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Old September 19, 2016   #19
ContainerTed
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 6a - NE Tennessee
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When I read the reply by TomNJ, that's was what came to my mind while reading the initial post. I have the Back To Basics Food Mill (same as the Victorio) and here's what I've learned over the last 9 years.

1. If you cut the raw tomatoes up into smaller pieces, then the skins will not be so quick to clog up the little holes in the strainer.

2. If you freeze raw tomatoes, then they will tend to clog up the screen hole faster.

3. For me, about 8 quarts of raw, uncooked, unfrozen tomato chunks can be done and then simply remove the strainer screen and clean out the pieces of skin that are clogging the screen holes.

4. If you skin the tomatoes first, and then make sure there are only small pieces of "core" material left, you can process about 50 quarts of chunks before having to clean out the screen.

5. It works the same for apples. I made 18 pints of applesauce this year.

6. I run the skins back thru to make sure I get all the good stuff. I can then save the seeds if I want to. I used to do this for Wintersown and would send Trudi a couple of pounds of mixed seeds each year.

7. The apple/tomato screen won't properly do grapes, and vice-versa. The tomato screen will actually grind up grape seeds. This is because the seeds of the grapes are round and the clearance thru the squeeze area is not enough to let the round seeds thru without crunching.

So, if you want an inexpensive device that will do the job, but requires a little more upkeep, then you save on the initial money spent. I personally think the manufacturer intends that the tomatoes be skinned first. Then there is little or nothing to clog the screen holes.
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Ted
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