There are so many new varieties of tomatoes, and they come in all shapes and sizes. From tiny mini plum tomatoes to the giant Big Zac that can reach seven pounds, there’s a tomato for everyone.
The color variety among tomato hybrids and heirlooms is amazing, too – yellow, orange, crimson, cherry, green (even when ripe), and purple. Some are almost black.
The Cherokee Purple tomato is an heirloom variety in the beefsteak family. That means it’s big, meaty, and delicious! When ripe, the body of these tomatoes is a purplish-greenish-red color, but the part near the stem remains green.
When cut, the interior has a crimson color which makes it easily distinguishable from other types of tomatoes. People are being encouraged to grow this special tomato variety as it is fast disappearing.
How to Tell When a Cherokee Purple Tomato Is Ripe
When trying to purchase or harvest a Cherokee Purple tomato, people often ask how to tell when it is ripe, especially because the top near the stem remains green.
The best way to do this is by looking at the bottom half of these tomatoes. You will notice that the ripe ones will have a reddish or purple color, although the top is still green.
Another way to judge ripeness is to press gently on the tomato with your thumb. If it yields slightly, it is ripe. If it feels hard and unyielding, it is still unripe.
Sometimes, you might notice that even though the tomato seemed ripe, only its bottom half is flavorful. This is because farmers have to harvest these tomatoes once most of them have ripened.
Leaving the rest still on the plants gives insects and other pests a high chance of entering them, so they are often all harvested at once, although some may not be at their peak.
As a result, when purchasing a pocketful at the supermarket or farmer’s market, you may end up with a few that are still unripe. For the best flavor, grow your own and only harvest them when they are ripe.
What Do These Tomatoes Taste Like?
Compared to regular tomatoes, this particular type of tomato features a slightly smoky, sweet, somewhat rich taste. On top of that, these tomatoes are usually large and come with a thick skin that adds to their smoky flavor.
Out of all the many categories of tomatoes, these are well-loved by farmers, gardeners, and cooks alike, especially as they can be grown and harvested quite easily, are fairly resistant to pests, and have many uses in the kitchen.
How to Ripen Cherokee Purple Tomatoes
If you have picked or purchased underripe Cherokee Purple tomatoes (or any other variety), you can easily ripen them at home. Here are a couple of methods:
- Put them stem-side down on a sunny kitchen windowsill.
- Put them into a brown paper bag.
Don’t overcrowd them, though, or they will bruise. The bag will trap some of the ethylene gas that ripening fruit releases, helping them to ripen faster. Bananas release a lot of this gas, so if you want your tomatoes to ripen fast, add a banana to the packet.
How to Use Your Ripe Cherokee Purple Tomatoes
It is best to keep things simple with this delicious variety. Use them on a sandwich with a little bacon and lettuce. Alternatively, dice them into a simple salad or slice them for a Caprese salad.
They’re great, sprinkled with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing. If you cook them, first put them into boiling water to remove the skin, as it becomes quite tough when cooked. Use the cooked tomatoes as a pizza or pasta topping.
The Bottom Line
If you are having a hard time knowing if a Cherokee purple tomato is ripe, we hope our article has helped you.
Also, if you enjoy content like this, be sure to check out all our other articles, where we have discussed in detail how you can tell when a particular fruit is ripe.