# Using a strainer for Tomato : Newbie



## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

I'm looking into canning tomato for sauce , ketchup , etc . Looking to cut down some of the work if possible . Any body use a strainer ? Thoughts ? Total newbie at canning ."The Magic Mill DLX 2000 by Electrolux "


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

I use 100% cotton pillow cases for straing my tomato pulp. First I run the toms through my squeezo which removes the skins & seeds. Put what is left in a case, tie off the end with a shoelace that along with the case was boiled for 5 minutes. Hang to drain.
Hubby installed a thick dowel (broomstick sized) between the two cabinets that flank my kitchen sink so I can hang items to drip dry over the sink or hang jelly bags with a jar undrneath to collect the juice. 
Usually do this @ night with the window open since it's dipping down to frost temps.
Using a pillowcase both frees up my strainer and allows a larger amount of pulp to be strained.
~~ pelenaka ~~
http://thirtyfivebyninety.blogspot.com/


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

First run the tomatoes through a blender to reduce them to a slurry. Bring that to a boil for 15-20 minutes to further break it down. Then press it through a chinois sieve. Result is seedless and skinless product containing only the juice and meat. That can be used for making juice, ketchup, paste, spaghetti sauce, taco sauce, or anything else requiring such a product


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

thanks for tip on blender .


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## derm (Aug 6, 2009)

I use a foley food mill. Put the tomatoes in a big pot and simmer them until they start to break down. I only cut off bad spots, but otherwise, they go in whole, or chunks, cherries, whatever. I have bags of frozen tomatoes that will be processed this way over the winter when I have more time. Then run through the food mill over a different big pot and reduce as far as you want. It comes out juice, reduces to sauce, reduces further to paste depending on how much time it takes. Very little actual work involved, just time.


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

Why strain the tomatoes?? We pulverize them in a blender then cook the mixture down to thick tomato sauce and can it. That way you retain ALL the goodies in the tomatoes and has a much better flavor. 

We core them and cut out the bad spots, slice and put in the blender raw. Why WASTE the good parts by straining?


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I would not use something like that as a time saver. I like my KA mill in that it dumps into a container so I can either switch containers or dump into a bigger one and keep going. I've done 25-30 qts at a time- meaning that is what I end up with, not the amount of tomatoes I'm starting with. I don't want something I have to stop, take apart and dump often. 

Then I can either go on and process the sauce and turn it into something else, or freeze it in gallon bags to use later.

Edited to add - I looked around more at that machine, and it looks like it does have the attachments, but I can't find a picture of HOW they attach. So it may actually end up working a lot like the KA does - a base with lots of attachments.

I figure I'm going to replace my KA soon, and was looking at the Bosch Universal. I'll have to look more at this Electrolux. Though getting the machine and the attachements I want is going to run around $700, so I have to think long and hard about it.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Oster made a whole kitchen assortment that has all the attchements. Try to find them in resale shops ect. I have Mom's old one but use my KA. Wash them in the sink, drop them into boiling water, pull them out when the skins crack and run them thr the mill. Put in jars or cook em down to what you want, then proscess.


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

Electrolux is much better when it comes to bread than KA . The motor on the electrolux is much better than KA . I agree the price might be show stopper . 

http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/magic_mill_dlx_mixer.aspx


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

Until I got into using my mixer to make bread instead of the bread machine, the KA has done OK. It's an older machine so the motor is probably better than the newer ones.

I still can't find a picture showing how the attachments attach. Got to looking at the Bosch attachments, and it looks like they may actually work with my grain mill motor base. I'll have to look into that as that motor is pretty heavy duty. Would like that better for using the strainer than my KA.

That Elux is one nice looking machine. I got a new Elux induction cooktop and double wall oven this spring, so it would fit right in (gotta get DH to read this LOL!!)


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## Gladrags (Jul 13, 2010)

I just use a plain old food mill.


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## Just Little Me (Aug 9, 2007)

I just cook my maters from whole to cooked down and then use a big slotted spoon to scoop the skins out before putting in jars. No food mill, no blenders, no squeezos were bought in this house. I do it the way great great grandma cooked them. If I want them thinner, I put it thru a old towel or t-shirt.


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

Why make them thinner? We cook it down to be thick. That way you use less jars and less space. You can always thin it down if you need to when cooking something. Grinding the skins is makes for less waste.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

oldasrocks said:


> Why strain the tomatoes?? We pulverize them in a blender then cook the mixture down to thick tomato sauce and can it. That way you retain ALL the goodies in the tomatoes and has a much better flavor.
> 
> We core them and cut out the bad spots, slice and put in the blender raw. Why WASTE the good parts by straining?


Agreed, we core and quarter the tomatoes, cook them in a big pot until they break down, mashing them up a little with a potato masher. Then we run them through a strainer over a big bowl. Keep the juice as tomato juice and continue to cook the rest for sauce and/or paste.


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## Gretchen Ann (Aug 30, 2010)

This year I used my grape steamer for tomatoes. I filled the top with tomatoes, steamed them, stirred once then drained the tomato water off. I usually got 3 quarts of tomato water from each batch. I did can some of the tomato water for soups that I want the tomato flavor from, but not pulp.

I put the tomato pulp through my food mill and my sauce was thick!!! Yes, you can cook the tomatoes down, but I simply don't have the capacity to cook down 3-4 bushels at once.

My ketchup was also thick, no water oozing out.

I also do this for applesauce. I can the apple juice (my grandchildren love it) and I have really great thick applesauce. 

I will definitely do tomatoes this way again.


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