Steaming Apples?

[smokegrub]

I have decided to purchase a Mehu Liisa steamer largely based on comments here. Does the steamer work well with apples? Should I core and freeze them prior to steaming? How much juice for a 5 gallon batch of wine?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[NorthernWinos]

I have been steaming apples lately...[I feel like I am working in a factory]


Wash and cut them in 4 or 6 pieces, depending on the size of the apple....fill the top basket and sprinkle some sugar over them to aid juice extraction....I use 1/2 cup...others use more.


Steam on high heat for one hour....You can do it longer but I found that I don't get that much more juice out of the pulp. I dump the pulp into a big bowl and do another batch...some times I put the 2 batches of pulp together and do it for another hour, but only get a another quart or so of juice. I will let it drip over night and get another quart or so of juice.


Out of a full basket I get a bout 4 quarts of juice...I think a bushel of apples will give you about 8 quarts [2 gallons] of juice, depending on your apples.


I use 20 quarts...[5 gallons] of juice for a 6 gallon batch of wine.


Lots of steaming, yes..... but there is no shortage of apples around here....and I do other things while it is steaming...just set a timer otherwise you could boil the bottom pan dry.


Have fun!!!!

 

[smokegrub]

Thanks for the feedback. It was very much appreciated.