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pqtex

grape juice and steam juicers...taking the plunge

pqtex
10 years ago

After making grape juice a couple of weeks ago the old fashioned way, and having another 40 lbs of grapes to process this weekend, I am taking the plunge. A sort-of-local store has the norpro stainless steel steam juicer and I'm driving 45 minutes each way to buy it. I figure the time of crushing, cooking, cranking, straining the grapes (and cleaning up) will be saved over and above the drive time. I have read the posts here for years on the merits of these juicers, and meant to research which one I wanted and order one before now, but it never happened. I make so many juices from our own homegrown fruit that it doesn't make sense not to have it already. This is the only store locally that carries stuff like this anymore. It's a really old-fashioned feed store with a huge selection of canning items and other goodies. Will post later about the results of the juice!

Comments (10)

  • digdirt2
    10 years ago

    Is this the one you are getting Jill?

    Looks good. Professional gauge stainless, encapsulated base, good size strainer basket.

    Dave

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    I picked up about 100# of good tasting table grapes this week and are going to can the grapes whole with as much as natural juice as possible. The grapes are seedless, meaning very small seeds, so I should be able to juice them thru my Kitchaid juicer/strainer attachment. I want juice for jellies and preserves, not for drinking so much.

    To me, stemming them takes the most time.

  • pqtex
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I had to look for model numbers to see. The model you pictured is #619. Besides some very slight differences in capacity sizes, Norpro says the #619 berry pan (the one you linked) has 498 holes, and the one I bought, the #624 has only 312 holes in the berry pan. I didn't know the difference before I bought this one, but it's the only rodeo in the area. I would assume the more holes the better, but I didn't have much choice. It is still the 18/10 gauge stainless steel. I think it will be just fine. I would not have bought aluminum. Can't wait to use it. Grapes are on the counter now. I've been saving them in the freezer since I did the last batch a couple of weeks ago.

    We have 5 different varieties of muscadines, which are about the only type that grows well in our area. They do have seeds and tough skins. So tough that even though the grapes are sweet and tasty, they are too tough and seedy for me. My husband likes them, though. These will be the last of the season here...the birds are busy poking their beaks into them now. Maybe related to our drought...using it as a sourse of water.

    Oh yeah...I don't have to stem these grapes anyway. The varieties we have don't all ripen at the same time, so they are selectively picked. They come into the house stemless! Of course, with the steamer, I wouldn't have to stem them anyway.

    Do you think I ought to go ahead and slip the skins on these by squeezing them? Or just leave them whole? I don't see how all the good juice could come out without crushing them a little at least?

    I'll let you all know how it turns out!

    Jill

  • pqtex
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Oh my! This is so much easier!

    I did crush the grapes with a potato masher since the skins are so tough, but then dumped them in the fruit strainer basket. I'm about halfway through the first batch and the juice is coming out so pretty!

    I did discover the Norpro is made in China, which is a pet peeve of mine, and avoid Chinese products whenever possible. However, I also like to buy locally whenever possible, so buying this model today was an acceptable trade-off from buying a non-Chinese brand over the internet.

    This is more than a gadget or a toy. I think this is going to be indispensable!

    Jill

  • digdirt2
    10 years ago

    Yeah I see that this one is the 624

    It looks even nicer tho quite a bit more pricey. It has a lot of good reviews on it too. Only a couple of criticisms. Hope you enjoy it. it is bound to make dealing with all the grapes much easier.

    Dave

  • pqtex
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ooh, no, I didn't pay near that much! The local store had it for $150. If I had searched the internet I might have found a better price, but by the time shipping is added on, the savings is negated, plus I supported a local business.

    The only thing I'm wondering about is what the difference in taste will be between the juice that has the added step of steaming with my previous method of using the Roma/Victorio type sauce maker/fruit & berry strainer.

  • readinglady
    10 years ago

    It's great that you don't have to stem the grapes.

    Keep in mind for other fruits and berries (I'm thinking of such fruits as currants) that steaming with the stems on can result in a "grassy" taste to the juice that's very unpleasant.

    Just a word-to-the-wise from someone who learned that lesson the hard way.

    Carol

  • razewalk
    7 years ago

    I just did your recipe with 32 cups of grapes. My sugar is still sitting at the bottom - is that normal?

  • digdirt2
    7 years ago

    "I just did your recipe with 32 cups of grapes. My sugar is still sitting at the bottom - is that normal?"

    What recipe are you referring to as there is none in this thread? You do not add sugar to a steam juicer. You only add it, if called for, to the finished juice AFTER the juicer is done processing all the fruit. And that is done in a separate pan and stirred into the heating juice.

    Dave

  • iwannagoat2
    7 years ago

    We have that juicer and LOVE it! It's so easy to make seedless jellies with the juicer! The wild grapes are starting to ripen, so it'll get a good workout. Does anyone know if you have to let the steamed grape juice settle like the traditional method?