Beefsteak tomato


A beef tomato or beefsteak tomato is a large tomato. Grown on the plant Solanum lycopersicum, it is one of the largest varieties of cultivated tomatoes, regularly at 20 cm in diameter with some weighing or more. Most are pink or red with numerous small seed compartments distributed throughout the fruit, sometimes displaying pronounced ribbing similar to ancient pre-Columbian tomato cultivars. While popular among home growers for beef sandwich toppings and other applications requiring a large tomato such as toppings on large steaks, beefsteaks are not grown commercially as often as other types, since they are not considered as suitable for mechanization as smaller slicing tomatoes. Non-commercially, however, they are the most popularly grown tomato in North America.
Image:Cuor di bue 3in1.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Beefsteak tomato top view, bottom view, and a slice

Common varieties

Both in Italy and France, a variety of beefsteak tomato known as cuore di bue or cœur de bœuf is produced, so-named as it resembles an ox's heart pointing downwards.
In Italy, the cuore di bue has been given prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale certification, but no similar recognition has been granted in France, where some companies continue naming other beefsteak tomatoes with different qualities cœur de bœuf.