Not feeling the love for my new Victorio strainer - Page 4

zipcode · August 21, 2017

Not sure what is available there, but I have an old metal one made in Russia, probably 50 years old, used by someone's grandmother and somehow ended up with me, because no one uses it. Works great, I have to clean a bit for rust before using, but no sort of pealing or anything is necessary. Seeds and skins are removed at the end of the special spiral, and you get a nice thick texture of the juice. It's imperative that the important parts at least be made of thick metal, I know someone who bought some new plasticky ones and they are a joke.

Worth1 · August 21, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by zipcode

Not sure what is available there, but I have an old metal one made in Russia, probably 50 years old, used by someone's grandmother and somehow ended up with me, because no one uses it. Works great, I have to clean a bit for rust before using, but no sort of pealing or anything is necessary. Seeds and skins are removed at the end of the special spiral, and you get a nice thick texture of the juice. It's imperative that the important parts at least be made of thick metal, I know someone who bought some new plasticky ones and they are a joke.

Most if not all of the good big motor drive strainers available to us here are made in Europe or patterned after them.
I wish I had a use for a nice one but I dont and never will nor do I own one at all.

Now meat grinders and sausage stuffers.

Worth

.

clkeiper · August 21, 2017

someone just dropped me a " in the box" squeezo, she is done canning and moving to a condo. what a treasure. now I have a victorio and a squeezo again. I gave my last squeezo away to a friend who was using the food mill to make tomato juice. hundreds of quarts. a squeezo or a victorio saves an incredible amount of time over the food mills.

Worth1 · August 21, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by clkeiper

someone just dropped me a " in the box" squeezo, she is done canning and moving to a condo. what a treasure. now I have a victorio and a squeezo again. I gave my last squeezo away to a friend who was using the food mill to make tomato juice. hundreds of quarts. a squeezo or a victorio saves an incredible amount of time over the food mills.

Squeezos are nice.

""The Original, All-Metal Squeezo Strainer was designed by a young die maker from the Abruzzi region of Italy. When he came to America in 1907, he brought his design with him. After years of trying to find a manufacturer willing to take on the project, he finally built a plant in his backyard and, using an old belt-driven steam engine, began to manufacture and sell the first Squeezo Strainers with the help of his wife and 3 children.

That was 1919. Slowly but surely, the Squeezo built a reputation until, by the thirties, it had become a favorite in Italian-American kitchens for making wonderful old-country tomato sauces and purees. Others heard about it, and started using it for home canning.

The same family - two entire generations - made the Squeezo for nearly 60 years, constantly upgrading production and quality control as more and more Squeezos found their way into kitchens across the country. There are still plenty of 30-year old Squeezos out here hard at work! But in 1978 misfortune struck; the factory in McKeesport, Pennsylvania was destroyed by fire. For various reasons the family was unable to rebuild the factory - they had to sell the business. Garden Way, located in Troy, NY, was a natural choice as a buyer as they had already been selling Squeezos successfully for several years. Garden Way built the Squeezo until it closed its doors in the 1990s, at which time Lemra Products took over manufacturing the Squeezo.""

imp · August 22, 2017

Before I spent $199.99 on a hand crank machine that comes with 1 screen ( you have to buy the others separately, but look kids, they throw in a recipe booklet!), I would buy this one for more than one type of use.

https://www.westonsupply.com/Electri.../82-0102-w.htm

Redbaron · August 22, 2017

Apparently I am the odd man out here. I simply use a juicer that is designed to make smoothies. I just throw in the raw tomatoes skin and all. There is a spigot at the bottom. Out comes an unstrained pulpy juice. Next if I need sauce, I cook it down to the desired consistency. I have found that I like the skins on, as long as they get completely chopped up to pulp. I can even add herbs and spices like garlic onion hot peppers etc if need be. However, I do give the tomatoes a good squeeze to get most the seeds out before I "smoothie" the mators.

Oh and back when I lived at home with Mom and Dad (rip) we had a squeezo (1970's model) and it was awesome.

Worth1 · August 22, 2017

The Weston meat grinder is tiny and the horsepower is around 1/4.
The grinding plates are not standard.
Don't expect too much out of it but it isn't bad.
One reason the squeezo is so expensive is it is made in the USA not China.
Heaven forbid do we want it made in China?
There are good products from there but the parent company has to watch them like hawks to keep the quality up.
Worth Lee

Worth1 · August 22, 2017

There are two people here that bought the larger big motor drive tomato processors and are very happy with them.
One got the meat grinding attachment with hers too I think.
Cant remember the brands.

imp · August 23, 2017

I am, idly, looking for one that does both meat grinding and fruit processing, but don't do a huge amount of either at this time. It would be nice to be able to make smaller amounts of my own sausage mixes, but then I am getting older and don't need a lot.

As far as tomatoes, I can and do use the vita mix to turn them into sauce or juices.

I did like the fact the Weston has a smaller footprint and is not too heavy for me to use or move about. I am not sure of the quality of the machine, though it is supposed to have metal gears.

Worth1 · August 23, 2017

imp I dont know what to say about the dual purpose machines.
I think but not for sure the weston is maybe a number five plate size but not standard plates.
Not only do you have to think about size but mass.
If the grinder gets warm it will ruin the sausage buy melting the fat.
All of my grinder parts are put in the freezer to get cold first.
In other words you pay for what you get and there is no free lunch when it comes to this stuff.

BUT I dont see where maybe 5 to 10 pounds at a time wouldn't hurt as long as the meat is cut up small enough and almost froze.
10 pounds is about the size of a pork butt.
I normally cut my meat in long strips.

Worth1 · August 23, 2017

The prices of the combo grinder tomato strainers of any size are over the top.

imp · August 25, 2017

Well, I can find the Weston, which has good reviews, for under $100.00, grinder set up, tomato screens and thingies included.

I don't need a powerhouse grinder or tomato processor, so it's okay if it has to work and then stop for a bit, after all, that sort of how I have to do things any more, LOL. And I do not want to process large amounts of meats anyways, I am just too old now. I don't want to work that hard!

It's just one of those things I want more than need, so will watch for a good price. Like an All American canner, I'm wanting one, but want it at a good price.

Worth1 · August 25, 2017

Like I said five to ten pounds max on the meat.
The Weston is a good product for the small personal kitchen.

Worth1 · August 30, 2017

I was looking for old strainers and there are one heck of a lot of them on Ebay for bargain prices.
Many are nice ones too.

Worth

Father'sDaughter · September 4, 2017

After two years with a Vittorio, I called it quits after a multi-hour battle with an endlessly clogging screen the other day. So I spent the $39 on the Kitchenaid strainer attachment. I already had the meat grinder attachment and you need it to be able to use the strainer attachment.

It arrived yesterday and today I ran the next (equal sized) batch of tomatoes through it. What took me hours a couple of days ago took only 15 minutes with the Kitchenaid attachment even with running the discards through twice. So far I'd say it was well worth the money.

August 21, 2017	#48
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	someone just dropped me a " in the box" squeezo, she is done canning and moving to a condo. what a treasure. now I have a victorio and a squeezo again. I gave my last squeezo away to a friend who was using the food mill to make tomato juice. hundreds of quarts. a squeezo or a victorio saves an incredible amount of time over the food mills. __________________ carolyn k

August 22, 2017	#51
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	Apparently I am the odd man out here. I simply use a juicer that is designed to make smoothies. I just throw in the raw tomatoes skin and all. There is a spigot at the bottom. Out comes an unstrained pulpy juice. Next if I need sauce, I cook it down to the desired consistency. I have found that I like the skins on, as long as they get completely chopped up to pulp. I can even add herbs and spices like garlic onion hot peppers etc if need be. However, I do give the tomatoes a good squeeze to get most the seeds out before I "smoothie" the mators. Oh and back when I lived at home with Mom and Dad (rip) we had a squeezo (1970's model) and it was awesome. __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture Last edited by Redbaron; August 22, 2017 at 05:06 AM.

August 21, 2017	#46
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Not sure what is available there, but I have an old metal one made in Russia, probably 50 years old, used by someone's grandmother and somehow ended up with me, because no one uses it. Works great, I have to clean a bit for rust before using, but no sort of pealing or anything is necessary. Seeds and skins are removed at the end of the special spiral, and you get a nice thick texture of the juice. It's imperative that the important parts at least be made of thick metal, I know someone who bought some new plasticky ones and they are a joke.

August 22, 2017	#50
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	Before I spent $199.99 on a hand crank machine that comes with 1 screen ( you have to buy the others separately, but look kids, they throw in a recipe booklet!), I would buy this one for more than one type of use. https://www.westonsupply.com/Electri.../82-0102-w.htm

August 22, 2017	#52
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The Weston meat grinder is tiny and the horsepower is around 1/4. The grinding plates are not standard. Don't expect too much out of it but it isn't bad. One reason the squeezo is so expensive is it is made in the USA not China. Heaven forbid do we want it made in China? There are good products from there but the parent company has to watch them like hawks to keep the quality up. Worth Lee

August 23, 2017	#54
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	I am, idly, looking for one that does both meat grinding and fruit processing, but don't do a huge amount of either at this time. It would be nice to be able to make smaller amounts of my own sausage mixes, but then I am getting older and don't need a lot. As far as tomatoes, I can and do use the vita mix to turn them into sauce or juices. I did like the fact the Weston has a smaller footprint and is not too heavy for me to use or move about. I am not sure of the quality of the machine, though it is supposed to have metal gears.

August 25, 2017	#57
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	Well, I can find the Weston, which has good reviews, for under $100.00, grinder set up, tomato screens and thingies included. I don't need a powerhouse grinder or tomato processor, so it's okay if it has to work and then stop for a bit, after all, that sort of how I have to do things any more, LOL. And I do not want to process large amounts of meats anyways, I am just too old now. I don't want to work that hard! It's just one of those things I want more than need, so will watch for a good price. Like an All American canner, I'm wanting one, but want it at a good price.

August 30, 2017	#59
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I was looking for old strainers and there are one heck of a lot of them on Ebay for bargain prices. Many are nice ones too. Worth

September 4, 2017	#60
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	After two years with a Vittorio, I called it quits after a multi-hour battle with an endlessly clogging screen the other day. So I spent the $39 on the Kitchenaid strainer attachment. I already had the meat grinder attachment and you need it to be able to use the strainer attachment. It arrived yesterday and today I ran the next (equal sized) batch of tomatoes through it. What took me hours a couple of days ago took only 15 minutes with the Kitchenaid attachment even with running the discards through twice. So far I'd say it was well worth the money.