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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SE PA
Posts: 971
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I tried the OXO from bed bath beyond and didn't care for it. I really had to push down it because the legs flexed too much/spring too strong. Also, clearing the scrap all the time was a pain. It was not too bad for small jobs but I am a double batch type. They took it back for store credit, but so far they have kept that money. I go in there every so often but see nothing of interest. At some point I may see if they have canning lids and use it up that way. I did pick up an old foley mill for 50 cents at a yard sale and I like that for some things. No flex in that one, but only one screen size.
Eggplant...well I was looking for a way to use up a free pile but I ended up passing on the excess. I love eggplant as long as I keep picking it and I know it is young, and not iodine-y. My brother has a bunch picked but no idea how to use them. I supply the plants for free so he grows too many. I went up to his place to get his dogs, as I have to watch them for the next week while he is on vacation. While there I raided his tomato cages. I took his ripe tomatoes that will go bad this week, and the ones already going downhill, but left the eggplant. I cannot trust that it is not too old already. I despise eggplant that is too mature; I get that taste and it just turns me off to eggplant for a long time. Drying I did not think of...the only thing that seemed feasible was skinning, cubing, and pressure canning it, and I really don't know if that would be worth the jar use. How does one use dried eggplant? I do have a 10 rack dehydrator. What we mostly do with eggplant is peel, slice, cover in salt, then egg+bread crumbs or dry with panko crumbs. Love it this way but it is August and we can only eat so much. We also fry a few pans of it like that and then make eggplant parm. I think we have three parm in the freezer from this month, but freezer space is tight here. Also, eggplant in the skillet is something that takes a while and demands attention, so just making them for the freezer is a time sink. What I would like to find is an EASY way to convert/save the eggplant to make eggplant parm later in the year. I keep having a vision that I should mash the eggplant (instead of slice) and sort of season and bake it in layers in one big tray, instead of babysitting the skillet. I was thinking maybe the victorio with largest screen might do a good job busting up raw eggplant, like it does on cooked potatoes. Then I could season, oil, and lay it out in layers on pans in the convection oven. Maybe make trays of eggplant parm like that, or preferably freeze just the bags of browned eggplant like that for later use. We have in the past frozen pan fried slices and they were decent, but not like fresh. I keep thinking about it but haven't tried it. This is going to be a hectic week already with four springer spaniels instead of just two, and I just didn't feel like dealing with it. |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6
Posts: 1,582
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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.
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#3 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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![]() Quote:
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 . |
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 4,350
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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.
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carolyn k |
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#5 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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![]() Quote:
![]() ""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."" |
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Posts: 4,832
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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 |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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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.
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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. |
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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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 |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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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. |
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Posts: 4,832
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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. |
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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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. |
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#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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The prices of the combo grinder tomato strainers of any size are over the top.
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#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Posts: 4,832
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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. |
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#14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Like I said five to ten pounds max on the meat.
The Weston is a good product for the small personal kitchen. |
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#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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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 |
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