# Using the apple peeler/corer/slicer AND and maual veg. peeler



## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Hubby decided to help me by putting the apples onto the peeler/corer/slicer (bum shoulder for me right now). He commented on how much he dislikes the peeler part of the contraption because "....if your apples are not really round, it doesn't peel them worth a (^&*$%".

So he removed the peeler from the machine, and simply held our vegetable peeler manually! Worked like a charm. This way we get good peeling plus the coring and slicing!

We use this type peeler:










He thinks if we used this type it would not be as easy:










Here we go! He is of course spinning the apple as he does this:



















I resized these pics to small on my computer, but maybe in putting them up onto photobucket they enlarge them? I am so baffled at how my pics get larger, then smaller then larger........


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I'm another one that has horrid results using the peeler. I've resorted to peeling the apples all by hand then running them through slicer.

This sure would make things faster. With the late spring frost, I didn't get a single apple off my trees this year so I'll keep it in mind for next year.


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

What type of peeler is on your combo unit? I have found the ones with a U shaped blade work pretty well, you may have to adjust the depth of it the first time to get it right. The U blade can also be sharpened, and probably needs to be sharpened, well, once a year would be great, mine gets sharpened every couple of years with a simple...well, a knife sharpening rasp thing.

I have purchased the peeler combo units with the typical attached straight blade, and found that doesn't work at all.

The other thing that hinders blade performance is crispness of the apple. An apple that is starting to go soft just will not peel well at all.

Congrats on finding a method that works for you!


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Chixarecute-here is the blade on ours. We have a Progressive. I thought it was a Victorio but it's not.

The blade itself is straight across, but yet, the opening there is U shaped, so I'm not sure which this is?


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## Jeepgirl86 (May 18, 2012)

I have a combo peeler/corer/slicer from Pampered Chef (bought years ago) and do ok with it, as long as the apples are firm. If they are too ripe the corer thingy rips out the middle of the apple without doing anything else. I'll have to try the pre-peel idea next time I have some and see if it helps. Thanks for the idea.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

i have the pampered chef one also - bought it after having several people tell me how nice it works. I have a second one from a auction that is very similar. Both have U shaped blades.

I think my apples are the bulk of the problem, but I love their taste so I'll deal with them being not working in the peeler. They almost all have offcenter roundness.

I've messed with adjusting the spring pressure, sharpening the blade, being very particular about placement. I find the blade starts cutting into the apple (the side of the U not they tip) and lose about a 1/4" of the apple along with the peel. And I end up with an apple with a series of ridges instead of a smooth surface. 

I still like using it for apple rings (for dehydrating).


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

The best apple peeler I've ever used is an antique one. It has a blade like a manual peeler, it also kicks the apple off the spikes when done. The peeler might be expensive if you can fine one,but they sure work well.


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

Homesteader that is a third kind of blade!

My main peeler is one from the early 80s, made in or by White Mountain, VT. The blade is the same as the pampered chef style, a flat piece of metal, not quite 1/4" high by oh 2" maybe, in a U shape, attached where you have your slotted blade attached. 

With very steeply round apples, the side of the u blade will peel part of the apple, then the center of the arc as the apple straightens out.

Off center doesn't seem to matter as much with my unit, I just try to get the blossom end and the stem end parallel on the prongs. DH likes stem end at the prongs, I put the blossom end at the prongs. His way generally works better, IDKW.

And it is so frustrating when the cores are soft!


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

What a great idea. And wouldn't you know it, I threw away my Victorio peeler/corer in anger and frustration a few months ago. Stupid thing took so much good apple and left a bunch of peel. I hated it and decided I'd rather peel with a peeler. But this would've been terrific.

Oh well, I'll watch the thrift stores.


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Horseyrider I'm sorry to hear that! I'm glad I shared this. I remember thinking, surely someone else has thought of this and I'll look a fool mentioning it, but maybe not!

He sure whipped thru the apples quickly doing it that way. It's a shame that many of the products just don't work all that well for the peeling part.


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## Leister Square (Feb 7, 2010)

I also found that my peeler is lousy so I peel the bits off that are not done when turning. The bigger issue I have is that it slices them so thin they turn to mush when canned. Anyone else?


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

The Pampered chef peelers used to come with two sizes of slices - well, it came with one and you could buy the other size threaded turning "spit" thingy.

My White Mountain does something between the 2 pampered chef sizes, and yes, always mushy. I don't think apples hold up that well to 25 minutes per quart of water bathing. I would have been better off making sauce.


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

Hmmm, maybe I could use one of those "y" peelers if I were spinning a mounted fruit/veg, but I don't normally process enough tree fruits to make a spiral peeler/corer contraption worthwhile. Mostly, it's taters and maters which are easier to peel by blanching and shocking. I've actually had fairly good results using that method with apples, blanch then shock, then core & slice with one of the press-down gadgets, and the skin peels off the wedge pretty easily with the edge of a paring knife while I'm inspecting for bruises/seeds/core slivers.

I definitely prefer the stick-style pivot blade peelers for anything I have to peel in my hand. I have two like that, one with mini-serrations and one that's a smooth blade depending on the skin texture & flesh firmness. DH brought a fixed blade stick-style into the house, I loathe it and have banished it to the garden for paring points onto my bean poles


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