Big Beef claimed the All-America Selections title in 1994, and it's easy to see why this F1 hybrid remains a garden favorite three decades later. These indeterminate vines stretch 5 to 7 feet tall in zones 2 through 11, delivering hefty 10 to 12 ounce beefsteak tomatoes in just 70 days from transplant. What sets Big Beef apart is its remarkable disease armor, resisting everything from fusarium wilt to late blight, while producing consistently large, crack-resistant fruit that balances size with genuine tomato flavor.
24
Full Sun
Moderate
2-11
84in H x ?in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
Big Beef earned its AAS award by solving the beefsteak dilemma: how to grow truly large tomatoes without sacrificing flavor or disease resistance. These substantial fruits weigh in at 10 to 12 ounces each, displaying either deeply oblate or globe shapes that resist cracking even when fully ripe. The variety's comprehensive disease package protects against twelve different problems, from bacterial canker to verticillium wilt, making it remarkably reliable for home gardeners. Despite their impressive size, these tomatoes maintain a fine texture with just the right touch of acidity that makes them memorable in sandwiches or simply sliced with salt and good olive oil.
These substantial beefsteak tomatoes excel in applications where size and flavor matter most. Their 10 to 12 ounce fruits are perfect for thick sandwich slices that won't get lost under other ingredients, and their meaty texture makes them ideal for sauces, stews, and slow-cooked dishes. The slightly acidic flavor profile and crack-resistant skin mean they're equally at home sliced fresh with just a pinch of salt and drizzle of olive oil, showcasing their pure tomato taste.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before nighttime temperatures reliably reach 50 to 55°F. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart in seed starting mix, maintaining soil temperature at 75 to 85°F for germination in 5 to 7 days. When seedlings reach 2 inches tall, transplant to individual 4-inch pots and maintain at 70°F, feeding with half-strength fertilizer every 2 weeks.
Transplant outdoors when nights consistently stay above 55°F, gradually acclimating seedlings to outdoor conditions first. Plant 24 inches apart in rows spaced 48 inches wide, setting plants several inches deeper than they grew in containers. Install sturdy stakes or tall wire cages at planting time, as these indeterminate vines will reach 60 to 84 inches tall.
Harvest Big Beef tomatoes when they're fully red-ripe and yield slightly to gentle pressure, typically around 70 days after transplanting. For best flavor, pick them at full color rather than allowing them to overripen on the vine. These indeterminate plants continue producing until frost, so regular harvesting encourages continued fruit set throughout the season.
As indeterminate vines, Big Beef benefits from regular pruning of suckers that develop between main stems and branches. Consider topping or pruning once plants outgrow manageable size for easy harvest, especially when grown with shorter support systems.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Big Beef Hybrid Tomato emerged as an All-America Selections winner in 1994, developed specifically to combine exceptional flavor with comprehensive disease resistance and adaptability. Plant breeders created this F1 hybrid to address the common frustration of large tomatoes that sacrifice taste for size, engineering a variety that could produce substantial beefsteak fruits while maintaining the fine texture and slightly acidic flavor that makes tomatoes memorable.”