Steam juicers
George Shirley
three brands out there that are stainless steel. Of course the costly
Mehu-Liisa, (replacement for the Mehu-Maija) top of the line at around
$200.00. Then there's the Victorio model that looks like the Mehu, at
roughly $135.00. Lastly there's the Cook N Home 9.5 quart model (looks
exactly like the Victorio one) at about $99.00. Looking at the
schematics of all three they appear to be made almost exactly the same.
It's possible there is a difference in the gauge of the stainless steel.
The Cook N Home has a clad bottom for even heat distribution, don't know
about the others as that wasn't mentioned.
Any opinions out there?
zxcvbob
I have a Mehu-Liisa or Mehu-Maija, not sure which. My opinion is it
makes watery-tasting juice (maybe I just never got the knack for it.) I
get better extraction by chopping the fruit and simmering in water and
doin' that jelly bag thing.
I bet it makes a great tamale cooker tho'. I'll have to try that this
winter -- just a few weeks away... :-)
Bob
George Shirley
Thanks.
Bill who putters
George Shirley <gsh...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
I've got one from 30 years ago made of aluminum. Sounded like a nice
idea to take hot juice and can right away. But it is really distilled
so no fiber at all and I used it once. ;((
Not rusting just languishing in my basement.
Bill juice best fresh for sure.
--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA
rossr...@forteinc.com
George,
We have a Mehu. Supposedly, the Mehu-Maija was aluminum and the
Mehu-Liisa is stainless steel. Ours is definitely stainless steel but,
must have been purchased during the transition period when they wanted
to use up the Maija boxes. The box says Mehu-Maija but, it also says
stainless steel. The 'stainless steel' has probably been stamped on as
it's in block letters and different coloured ink. So, I guess we have
a Liisa that came in a Maija box.
Back to your question. We love ours, and use it every season for
various berries, Dolgo crabapples, rhubarb, etc.. The juice it
produces makes beautiful jelly, in clarity and colour as well as
flavour.
There was some concern expressed in this group a few years ago about
steam juicers making watery juice because of condensation so I did a
little experiment. I filled the pan with water, left the fruit basket
empty and ran the unit at a good brisk boil for at least an hour, then
measured the amount of condensate. I don't remember how much I
collected but, I do know it would be inconsequential in a batch of
jelly. I'd be willing to bet that one would get more water in the
final juice by simmering and then using a jelly bag. We would never
give up our Mehu in favour of the simmer/jelly bag routine.
One anecdotal warning I will give you in case you get one.
I wanted to make several batches of perfectly clear hot pepper jelly
so I ran through a load of Diablo Grande peppers we'd grown.
It made fantastic jelly but, even after what I thought was a thorough
cleanup, the next batch of crabapple juice had a very definite "bite".
Hope this helps.
Ross.
The Cook
<gsh...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
I do like my Mehu-Liisa. Looks like the prices have gone up. I do
not remember how much I paid for mine. I bought it more than 5 years
ago since the mailing label is to my former residence.
As for getting juice that is too watered down, don't process too long.
If you are doing juice for jelly, use the amount of fruit called for
and stop processing when you reach the amount of juice called for.
I am right now downloading the recipe book. And I discovered that I
can get replacement parts. Nice to know if I boil the bottom pan dry.
I will probably can several quarts of muscadine juice this fall. Grape
juice and pectin are supposed to be good for arthritis. Doesn't hurt
you anyway.
--
Susan N.
"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)
George Shirley
there was a little residue left on the interior. Did you wash it well
before using again. Anytime I run hot chiles through anything that thing
gets washed and aired before being used again.
Thanks for the tip though. I'm strongly leaning toward the Cook N Home
stainless steel unit. Quite honestly they all look the same in the
diagrams I've seen on line. The Cook N Home is not only cheaper, it has
an aluminum insert in the bottom boiling pan to gather and release heat
quicker and longer at lower temps on the fire.
I've been trying to talk DW into letting me plant a Dolgo crabapple tree
in the front yard. She does love her lawn though. I think it would go
well with my quince tree in the backyard.
George Shirley
blood I haven't had much arthritis pain. Been well over a year without
any twinges or aches. Of course I may just be in remission again.
Another inherited genetic factor in my life, my mother's family was
prone to arthritis and my dad's to heart disease. My DD has one of the
many forms of rheumatoid arthritis, has had it since age fourteen. She's
been in remission since she was pregnant with her third child who is
going to be 23 yo in November. Go figure.
rossr...@forteinc.com
Hi George,
I just did a quick search and saw that model on Amazon for $99.00 and,
I think, free shipping.
Exactly the same basic design as our Liisa and quite a bit less than
we paid for ours many years ago.
That aluminum sandwich bottom is an additional benefit.
Go for it!
Ross.
rossr...@forteinc.com
<gsh...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
Snipped everything to make way for a question or two.
Is your kitchen stove gas?
If so, and you decide to get a steam juicer, can I email you a picture
of a little accessory I made for the Liisa that's simplicity itself to
make but it could avoid your having the one mishap we had.
Ross.
zxcvbob
You've got me curious. (and I have a Liisa and a gas stove)
Bob
George Shirley
free shipping. <G>
George Shirley
Yes, and yes. I've not had any accidents on the gas stove so far but it
always helps to learn from others misfortune.
The Cook
<gsh...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
I always have stuff on my wish list so that I can always come up with
at least $25. The usual problem is keeping the amount down.
rossr...@forteinc.com
<gsh...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>rossr...@forteinc.com wrote:
>> On Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:17:00 -0500, George Shirley
>> <gsh...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>>
>> Snipped everything to make way for a question or two.
>>
>> Is your kitchen stove gas?
>> If so, and you decide to get a steam juicer, can I email you a picture
>> of a little accessory I made for the Liisa that's simplicity itself to
>> make but it could avoid your having the one mishap we had.
>>
>> Ross.
>
>Yes, and yes. I've not had any accidents on the gas stove so far but it
>always helps to learn from others misfortune.
OK, for both George and Bob.
http://tinypic.com/r/54fuk8/3
It's just a heat shield.
I started with a piece of thin gauge aluminum about 5 inches long by 2
inches wide. Cut a notch out of one end and then bent the resulting
tabs over to fit the water pan where the juice outlet fits.
I probably had the heat set a bit high but, I made this after the heat
coming up the side of the water pan melted through the juice hose.
Not too big a mess, hadn't been running long enough to have a couple
of quarts in there.
BTW, I replaced the thin hose that came with the unit with much
heavier hose meant for carrying milk from a milking machine to the
pipeline system.
Ross.
George Shirley
> On Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:54:38 -0500, George Shirley
> <gsh...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
>> rossr...@forteinc.com wrote:
>>> On Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:17:00 -0500, George Shirley
>>> <gsh...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> I'm strongly leaning toward the Cook N Home
>>>> stainless steel unit. Quite honestly they all look the same in the
>>>> diagrams I've seen on line. The Cook N Home is not only cheaper, it has
>>>> an aluminum insert in the bottom boiling pan to gather and release heat
>>>> quicker and longer at lower temps on the fire.
>>> Hi George,
>>>
>>> I just did a quick search and saw that model on Amazon for $99.00 and,
>>> I think, free shipping.
>>> Exactly the same basic design as our Liisa and quite a bit less than
>>> we paid for ours many years ago.
>>> That aluminum sandwich bottom is an additional benefit.
>>> Go for it!
>>>
>>> Ross.
>> On order now Ross. I buy enough stuff from Amazon that I generally get
>> free shipping. <G>
>
> I always have stuff on my wish list so that I can always come up with
> at least $25. The usual problem is keeping the amount down.
I buy a lot of books from them, once I read them I pass them on to our
local library. They enter them into their catalog, keep them safe and
dry, and I can check them out again if I want to read them again or if I
forget I had already read them. That doesn't include my canning and
preserving books, they're on the shelf in a bookcase two steps away from
the kitchen. Well, two shelves really, and part of a third. <G>
Books and canning supplies are my drug of choice and I work part time to
afford the things I want. Other than that someone would find my body
leaning against the pressure canner or in the easy chair with the dog
and a book.
George Shirley
have about 30 feet of it around here, I think in the pantry. A leftover
from my fermentation days. The heat shield looks like a winner. I have
downloaded the photo and will print out a copy of your post. I have
plenty of thin aluminum from some old printer plates I ran up on in a
thrift store. Never know when you will need aluminum plates.
Melba's Jammin'
zxcvbob <zxc...@charter.net> wrote:
> I have a Mehu-Liisa or Mehu-Maija, not sure which. My opinion is it
> makes watery-tasting juice (maybe I just never got the knack for it.) I
> get better extraction by chopping the fruit and simmering in water and
> doin' that jelly bag thing.
Do you use a "real" jelly bag or do you strain through cheesecloth?
I wrote about my experience with Blackberry Jelly on my new canning
blog: http://web.me.com/barbschaller; then navigate to "Yes, I can!"
It's the fifth-most-recent post.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Yes, I Can! blog - check it out
Updated 8-3-2009
Melba's Jammin'
Bill who putters <b2fore...@snip.net> wrote:
> I've got one from 30 years ago made of aluminum. Sounded like a nice
> idea to take hot juice and can right away. But it is really distilled
> so no fiber at all
That's the whole point of jelly�no solid bits of fruit.
zxcvbob
> In article <7dobvpF...@mid.individual.net>,
> zxcvbob <zxc...@charter.net> wrote:
>> I have a Mehu-Liisa or Mehu-Maija, not sure which. My opinion is it
>> makes watery-tasting juice (maybe I just never got the knack for it.) I
>> get better extraction by chopping the fruit and simmering in water and
>> doin' that jelly bag thing.
>
> Do you use a "real" jelly bag or do you strain through cheesecloth?
I use a hunk of new (but laundered, to remove the sizing) muslin. And I
usually get impatient and squeeze it. :-) The thread count is high
enough that the jelly still turns out clear (knock on wood)
> I wrote about my experience with Blackberry Jelly on my new canning
> blog: http://web.me.com/barbschaller; then navigate to "Yes, I can!"
> It's the fifth-most-recent post.
That looks about right. I never had any luck with cheesecloth, but then
I never tried 4 thicknesses of it. (Seems like in the olden days,
cheesecloth was more substantial and all you needed was two thicknesses)
I don't call the little dab extra "quality control", I just call it
"cook's treat" :-)
Bob
Melba's Jammin'
I'm sticking to cheesecloth. That jelly bag is a flippin' nightmare.
I haven't used my Mehu-Liisa yet. Gotta find some dolgos. They're an
early apple and the fair is as late this year as it can ever be. I need
to check my freezer stock, too. I might have some in there. I'm sure I
have plum juice wazoo,
rossr...@forteinc.com
<barbsc...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>In article <7dpk6jF...@mid.individual.net>,
> zxcvbob <zxc...@charter.net> wrote:
>> I don't call the little dab extra "quality control", I just call it
>> "cook's treat" :-)
>>
>> Bob
>
>I'm sticking to cheesecloth. That jelly bag is a flippin' nightmare.
>
>I haven't used my Mehu-Liisa yet. Gotta find some dolgos. They're an
>early apple and the fair is as late this year as it can ever be. I need
>to check my freezer stock, too. I might have some in there. I'm sure I
>have plum juice wazoo,
Barb,
I hope the Dolgo crop is better in your area than it will be here this
year. We have three trees that normally give us at least ten times
more than we could ever use but, this year will be a bust. Late frost
at blossom time and then a crappy, cool, wet summer so far. We also
try to be as organic as possible and don't spray so the whole
combination means few apples, mostly very small, deformed and with
quite a bit of mildew/rust. Good only for compost.
It's a good thing we made lots of jelly last year.
Ross.
Marilyn
news:barbschaller-7823...@news.iphouse.com...
Oh, Barb, and I thought it was just me that hated that jelly bag
contraption. I tried it exactly once and never again. I don't have all day
for that. So you just use a few layers of cheesecloth? I think I'll try
that. My grapes are producing like crazy this year. Can't remember the
variety. It's similar to a Concord but grows better in the Pacific
Northwest. I usually make something that's halfway between jam and jelly.
I put the grapes in a little water in my big stockpot, let them simmer and
soften, they run them through the Victorio strainer. The resulting liquid
is cloudy, but I follow the directions for making jelly with it. I'd really
like to try real jelly this year.
-Marilyn
George Shirley
> In article <7dpk6jF...@mid.individual.net>,
> zxcvbob <zxc...@charter.net> wrote:
>> I don't call the little dab extra "quality control", I just call it
>> "cook's treat" :-)
>>
>> Bob
>
> I'm sticking to cheesecloth. That jelly bag is a flippin' nightmare.
>
> I haven't used my Mehu-Liisa yet. Gotta find some dolgos. They're an
> early apple and the fair is as late this year as it can ever be. I need
> to check my freezer stock, too. I might have some in there. I'm sure I
> have plum juice wazoo,
Hmm! My commercial jelly bag works fine. What's the problem with yours,
too slow? A good doctor can probably cure your plum wazoo. <G>
The Cook
I saw that you ordered the juicer from Amazon, but go back to the
Podunk site and read/print the recipes for the Mehu-Liisa. They are
very interesting and helpful. It has instructions and recipes for
more than just juice.
My Mehu-Liisa stays in the kitchen or dining room all during canning
season, but I am probably going to be finding uses for it year around.
Melba's Jammin'
"Marilyn" <return.t...@address.unknown.net> wrote:
> "Melba's Jammin'" <barbsc...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:barbschaller-7823...@news.iphouse.com...
> > In article <7dobvpF...@mid.individual.net>,
> > zxcvbob <zxc...@charter.net> wrote:
> >> I have a Mehu-Liisa or Mehu-Maija, not sure which. My opinion is it
> >> makes watery-tasting juice (maybe I just never got the knack for it.) I
> >> get better extraction by chopping the fruit and simmering in water and
> >> doin' that jelly bag thing.
> >
> > Do you use a "real" jelly bag or do you strain through cheesecloth?
> > I wrote about my experience with Blackberry Jelly on my new canning
> > blog: http://web.me.com/barbschaller; then navigate to "Yes, I can!"
> > It's the fifth-most-recent post.
> Oh, Barb, and I thought it was just me that hated that jelly bag
> contraption. I tried it exactly once and never again. I don't have all day
> for that. So you just use a few layers of cheesecloth?
Yes, ma'am. Four-six, depending on what I feel like folding. I've also
used old diapers. :-)
> I think I'll try that. My grapes are producing like crazy this year.
> Can't remember the variety. It's similar to a Concord but grows
> better in the Pacific Northwest.
(snip)
The Mehu-Liisa is great for extracting grape juice, Marilyn.
A few years ago there was a thread here about someone whose grape jelly
wouldn't set. I did a lot of research and got a response from "someone"
at "some" grape growers association or something who said that the
problem was probably because Concord grapes hadn't been used.
Apparently there is a reason that Concord grapes are specified on the
pectin leaflets. THAT said, there are a couple people here who make
scuppernong jelly, though I don't know what recipe they're using.
FWIW.
>
> -Marilyn
The Cook
I use the Concord grape recipe in the pectin box when I make muscadine
and scuppernong jelly. It usually sets. At least as often as
anything else I make.
George Shirley
found growing in the wild. Concord is the famous original grape that the
early colonists found growing in the New World. FIL had a thirty
something year old Concord vine growing on an arbor at their old house.
It bore more grapes than they could ever use. Was the only Concord vine
I had ever seen at that time. In SE Texas we only had muscadines.
The old diapers I still have were worn 45 years ago or more by our
youngest kid. To well worn to strain anything through. <G> I use them to
clean my eyeglasses.
smyrnaquince
grapes in the Concord area. The original vine is still at his house
(the Grapevine Cottage). (I now live in Concord and have seen the
cottage and vines.)
From Wikipedia: The Concord grape was developed in 1849 by Ephraim
Wales Bull in Concord, Massachusetts. Bull planted seeds from wild
Vitis labrusca and evaluated over 22,000 seedlings before finding what
he considered the perfect grape, the original vine of which still
grows at his former home.
Bull died in near-poverty. His tombstone reads: "He sowed — others
reaped."
I've used a linen pillowcase for a (large) jelly bag.
Dave
Marilyn
Interesting. I've never done it with anything but Concord-type grapes.
It's what the nursery recommended to plant. Not the Concords themselves,
though. Apparently they won't ripen before the first frost so that's why
the special variety for here.
I have good results making juice just by using the Victorio strainer so I'm
not in the market for yet another thing I have to find room for.
JakartaDean
> In article <7dpk6jF...@mid.individual.net>,
> zxcvbob <zxc...@charter.net> wrote:
>> I don't call the little dab extra "quality control", I just call it
>> "cook's treat" :-)
>>
>> Bob
>
> I'm sticking to cheesecloth. That jelly bag is a flippin' nightmare.
>
> I haven't used my Mehu-Liisa yet. Gotta find some dolgos. They're an
> early apple and the fair is as late this year as it can ever be. I need
> to check my freezer stock, too. I might have some in there. I'm sure I
> have plum juice wazoo,
Maybe it's just me, but I get annoyed paying $2.79 (or whatever it is)
at the supermarket for a fairly small piece of crappy cloth that I'll
have to fold over to 2 or 4 thicknesses. Is there some secret to
cheaper / better cheesecloth? I'm planning on buying a piece of muslim
next time I'm in a place to do so.
Dean
Melba's Jammin'
JakartaDean <deanb...@forteinc.com> wrote:
> Maybe it's just me, but I get annoyed paying $2.79 (or whatever it is)
> at the supermarket for a fairly small piece of crappy cloth that I'll
> have to fold over to 2 or 4 thicknesses. Is there some secret to
> cheaper / better cheesecloth? I'm planning on buying a piece of muslim
> next time I'm in a place to do so.
>
> Dean
Try a fabric store. Or use a thin cotton dish towel. Doesn't have to
be cheesecloth.
BTW, it's muslin. "-)
Melba's Jammin'
rossr...@forteinc.com wrote:
> I hope the Dolgo crop is better in your area than it will be here this
> year. We have three trees that normally give us at least ten times
> more than we could ever use but, this year will be a bust.
I checked a tree yesterday and it appears they're at least a week away
from red. That will cut it close if I want to enter Fair jelly.
Brian Mailman
> I'm planning on buying a piece of muslim next time I'm in a place to
> do so.
Try muslin instead. Less screaming when you cut off a piece.
B/
Marilyn
After looking for cheescloth at Wal-mart yesterday and not finding any (I
think the last time I bought it was at Safeway), I'm think I'll just use a
thin cotton dish towel like you're saying, Barb. You can buy a package of
five of them, I think, at Wal-mart for about $5, because I use them in the
kitchen all the time. Cheap and easily washed and who cares if it gets
stained? As long as it's clean and you're going to use it over and over for
jelly making, what's the difference?
-Marilyn
who's in the middle of canning tomatoes and peaches today
George Shirley
JakartaDean
I hope that wasn't a Freudian slip or something.
Dean
Podling
JakartaDean;1356796 Wrote:
> Melba's Jammin' wrote:-
> In article 7dpk6jF...@mid.individual.net,
> zxcvbob zxc...@charter.net wrote:-
> I don't call the little dab extra "quality control", I just call it
> "cook's treat" :-)
>
>
> I'm sticking to cheesecloth. That jelly bag is a flippin' nightmare.
>
> I haven't used my Mehu-Liisa yet. Gotta find some dolgos. They're an
>
> early apple and the fair is as late this year as it can ever be. I
> need
> to check my freezer stock, too. I might have some in there. I'm sure
> I
>
> Maybe it's just me, but I get annoyed paying $2.79 (or whatever it is)
> at the supermarket for a fairly small piece of crappy cloth that I'll
> have to fold over to 2 or 4 thicknesses. Is there some secret to
> cheaper / better cheesecloth? I'm planning on buying a piece of muslim
>
> next time I'm in a place to do so.
>
> Dean
I know this is an old post/question, but as a dairy-fermenter, here's
the secret to cheesecloth: get -real- cheesecloth. As in, order it from
a place that sells cheesemaking supplies. It's not too too much more
expensive than using muslin, and you can get it in different weights
(regular and butter muslin). New England Cheesemaking Supply sells it 2
yards for $6; you might be able to find it for less elsewhere. It's
much, much, much better than the crud you buy at the grocery store, to
the point that if your ricotta cheese doesn't separate quite enough,
you can accidentally have a non-draining bag of whey . . .
--
Podling