Food mill, chinois, tomato press, or....?

[swd12422]

This summer we'll have our first garden, and hopefully a huge crop of tomatoes and berries. I plan to make my own sauce from scratch, and I will probably not be able to resist at least trying to make my own jelly/preserves with the berries.

So I'll need something to sift out the seeds and skins -- which tool would be best for this? I've read some reviews online that the chinois and tomato press leave nothing but juice, not enough flesh from the fruit to make a good sauce. Others say the food mill gets too clogged with stuff to work properly. Does anyone have this kind of experience? Any recommendations? What else do you use these tools for?

[Arduinna]

I use my Rösle food mill for this, I don't have clogging problems you just turn the opposite direction to clear any debris in the way of the disk. The benefit of the food mill is that there are different size disks.

[KristyDi]

I have a chinois that I love.  I use it for making applesauce mostly. It does make a very smooth sauce.  I prefer that though.  I don't think I'd use it for removing seeds from fruit pulp for jam, but I just leave them in because I think removing them is more trouble than it's worth.  For jam I just crush the berries lightly with a potato masher as begin to warm up.

Bigger fruits like peaches and tomatoes get peeled individually.  I dunk in boiling water for 30-60 seconds then ice water and the skin comes off easily.

I don't have a food mill, but it's on my wish list.

[jeminijad]

Food mill here... I like a little chunk left over!

And jams are easy peasy...

[cristeen]

I do jams w none of the above. For tomatoes though i want a food mill. No peeling necessary.

[swd12422]

So do you leave the seeds in the jams, or is there another, better way to get them out? I'm assuming that DH will NOT be a fan of seeds in his jelly!

[KristyDi]

Originally Posted by swd12422 

So do you leave the seeds in the jams, or is there another, better way to get them out? I'm assuming that DH will NOT be a fan of seeds in his jelly!

I think a food mill would work to remove seeds.  Jam and jelly are 2 different things though. Jam uses the whole berry or pieces of chopped fruit, jelly uses just the juice.  There's a process for making juice out of fresh fruit, I've never done it though.  I'm too lazy.  I'd rather just use the fruit as is.

[swd12422]

Oh, I have so much to learn! :)

Talia Rose, can all the pieces of that food mill go in the dishwasher?

[jeminijad]

Originally Posted by swd12422 

So do you leave the seeds in the jams, or is there another, better way to get them out? I'm assuming that DH will NOT be a fan of seeds in his jelly!

The food mill removes seeds for raspberries/ blackberries etc, and of course tomatoes... almostnothing will remove strawberry seeds, but most people don't mind those as they are so tiny.

I'm not a jelly person- if I make it, I just buy juice and add pectin- but ripe berries and sugar with a chopped up lemon and an apple are enough to a) jell a jam and b) round out the flavor. Love jam!

[cristeen]

Jam contains all the pulp of the fruit combined w sugar.
Jelly is the clear gelled spread that is made from juice. Like a pp, i buy a bottle of juice if thats my intention. Or you can get a jelly bag for under $15. You cook the fruit until its mush then put it in the bag. The juice drips out and the bag holds all the pulp. I used one to make tomato juice this year.

The only fruits you have to worry about seeds are rasp/blackberries. And you'd have to have a source to pick them to make jam worth making, really. They're too expensive otherwise (around here, anyway).

[swd12422]

1. Ooooooh -- JAM! I don't think I ever knew the difference... Now I'm not sure if I've ever actually HAD jam. Is that sad?

2. We're getting some blackberries, hopefully SOON!

[diana_of_the_dunes]

I use a Roma food mill (http://www.amazon.com/Weston-07-0801-Roma-Food-Strainer/dp/B0000BYDR1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301770485&sr=8-1) and I LOVE it.  It even gets most of the seeds out of strawberry jam (DH is so weird about seeds...), and I use it to make spaghetti sauce and applesauce as well.  There are also other size strainers for making salsa or straining squash, but I've done fine with just the standard one.  It is by far my favorite kitchen gadget.

Mine I can put all the pieces except the main body into the dishwasher.  That part is dishwasher-safe too, but I don't want to discolor the aluminum.