I ‘did my time’ many years back on the juice-to-make-grape-jelly process. Wash, stew, dump hot messy fruit in a jelly bag, wait …drip…wait. THEN start the jelly making. Whew! Fast forward 10 years and a co-worker has tons of Concord grapes. A friend is dying to make them into jelly. Oh, please, oh please will I do it? She will help! We’ll pick, we’ll do the whole thing together! Hoorah! So we drive nearly an hour, pick grapes and drive back to my house. Long ugly story short–she bailed on me before the jelly bags were filled! Never, never again–no grape jelly for me I swore unless it was Welch’s….
Then I join Canning2 and the enabling began! What was this amazing Thing–this steam juicer Thing? It does what? Makes juice with steam? No cooking first? No drippy bags? No Way!
After watching a trusted efriend wax poetic about this Thing many times, I took the plunge on Labor Day weekend 2006–saw a great online deal on a steam juicer, and bought myself one.
Oh my, where had this Thing been all of my preserving life?
It’s not magic, but it sure seems magical! Load the top basket with food, get the bottom water-filled pan boiling and like magic – beautiful, clear, pure juice rolls out the tube from the middle pan!
The most common use of the steam juicer is steaming fruit–like strawberries!
Strawberries after steam juicing–note the immense reduction in volume!
Fresh/sugared berries vs. steamed berries
Beautiful juice to make whatever you like–beautiful, clear jellies? Strawberry Lemonade?
Intrigued yet? Well, it gets even better! You can steam juice meat and the result is beautiful broth as well as steamed meat to can. You can steam tomatoes to make much shorter work of canning tomato sauce, can the steamed-off liquid for soup stock (see kellyb’s recent blog post here). Apples–including crabapples! Steam juice apples and get applesauce AND apple juice. I could go on and on but you can bet there is no need for Welch’s in my pantry these days–but there are plenty of juices and jellies and broths ……
Note: Special thanks to my friend Dean Crabtree of Arlington TX for permission to use his steam juicer and jellies pics in this post. His steam juicer and kitchen are prettier than mine!! And the jellies? They went to the Texas State Fair!
You can also find Dede at Yahoo’s Canning2. Interested in contributing a guest post to the Farm Bell blog? Read information here for Farm Bell blog submissions.
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CindyP says:
I am SO glad you introduced us to this over on the forum!!! I have a pretty, shiny, new one waiting for some fruit to steam juice…and tomatoes!!!!!!
That meat idea….you can the meat after it’s been steam juiced? Like normal?
On June 9, 2010 at 7:50 am
Judy says:
You have a Mehu-Liisa…I just got one last fall and love it.
On June 9, 2010 at 8:11 am
kellyb says:
I just read your post as my steam juicer makes quick work of the red raspberries I picked last night. I will have beautiful, ruby-red, seed-free juice in about an hour. Steam juicers are one of the world’s greatest inventions. I think they fall right behind hot showers!! Thanks for the great post and the reminder of how wonderful life is with a steam juicer.
On June 9, 2010 at 8:32 am
Moopsee says:
With my strainer, this was the next item I purchased! Great write up Dede! I’ve loaned mine out many times. Greatest reward — when my mother saw how it worked, she bought one for each of my sisters/SILs and for herself – 6 of them! My mother now does currents and other smaller fruit in delight and each year tells me how much she loves it. My SIL thanks my mother over and over. Anyone who does a LOT of juicing — this falls into a need category for the time saving. Rather than boil apples to soften them and worry about a burned bottom, just steam them.
On June 9, 2010 at 9:20 am
Miss Judy says:
I borrowed my friends steam juicer to make blackberry jelly. It was heavenly! I had picked the berries and froze them. I made the beautiful jelly in the dead of winter. Ahhhh, wonderful invention!I’ve been looking for a used one. That’s never going to happen. No one would ever give up such a glorious invention!
On June 9, 2010 at 9:21 am
KentuckyFarmGirl says:
Going on an online search right now! Can’t wait to have one of these!
On June 9, 2010 at 10:21 am
LauraP says:
My aunt’s been telling me about these for years and I finally bought one. Just waiting for the opportunity to try it out.So glad to hear from another experienced pro that it’s worth the $
On June 9, 2010 at 11:05 am
CindyP says:
I opened a topic over on the forum http://chickensintheroad.com/forum/the-canning-pot/steam-juicer/
There’s a couple links in there on good deals for the juicer 🙂
On June 9, 2010 at 11:13 am
rileysmom says:
Wowzers! I’ve never seen anything like this….I’d better get with the program!
On June 9, 2010 at 11:40 am
Ruthmarie says:
Ahhhh … this is having the same siren call as the Kitchenaid Strainer/Grinder. I feel gluttonous in that I WANT both! Sigh, I have a birthday in late August … if drop enough hints (like the swing of sledgehammer!) I’ll have it in time for fall fruits …
On June 9, 2010 at 12:20 pm
torile says:
I am considering purchasing a steam juicer – especially after reading this thread.
I just have one question and I know the answer will be vague depending on what I actually put in it.
Q – Approximately how many quarts of juice will I produce with each full load in the basket? Grapes, for instance.
Thanks
On August 22, 2014 at 10:58 pm
Dede ~ wvhomecanner says:
Torile, I can’t tell you truly LOL. Haven’t used mine this season (yet) so it’s been several months and I have never tracked what I get from a run in the SJ – in one place anyway. But it’s an awesome tool, you will love it.
On August 23, 2014 at 3:12 pm