Anyone have experience with steam juicers?

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I've seen steam juicers in some catalogues and am tempted to get one to make grape juice but I'm wondering how well they work.

Can any of you give me some advice either pro or con on these things? What do you use yours for (kinds of juice)? How fast and how much juice can you make with it? Is there a better way?

Also, they are apparently available in a stainless steel or aluminum version (with alum being less $). But I'm concerned about the negative health aspects of cooking with aluminum (grapes are acidic).

Thanks for the feedback

H C Kimball

-- herrick Kimball (Herrickkimball@sprintmail.com), October 02, 1999

Answers

I have used a steam juicer (which is placed over a burner on the stove) for about 15 years. Mine is aluminum. I haven't received any adverse effects that I know of. For a number of years, I lived on a small acreage where we had an orchard of pears, cherries, grapes and apples. We also had a large vegetable garden which included tomatoes. (This is the Midwest). I used the steam juicer for apples, getting apple juice and also apple pulp which I made into apple sauce. We liked this because my husband is diabetic and I could can these items without using sugar. Pears were done the same way. I did not juice the grapes; there weren't enough of them. Not enough cherries, either. I also juiced some tomatoes so that we could have tomato juice. Now we live in town and do not have a large enough quantity to do these things, but still have the juicer. I plan to use it, if necessary, to distill water. I tried doing that recently and it works, though it will take quite a bit of fuel to produce the distilled water.

-- Marianne (stillalert@home.com), October 03, 1999.

I have a stainless steel steamer/juicer. It's wonderful for making grape and cherry juice. I live in fruit country, so can make juice in quantity. Tart cherries make the most wonderful juice.....also good blended with other juices. I tried making apple juice, one year, but it takes too long, in my opinion. I haven't tried other fruits---perhaps peaches and apricots would work well, this way. The juicer is expensive, but it makes short work of the job....just throw in the washed fruit and when it's ready, empty it out of the spigot into sterilized jars, cap with sterilized lid, and voila.......lots of delicious juice.

-- Jo Ann (MaJo@Michiana.com), October 03, 1999.

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