Food mills versus food strainer/sauce makers

Food mills versus food strainer/sauce makers - Stainless Steel Spoon on White Table

I'm looking for a new food mill, likely for everything from berry jam to apple butter to tomato sauce. There seem to be two primary choices.

There are traditional food mills, with the rotating bent plate forcing the food through discs:

and there are food strainers/sauce makers, with a spiral conveyor forcing the food through a frustum-shaped screen:

Why might I choose one type over the other?



Best Answer

Both types force food through a perforated screen and what makes a difference (for the food) is the size of the holes.

The conical version (bottom picture) can process more food before the screen is fully clogged (more screen surface), and usually you can just pop out the cone and empty the skins and seed. Whereas with the traditional food mill you have to disassemble. With some foods (whole tomatoes) you may have to pass them a couple of times through the mill to get everything.

Why you might choose one over the other:

If you are processing bushels of stuff, I wouldn't even think of the traditional food mill. We use a 1/2 horse power belt driven spiral sauce maker and it already takes us hours to make ~200 jars. I'd become a zenist if someone handed me a traditional mill with bushels of tomato.

For home use and cooking for under 20 people the traditional mill is great since you can just place it over the pot, go, and throw in the DW. No mounting fuss, and fits into a normal cupboard. You CAN find decent Italian made ones for $20 in North America.




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Is a food mill a type of strainer?

A Food Mill is part strainer, part masher. It consists of three parts: a bowl, a stainless steel disk, and a crank, which in combination produce the fluffiest mashed potatoes, the silkiest soups, and the smoothest sauces.

Is a Victorio strainer a food mill?

This handy food strainer and sauce maker will simplify all the time consuming recipes. Simply add slices in the hopper of the Victorio food mill and start cranking. It will remove the core from their skin and seeds to offer you fresh and delectable juices of fruits or raw veggies of your choice.

Is a tomato press the same as a food mill?

With a food mill, you have to stop frequently to clean out the skins and seeds. The tomato press is designed to spit them out as you work. You load your tomatoes into the large hopper on top and turn the crank.

What is a food mill or sieve?

A food mill is a kitchen tool designed to mash and sieve foods to a desired consistency. Either by manual crank or electric motor, blades crush and force soft foods through the perforated holes of a plate into a bowl. This is ideal for separating liquids from solids in food.



Using the Roma Food Mill for Tomato Sauce




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Images: Jess Loiterton, Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, ready made