Definitely purchase the book Giant Tomatoes for him to read. My favorite book.

Next purchase some Big Zac seeds. and keep in touch. I intend to have a fun time this summer growing a big one.

Go with Big Zac seeds. Also very tasty.

Try Rhoades Heirloom or Guido
Cheers,
grungy

I'm a long time Big Zac grower. Until last year they have been the biggest I have ever grown and I have grown many of the large varieties. But last year I grew Porterhouse and the average PH was larger than the average BZ.

BZ is tastier though. But if all you are after is size I think that Porterhouse is a record just waiting to happen someday if one prunes and fusses.

I like Omars Lebanese for a big, great tasting tomato. That would be MY favorite giant... :)

I know there are many dedicated Big Zac folks here at GW but let's not forget that the World record for size still is the variety Delicious.

Over the many years that Big Zac has been available few are those who have reported sizes approaching what Minnie gets when she grows them.

Varieties that have grown big ones for me, and I mean in the 2-4# range, depending on the season, and I do nothing special to grow for size since taste is my primary interest, might include:

Omar's Lebanese, as was just mentioned
Zogola
Cuostralee
Large Pink Bulgarian
Red Barn
Tidwell German

.... for starters, and all are OP.

Carolyn

I am planning on growing and pruning to just one stem and cropping to just one or two tomatoes near lower part of the stem.
I have seeds for about 25 different varieties that I think are the best bets for getting large tasty tomatoes, including BZ, Tidwell German, Ultimate Giant and Omar's Lebanese, this coming summer. If anyone wants a specific list of those I plan on growing let me know.
I start my seeds in a cold frame in the second week of April, weather permitting. This has been an inexpensive, simple and effective way for me for the past several years.

Not huge giants, but large and tasty anyway:

Ultimate Giant
Pineapple
Red Mortgage Lifter
Persimmon
Bull's Heart
Beefmaster
Tennessee Britches
Giant Pink Belgium
Yellow Brandywine
Estler's Mortgage Lifter
Rostova
Neve's Azorean Red
Watermelon Beefsteak
Dinner Plate
Aussie
Giant Tree
Big Zac
Earl's Faux
Omar's Lebanese
Middle Tennessee Low Acid
Supersteak
Goliath Heirloom
Chapman
Dutchman
Tidwell German
Mexico
Mountaineer Mystery
Mullen's Mortgage Lifter
Old Virginia Cherokee Green
German Johnson
Henderson's Pink Ponderosa
Large Pink Bulgarian
Dixie Golden Giant
Kellogg's Breakfast

Also, strictly for eating, not pruned, will be:
Early Girl
Early Goliath
Carbon
Big Beef
Hillbilly
Pink Girl
Opalka

Would include Porterhouse, but only one seed survived last year and I refuse to pay for another pkt. of seeds of PH seeds. My largest PH mater last summer was just over 1 lb.
but the vine was not pruned.

I think my largest PH was about 3 lbs without pruning. It was definitely the largest in my garden, although I wasn't trying for size. Taste was good, but not great. I had no germination issues. Every seed I planted germinated, and I bought from WM so the price wasn't bad either (13 seeds in packet).
JMO,
Tom

tomakers,

Same here. I don't try for giant toms but I enjoy HUGE tomatoes! One of these years I might do the pruning and ferting etc. needed to grow a monster but I like varieties like Big Zac and PH that NATURALLY produce large tomatoes. I've grown BZ for years and there always seems to be 2 or 3 huge fruit per plant near or over 3 pounds. But this new PH produces 25 to 30 toms all over a pound and some over 2. I have grown Delicious and it is a tiny runt compared to BZ and PH when you compare it with plants that are not pruned or specially grown to produce monsters. So only IMO if one wants to try for a record I'd go with PH. That is one amazing variety. But only OK taste. Second choice BZ.

I'm glad to hear that you guys had such great success with your Porterhouses.
I had read last spring that several folks were like me in that they had only about 40-50% germination rates. I had about that, but only a single plant survived, and it gave me maybe 2 dozen tomatoes under 1 lb. and just one tomato slightly over a pound. Maybe my thumb is turning brown.
All my other plants produced great, with the exception of Beefy Boys which were prone to BER in my garden, and Delicious which has never impressed me.

Pruning most of my vines this coming summer will make it much easier to tie em to the stakes too. A real plus for me since I hate having to tie up so many branches on each plant out there in the hot summer sunshine:)