Steam Juicer

[NorthernWinos]

Storm......Glad your having fun with your steamer...Your going to enjoy it and hope your wines turn out awesome.....Keep us Posted. Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Wade E]

Awesome storm! Waldo, how much you think your gonna get out of your harvest?

 

[Waldo]

From my own vines wade I am getting "nadda"...Not even 1. Will be next year before mine fruit. But my friend, who I have been getting them from is going to have a good crop this year.

 

[bj4271]

Waldo,


The muscadine are just ripening there? Ours are all done & we're not that far south of you. In fact, most of the crop here dropped in early July - still green; I suspect all the rain had something to do with it. These are all wild muscadine. Like you, the cultivated variety I've planted are too young to produce (those I managed to move before the orchard/vinery was destroyed).


Anyway, I managed to get about 12 #s from one tree over two days. None of the others had any worth picking up. I'll have to buy some from an orchard this year.

 

[NorthernWinos]

From my own vines wade I am getting "nadda"...Not even 1. Will be next year before mine fruit. But my friend, who I have been getting them from is going to have a good crop this year.

I hope to see some early morning photos of you and your family picking them again this year....hint...hint!!!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Waldo,


The muscadine are just ripening there? Ours are all done & we're not that far south of you. In fact, most of the crop here dropped in early July - still green; I suspect all the rain had something to do with it. These are all wild muscadine. Like you, the cultivated variety I've planted are too young to produce (those I managed to move before the orchard/vinery was destroyed).


Anyway, I managed to get about 12 #s from one tree over two days. None of the others had any worth picking up. I'll have to buy some from an orchard this year.

bj.....so sad to have your orchard destroyed like that....Have you replanted yet??? Or...will you wait till fall or early spring????

 

[bj4271]

NW,


With the Louisiana heavy clay soil, I can't replant until late fall. Right now I can swing a pick into the ground, out in the sun,& it would bounce back at me. I managed to dig up 2 small apples trees & 2 mulberry that hadn't been buried. I'll try to keep them alive over the summer in 25 gal pots.


The 2 muscadine I moved before they buried the orchard are pretty dried out so I planted themand am keeping the soaker hose going, but don't expect them to make it.

 

[Wade E]

 

[Waldo]

Might be a good time bj to get the soil inan area built up and ready for planting. Mix in some good mulch, compost, etc.

 

[bj4271]

Waldo, I'd love to spend the summer preparing the new orchard site but I have to wait until a tenant moves the trailer we're giving him out. The only way to get it out is drag it through the new orchard site. So, I take the summer off from orchard work!

 

[stormbringer]

I use a steam juicer for my fruit wines....so I will also be interested in the any results that get posted.

34 1/2 pounds of pears yield 7 quarts using the steam juicer.


Yep, the yield sounds a little low to me too. The friut was frozen in my deep freeze for a week, thawed, and quartered ( or smaller).


Don't know the variety, but the pears were ripe and falling from the tree when I gathered them.

 

[Wade E]

I know Pears are not the juiciest fruit but man thats not much but I bet it tastes just awesome!

 

[bj4271]

Hate to hijack this thread - but -


For anyone who has steamed grapes/muscadine: Do you have to pick each one off the stems or put whole bunch in the steamer?

 

[jobe05]

Bruce:

I have steamed Muscadines and scuppernong but they have always had the stems removed. I have no first hand knowledge of that harms that leaving them on could cause, but I would think there would be some type of bitter taste imparted in the juice, due to also steaming the stems with the fruit. I wouldn't do it.

 

[bj4271]

I thought of that, but was hoping to save some work - basically lazy, you know.

 

[jobe05]

Other than gutt feeling, and not wanting to chance spoiling a good (and expensive) grape, I just remove them.

Now I see NW steaming crabapples with the stems on, so what would be the difference??????? Dunno.

NW: Have you ever tried removing the stems to see if the flavor changes??

 

[NorthernWinos]

I have pulled the stems from the crabs and regular apples, what a PITA....and really don't notice any difference....the seeds are in there too and some say the seeds if squished give off bad tastes....so who knows....?


I once steamed some grapes with the stems on, felt that it was a waste of space in the steamer, so now I remove the grapes from the stems and load it up. As for taste...?...didn't notice...it was breakfast juice at that time.


If you have lots to do...then maybe do a taste test for yourself.