Thread: Steam juicers
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George Shirley George Shirley is offline
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Default Steam juicers

wrote:
> On Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:35:32 -0500, George Shirley
> > wrote:
>
>> Have been looking at stove top steam juicers. Seems there are at least
>> 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?

>
> 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.

Strange, that stainless steel would absorb the "heat" from chiles. Maybe
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.