Food mill options

[rhines81]

Just used my Victorio with motor for the first time today. Set up 30 seconds. 4 plum tomatoes 30 seconds. Take down and cleaning 1 minute. 2 minutes total and the separation of the skin/seeds from the juices was perfect. I wish I would of bought more tomatoes to run through it but it's enough for one big bowl of roasted Poblano salsa.

[BigVanVader]

Thanks for all the info and opinions everyone. I'm going with the Victorio. Y'all also convinced me to use my squash. I sliced/blanched/froze it all yesterday. Fried squash all winter will be nice

[TomNJ]

I've had the Victorio 250 for six years and absolutely love it! I cut washed tomatoes into pieces and mill them raw into a large bowl, usually 30-40 lbs at a time. The salsa screen makes a decent chunk salsa, especially if I cut the onions, peppers and garlic a bit larger. I get no squirting, which I understand was a problem with early strainers like the Squeezo. The only problem I ever encounter is that the screens get a bit clogged after a while and I usually have to disassemble and clean the screens after about 10 lbs for the salsa screen and 20 lbs for a puree screen. Not a big deal.

Here is my baby at work in my kitchen.

[Durgan]

I assume those little yellow spots in your photo are tomato seeds.

Here is my method of handling tomatoes. Not one seed in the output. I have also used a screen and a wooden spoon which is almost as quick.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HYPCT 3 September 2014 Tomato Juice
Thirty pounds of tomatoes were processed into eleven liters of tomato juice.The jars were pressure canned at 15 PSI for 15 minutes for preservation. The only addition to the pot was one liter of water to facilitate cooking. Annotated pictures depict the process.

[Worth1]

We used one of those big strainer funnels and a cheese cloth.

The chickens got the left over mush.

Tom your place looks red, real red.

Worth

[TomNJ]

Originally Posted by Durgan

I assume those little yellow spots in your photo are tomato seeds.

Yes, this is the salsa screen which give a chunky sauce with seeds. I like seeds in my tomato salsas, and if I want a seed free puree I use a finer screen.

TomNJ/VA

[TomNJ]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Tom your place looks red, real red.

Worth

Indeed! That shot was in my NJ kitchen. You should see the kitchen at my Virginia farm - tomato red counter tops!

TomNJ/VA

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by TomNJ

Yes, this is the salsa screen which give a chunky sauce with seeds. I like seeds in my tomato salsas, and if I want a seed free puree I use a finer screen.

TomNJ/VA

I ordered the Victorio but haven't received it yet. Those seeds bother me considerably. I get a litte tired cranking the food mill, but it does a good job.

Tomato season hasn't commenced for me yet. I only make juice.

[Bipetual]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Thanks for all the info and opinions everyone. I'm going with the Victorio. Y'all also convinced me to use my squash. I sliced/blanched/froze it all yesterday. Fried squash all winter will be nice

Mmmmmmm! The only thing better than fried squash (my grandma always coated it in flour first) is fried squash someone else makes for you.

[BigVanVader]

I make mine with a 50/50 mix of cornmeal/flour and like to soak them in a little buttermilk first. If fried foods were healthy I'd be as fit as Brad Pitt.

[Hellmanns]

When I set up to make tomato juice, I make it in 10-20 gallon runs. I bought a Victorio decades ago just for this purpose.

Now, I know you guys think I'm going to give the thing high praise at this point...NO. I fiddled around with that thing for 2 years until I saw it was a hassle, and clearly not up to the level of production I desired, let alone the waste of tomatoes that were coming out of the end! Trying to run that pulpy mess back through was time consuming and messy.

I now use the fastest, most efficient method to juice tomatoes at home, on a larger than normal scale. A blender, and a food mill. 12 gallons of juice from washed and cored tomatoes in less than 15 minutes! And NO waste other than a handful of DRY seeds and skins!

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by Hellmanns

When I set up to make tomato juice, I make it in 10-20 gallon runs. I bought a Victorio decades ago just for this purpose.

Now, I know you guys think I'm going to give the thing high praise at this point...NO. I fiddled around with that thing for 2 years until I saw it was a hassle, and clearly not up to the level of production I desired, let alone the waste of tomatoes that were coming out of the end! Trying to run that pulpy mess back through was time consuming and messy.

I now use the fastest, most efficient method to juice tomatoes at home, on a larger than normal scale. A blender, and a food mill. 12 gallons of juice from washed and cored tomatoes in less than 15 minutes! And NO waste other than a handful of DRY seeds and skins!

I have been doing exactly what you practice. I do around 300 pounds per year depending upon my garden production.The pictures on the internet are not are not convincing but I will reserve my opinion until I give it a try.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by Hellmanns

When I set up to make tomato juice, I make it in 10-20 gallon runs. I bought a Victorio decades ago just for this purpose.

Now, I know you guys think I'm going to give the thing high praise at this point...NO. I fiddled around with that thing for 2 years until I saw it was a hassle, and clearly not up to the level of production I desired, let alone the waste of tomatoes that were coming out of the end! Trying to run that pulpy mess back through was time consuming and messy.

I now use the fastest, most efficient method to juice tomatoes at home, on a larger than normal scale. A blender, and a food mill. 12 gallons of juice from washed and cored tomatoes in less than 15 minutes! And NO waste other than a handful of DRY seeds and skins!

Really? 15 minutes? 15-20 gallon? that is a lot of quart jars. no way that I know anyone to make that much juice in 15 minutes..other than a commercial set up.

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

Really? 15 minutes? 15-20 gallon? that is a lot of quart jars. no way that I know anyone to make that much juice in 15 minutes..other than a commercial set up.

Yes, Really.
Several years ago I built a "canning room" and set it up to can large amounts of food in a small amount of time. It has large work areas, concrete floor that can be washed down, huge double laundry sink for washing produce, gas stove, huge kettles(up to 15 gallon) and shelves to store some of the canned goods etc...

What I quoted was not actually canning the juice, just making it, and was after the tomatoes are washed, cored, and ready to juice. That is with my wife and I running the blenders, and my 11 year old son cranking the 5 quart food mill as we dump the tomato puree in. I use a medium screen on the mill that lets a few seeds through. We generally make around 50 gallons of juice a year that we can in half gallon jars.

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by Hellmanns

Yes, Really.
Several years ago I built a "canning room" and set it up to can large amounts of food in a small amount of time. It has large work areas, concrete floor that can be washed down, huge double laundry sink for washing produce, gas stove, huge kettles(up to 15 gallon) and shelves to store some of the canned goods etc...

What I quoted was not actually canning the juice, just making it, and was after the tomatoes are washed, cored, and ready to juice. That is with my wife and I running the blenders, and my 11 year old son cranking the 5 quart food mill as we dump the tomato puree in. I use a medium screen on the mill that lets a few seeds through. We generally make around 50 gallons of juice a year that we can in half gallon jars.

Very well done. I do about 500 liters during the Summer. Here is 2014 effort
Preserves to date 2014
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?WUPPJ 15 October 2014 Cranberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BNQMB 27 September 2014 Concord Grape Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TLUOH 21 September 2014 Pumpkin Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XGPAG 20 September 2014 Apple Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?RGIAR 16 September 2014 Tomato Cucumber Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?KDVQT 7 September 2014 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HYPCT 3 September 2014 Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?RFQUV 2 September 2014 Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OPEHN 1 September 2014 Pear Juicing.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?AKDTN 29 August 2014 Elderberry Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LYSXF 25 August 2014 Tomato Cucumber Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZJWVZ 24 August 2014 Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YEKDK 19 August 2014 Cucumber Juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YCVZV 17 August 2014 Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZQHOP 15 August 2014 Beans Cucumber Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TLFGK 12 August 2014 Sugar Beet Fruit Leather
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QXHNH 10 August 2014 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?AGNPW 6 August 2014 Cucumber Tomato Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?NZKIF 4 August 2014 Blueberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?UDKNV 5 August 2014 Cherry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SWHUT 2 August 2014 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MJGFJ 31 July 2014 Corn Preservation
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OKFOS 30 July 2014 Blueberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CQSLE 29 July 2014 Sweet Cherry Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ANQXT 28 July 2014 European Gooseberry Juicing.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SATFZ 27 July 2014 Blueberry Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PLEUN 26 July 2014 Vegetable Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LTKEO 24 July 2014 Vegetable Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LBPGV 22 July 2014 Carrots processed for juice.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GJWDW 22 July 2014 American Gooseberry
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ACKRG 21 July 2014 Black Currant.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?IDDLX 15 July 2014 Black Currant Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?KEZMR 15 July 2014 Cucumbers Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GXPHS 13 July 2014 Black Currants
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LDKQB 10 July 2014 Garden Vegetable Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?EIGDL 7 July 2014 Haskap Juice
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TDBCB 5 July 2014 Purslane Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PQOEH 1 July 2014 Garden Produce Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GOJJG 24 June 2014 Juicing Greens
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?VEZPS 19 June 2014 Vegetable Juicing
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?GAGAB 4 June 2014 Juicing Garden Vegetables