The German Johnson Heirloom Tomato is a potato leaf variety of tomato plant with an indeterminate growing habit. It produces large, round, Beefsteak shaped fruit with bright red skin. The ripe fruit commonly show bright yellow striping along its shoulders.
The German Johnson’s flesh is pink and meaty with a delicious, old-fashioned tomato flavor. Fully ripened fruits may weigh in excess of one pound each. It is not uncommon to harvest tomatoes that tip the scale at 24 ounces or more. In fact, the big, beautiful 23 ounce specimen in the photo above was harvested in our vegetable garden this morning.
The German Johnson is one of the parent species of the Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter tomato. For me, that is reason enough to include it in the heirloom tomato garden at 1840 Farm. One bite and I think you’ll agree that the German Johnson is a delicious slicing tomato that transforms the ordinary sandwich into an extraordinary meal.
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Nancy
September 15, 2012 at 12:13 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
A gorgeous tomato, Jennifer!
Our cherry tomatoes did pretty well this summer, but the Celebrities did not. Maybe next year.
Thanks so much for sharing this scrumptious treat with us at Your Sunday Best.
Pat
September 16, 2012 at 10:10 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That’s a big tomato!
Jenny
September 16, 2012 at 10:16 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That is beautiful. Our weather the past few summers has been too warm for growing tomatoes. We had a few this past season and were able to get in a relatively decent crop (for slicing only not enough for canning) before the spider mites got to them. I’ve really enjoyed your heirloom tomato profiles.
Jennifer
September 16, 2012 at 10:32 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m so sorry to hear that you had a difficult tomato season. We’ve been fortunate this year with a bountiful harvest. Here’s hoping that we both have great harvests next season. Until then, I’ll be sharing more heirloom tomato profiles of our favorite varieties – stay tuned!
Mage @ The View From Right Here
September 16, 2012 at 10:49 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
WOW, what a beauty… I’d cut thick slices and make a tomato sandwich with some Walla Walla Sweet onion… mmmmm!
Madge @ The View From Right Here
September 16, 2012 at 10:50 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Sorry, my typing was off, I misspelled my name it is MADGE not Mage… sorry!
The tale of two tomatoes « grandparentsplus2
September 14, 2012 at 7:34 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
[...] Our daughter, husband and grandkids grew a long list of different and delicious Heirloom tomatoes including two of their favorites, Purple Calabash and German Johnson. [...]