-1/2 cups chopped

Don’t have it?

During summer’s tomato season, try other tomato varieties, such as globe or plum. Canned tomatoes can be a good substitute in many cooked tomato recipes, especially when tomatoes are out of season.

How to choose:

Beefsteak varieties are typically (though not always) slightly flattened and sometimes lumpy, with a slightly irregular shape. We’re so used to perfectly shaped supermarket tomatoes that many of us consider an imperfect shape undesirable. That couldn’t be less true. The tomatoes that look the ugliest, including beefsteaks, are often the best tasting. If you don’t grow you own, try a farmer’s market in season for the tastiest tomatoes. Choose those with intact skins and no bruises, that are firm but yielding under gentle pressure, and with a deep color (though not necessarily red as it comes in all colors).

How to prep:

To remove the core, use a sharp paring knife to carve a V-shape around it, or scoop it out with a handy gadget called a tomato shark.

How to store:

Leave tomatoes at room temperature until you’re ready to use them. Refrigeration causes loss of flavor and a mealy texture.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Seared Cod with Gazpacho Sauce

  Finely chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, and garlic bathed in oil and sherry vinegar call to mind the flavors of the summery Spanish soup. This no-cook sauce brightens up seared fish…

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  Recipe

  Avocado Toasts with Chipotle Butter, Black Beans, and Tomato

  For a spicier, more filling take on conventional avocado toast, layer avocado with chile butter, refried beans, and tomato. Serve eggs alongside or on top.

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  Recipe

  Spicy Mexican Burger

  This burger by Joe Isidori from Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer is so flavorful you almost don’t need any toppings. If you like, try it with ground turkey (or…

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  Recipe

  Scandinavian-Inspired Bread Salad

  Best-of-season ripe tomatoes meld with fresh dill, fennel, toasted rye, and caraway in a Nordic-influenced salad you’ll want to serve day and (long) summer night.

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  Recipe

  Fattoush-ish Bread Salad

  Crumbled feta, red onion, fresh mint, olives, and pita give this bread salad a Mediterranean feel.

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  Recipe

  Basic Tomato and Bread Salad

  这对一个典型的托斯卡纳panzanella特性both fresh and sun-dried tomatoes.

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  Recipe

  Grilled Farmers’ Market Pasta

  A colorful mix of garden-fresh vegetables gets a simple treatment (a toss with garlic, basil, and cheese) after grilling to let their flavors shine.

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  Recipe

  Tomato Conserva

  Delicious in a rustic pasta or riff on a Caprese salad, these slow-roasted tomatoes can be added to just about any dish that wants some rich flavor. They need 5…

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  Recipe

  Red Pozole with Chicken (Pozole Rojo Con Pollo)

  This Mexican stew featuring chiles and hominy is perfect party food: it feeds a crowd and the toppings passed around the table add to the festive nature of the dish.…