Steam Juicer

[boozinsusan]

I did my first batch last week, and one basket full made 3 quarts of juice. Tip: if you want no pulp in the juice, DO NOT MASH OT STIR the fruit like I did. The last quart ended up kind of pulpy.


That said, I also had enough left that I put it through a food mill, sweetened it, and got 6 pints of applesauce from it......virtually no waste after all that, though....


It took a little longer than I expected, but may not next time.


I still have about twice as much to juice yet (apples picked and waiting).


BTW - I had to really go over the apples I had, so mine were cored and cut up. I had heard that you do not have to cut up the fruit, but you will get more juice and fill up the juicer with more volume if it is cut up.

 

[pelican]

If you want to get those apples steamed in a decent amount of time, I would recommend cutting them up.

I've steamed "whole' soft fruit no problem, but as dense as an apple is, to penetrate the whole apple with steam would take a lot longer than to extract the juice from cut pieces.

 

[Tom]

I dont know who said that. Its best to cut up all fruit for better extraction.

 

[Fly*guy]

How do you know when you are done juicing the apples,(or any other fruit)?
I'm not sure that I left them in long enough

. ???

I did about 30 pounds of apples yesterday and got about 2 - 2 1/4 gallons of juice. I had 10# of fruit/ batch x 3 batches that would be about 2.6 qts/ batch (+/-)

Is the juice really concentrated? Do you add water to the recipes? or do you strickly follow the SG and acid levels to make a wine from these juices???

Sorry about the questions

 

[Tom]

Those #'s sound OK. I use about 3 gallons of steamed juice for 6 gallons. I add enough water and sugar so I get 1.085 as a starting gravity.

 

[Fly*guy]

How's the body of the wine if you use 3 gal juice to make 6 gal wine?

Without my chart, I'd say that yields about a 9 -10 % ABV ???

 

[Tom]

well of course you add water and sugar to boost it to 1.085. Body will not be tha same as a "big red". Of course you can add some tannin and "banana".

 

[xanxer82]

Don't apple seeds contain cyonide? I would de-seed them.

 

[Dean]

apple seeds contain anthocyanin, which is a compound of cyanide. It is rendered useless under high heat, and steaming it will take care of that. No worries there.

 

[pizz65]

what if i got an aluminum one in stead of stainless steel, will that be ok? why or why not?

 

[Tom]

what if i got an aluminum one in stead of stainless steel, will that be ok? why or why not?

I dont feel it hold up as good @ high heat for long periods of time. I also dont think it will be good with some of the acids in fruit. Also harder to clean than S/S.

 

[vcasey]

what if i got an aluminum one in stead of stainless steel, will that be ok? why or why not?

I dont feel it hold up as good @ high heat for long periods of time. I also dont think it will be good with some of the acids in fruit. Also harder to clean than S/S.

Ditto!
Aluminum will react with the acids in the fruit. SS is more durable and much easier to clean. This is one of those things you'll want to splurge on and get the good stuff.

 

[pizz65]

OK, got my SS juicer I am juicing strawberries as I am typing this... I am guessing I am done juicing when the juice stops running. Is this true?

 

[Tom]

Pretty much. it flows fast in the begining. Plan on at least 1 hour

 

[smokegrub]

Depending on the fruit and whether or not it was frozen when I started steaming, I steam for 60-90 minutes. Watch the water level in the steamer bottom so you don't ruin your new equipment.

 

[MaineGal]

Depending on the fruit and whether or not it was frozen when I started steaming, I steam for 60-90 minutes. Watch the water level in the steamer bottom so you don't ruin your new equipment.

I always put a couple of marbles in the water pan.....As it boils you can hear a constant tap, tap, tap....After boiling for awhile, it will slow down and you will know that you need to add more water.

If you do boil dry, try the powdered "Bartender's Friend" cleaner......It will clean the pan up beautifully. But dont ask how I know that, ok?

 

[Tom]

Now thats a neat IDEA.
(BTW how do you know?)

 

[MaineGal]

Oh......... I just know.



You might say I have "experience", LOL