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| We moved to the country a few months ago & are discovering a few things, like a huge, old crab apple tree & a mulberry tree (I think) on our property. I might have access to wild raspberries & am driving distance to fresh strawberries & a blueberry farm. I plan on doing something with the crab apples & mulberries (jelly & syrup?). My question is this, if I invest in one item, which would be best? I remember my mom using a chinois for crab apple jelly & I read on some other forums about using pillow cases to strain juice. I will gladly take any suggestions & thoughts on this. I like options & opinions so I can make an informed decision. |
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| Of the 4 items given as choices I'd pick a food mill as the most useful. Much less work and better end results than with a chinois and you only need pillow case or jelly bag to make jelly. Why go to all that work when you can make jam or preserves, even syrups, easily without all the straining and with less waste. We use our Victorio food mill for many things. Put the chinois away years ago and cheap muslin or layers of cheap cheese cloth can be used for straining if needed. Dave |
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- Posted by chrisb_sc_z7 near Clemson, SC (My Page) on Thu, Jun 19, 14 at 8:20
| Flour sack towels work well to strain juice as well. Cheaper than a pillow case. I used one last fall to strain apple juice for jelly. Tie the corners together into a hobo sack and hang from something over a bucket. Worked great! They're pretty much lint free. Easy to wash and clean. Hemmed around the edges, so no fraying. Cheap to replace if you just can't stand using a stained cloth. |
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| I have a food mill and the jelly strainer. The food mill is a pass-along from my sister, the jelly strainer a minimal purchase. You should be able to find one on Amazon or at your local hardware store for in the neighborhood of $8-$9, a box of 2 additional bags (that you may not need) for $5. The jelly strainer isn't required, just a bit easier. For years I used cheese cloth or muslin in either a colander, or as a self made bag of a square tied with twine and hanging from a cabinet knob over a bowl. With the strainer frame and bag, I can strain juice and still get something out of my upper cabinet without slinging juice across the counter ;) A simple thing. |
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| You probably don't need either! I strain using a flat bottomed colander/steamer lined with reusable cheesecloth. And when I make applesauce, I use an immersion blender. (Like this: http://www.proverbsthirtyonewoman.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-best-tasting-easiest-applesauce-ever.html ) If you're worried about seeds in the berries, a food mill would do the trick...but not everyone is worried about the seeds. |
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