Although I'm fond of saying that I have the kind of brain that thrives on monotonous tasks, there is only so much peeling and paring of apples I can do with my trusty little hand peeler before starting to think, "Enough is enough, there's got to be a faster and more efficient way."
Therefore, I sure would appreciate knowing if there is some kind of a reliable gadget out there (hand-cranked?) that I could purchase for with which (which with?) to peel the tens of thousands (maybe millions) of apples being turned into sauce (and pies, and crisps and crunches and cobblers and other tasty dishes) in my kitchen each year.
Thank you from the bottom of my little apple-peelin' heart for any help or suggestions or recommendations you can provide.
44 comments:
No advice, just tagging along for the info. I need to move up from hand-peeling, too.
I got one years ago but only used it a couple of times. I found that if your apples aren't perfect in shape, you still have to do more peeling afterwards and you often need to do some core removal as well. If you do go this route, make certain it has a good strong clamping system - mine clamps to the cutting board pull out in the kitchen and it doesn't stay on all that great.
'Doing the same thing as you and am finally seeing the bottom of the third bushel of apples--ugh! I had problems with those rotating peelers so I prefer a sharp paring knife for peeling/coring. If necessary, I'll switch to a potato peeler; the switching back and forth helps the hands and wrists from cramping up. The best idea that works for me is to get a friend to help--that is, if you can find anyone handy at this busy time of year!-M
Hi, I too had one of those- useless and lots of waste! Whas is fabulous though for applesauce is the Victorio Food Strainer. Just cook the apples cut up with peel, seeds and all until VERY soft, run it through and it separates everything! It has been a life saver for my poor old hands! I put off buying one for years because they are pricey but if it something you do much of year after year I would HIGHLY recommend. Angela
You could buy a sauce maker. I use one. I simply core and quarter my apples, cook them down with water, and run it through my hand crank sauce maker. It works with fruits and tomatoes too. Mine is a cheap version, and plastic parts here and there, but it works great. Mine is a Roma food strainer and sauce maker. So far, it's worked great for around $50. There are many other brands too.
I recommend the Starfrit apple peeler. I used it for the first time last year and fell in love with it. Because of its design, it will handle just about any size or shape of apple. You can find it on Amazon.
I cut and quarter and cook off my apples till soft then run them through my Squeezo strainer. It sorts the skin and seeds out and I can return good stuff to pan and cook down to consistency I want.
My friend has an electric potato/apple peeler and it does a wonderful job on both. Put on the potato/apple make sure it's attached well to your counter edge, push the start button, and it will shut off automatically. He's had it for over 20 years and it still works wonders. I have no idea what brand or anything else about it, but I have seen it work ... good luck finding what you need.
Good questions and it's interesting reading what others have to say. I've got the clamp-on, hand-crank that peels, and thinly slices all in one. But as another has already said, your apple has to be almost perfectly round to work correctly.
Um, good 'question'... fingers and brain aren't working in tandem today!
I got the one that peels, cores and slices all at the same time. It has a suction cup that suctions to the counter top. I love it! I haven't noticed much waste and it is so much faster that hand peeling. I paid around $20 for it and it was worth every penny.
I have the Pampered Chef one that we bought 15 or 20 years ago. I could NOT live without it. I can so much apple sauce, pie filling, and juice that I'd melt in a puddle of tears if I did it all by hand. For apple sauce I have the attachments for both my Kitchen Aid and my Bosch that are called the juicer thingy but they adjust for putting softened apples thru that spit out Beautiful apple sauce!!! The PC apple corer peeler works great for the pie filling though!!
Lehmans.......I got the one that peels, cores, slices and/or any combination of the 3. I think it was $59 but it makes short work of getting them ready for sauce, pie slices or dehydrating. Sure, you will sit down with a small paring knife and trim up those imperfect ends and maybe cut around a crooked core but there's no way this isn't 3-4 times faster than doing it all by hand. And for drying - all the slices are the same thickness! The one I have doesn't actually have a name and it's made in China but was still in the Lehmans' Catalogue last issue. Jan in NWGA
When making applesauce, I quarter, core and cook. Don't peel, when cooked, run them through a china cap or a ricer.
I have one of those hand cranked apple peelers - it is very close to the original, since the original was almost perfect they haven't had to make many adjustments. I use it constantly - even for one apple pie. Now and then an off size apple has to have a little help - but with practice you can become very good at it. Soft apples don't work well, but crispy ones do.
I use mine for making apple sauce and apple butter and pies - it is so much faster.
I have a funny story about mine. My mom gave it to me as a gift in the 70s - and she brought it with her in her suitcase. As her luggage went through security they asked her to open her bags - because they thought she had the parts for making a machine gun. She had to unload the suitcase and of course her undies were on top and she was so embarrassed - although I'm sure the inspectors had seen undies before.
Once they had seen what it was they let her pack her suitcase back up and board the plane.
It has been performing faithfully ever since.
Yeah, there's got to be a better way for us!
2 Tramps - I never thought about misshapen apples, of which I seem to have many!
M - I've never even tried one of the rotating peelers so wanted to see what advice I could gather before investing in one.
If only all of us like-minded homemakers lived within a short distance of each other! Quilting bees? How 'bout applesauce making bees??
I got mine from Pampered Chef it's about 15 years old. It attaches to my work table just like a meat grinder. I love it.
You can peel and slice a bushel of apples in no time.
Sue
Angela - I do have a really good colander/sieve food strainer (manual). It's the old-fashioned kind with stand and wooden pestle and it would do a great job BUT I feel I'd have to wash all the apples first (which would take a lot of time) and (I know I'm being picky here) I much prefer a "chunky" applesauce rather than one that is pureed. But thanks for your recommendation of the Victorio Food Strainer. Much appreciated!
Kristina - Had to delete that last comment as my fingers aren't working tonight. (Too much apple peeling? Haha.)
Thanks for the recommend but my dilemma would be the same as voiced to Angela above.
Anonymous - Thank you! I am encouraged by the fact that you say the Starfrit can handle just about any size or shape of apple. I'm going to look it up.
Lisa - But would it be pureed coming out of the Squeezo strainer?
Yvette - I've never had the experience of seeing one like you describe. Methinks I am going to be doing some research!
Lisa - I'm having a little trouble with my finger to brain (or is it brain to finger?) connection tonight, too!
Seems I raised a question that a few others are curious about.
Peggi - Your gizmo sounds very reasonably priced and one that does a good job, too. If a tool like this works at all, it's got to be faster than hand peeling!
Freedom Acres Farm - Lots of good leads for me to check out. Thanks a bunch!
Jan in NWGA - Well, sure! Lehman's would have a tool like I'm looking for. I'm going to check it out. Thank you!
Anonymous - I'm not familiar with a "china cap" but will look it up to see if it's like my old colander/sieve with stand and wooden pestle. Thanks for commenting.
JoAnn - I'm wondering if looking for an "old" one (when they made them to last!) on eBay might be an option?
Your mom may have been on to something . . . a machine gun that shoots out apples. ;o)
Sue - Yep, gotta go check out the ones made by Pampered Chef. Thank you!
I actually don't peel my apples much anymore, as there's lots of nutrients and fiber there. Maybe if I juiced them... I used to have one like this- https://www.lehmans.com/p-946-apple-express-suction-cup-peeler.aspx
I have to give another vote to the Pampered Chef peeler/corer. I love mine. It even does a nice job of peeling potatoes - you end up with beautiful even slices, too, for scalloped potatoes or a casserole.
Nancy po - I wash and don't peel any of the apples we eat out-of-hand because of the nutrients and fiber in and just under the skin. Thanks for the link to Lehman's. I'll follow up on it. :o)
De - I'm going to investigate the Pampered Chef peeler/corer since it's been so highly recommended. I sure do slice a lot of potatoes with a knife so it would be great to have a tool that did that quickly and easily! Thanks for your input.
China cap is another (probably just Indiana) name for the colander/sieve you have.
Have you seen where they stick the apple onto the cordless drill bit and hold your potato/apple peeler to the apple. You should check that out on Youtube!
Ah-ha! I learn something every day!
There is NO WAY I'm coordinated enough to do that!! :o]
VICTORIO VKP1010 is the one I got from Amazon ($7 cheaper now!) and I absolutely love it. When time is an issue or problems with repetitive motions...well worth the money.
Thanks, tpals!
Mama Pea,
I have one of those apple peelers which fasten to your counter top. Each time I put this on the counter to peel apples, I find myself fighting the equipment and it takes me forever to get all the apples peeled.
My favorite way to peel apples, hand a peeler to every family member in the house, LOL.....
Yes, I've heard about those kind that seem utterly useless. :o( I think we should all go back to thinking about the old quilting bees . . . and have a annual apple peeling bee at each others' houses! ( Let's do it!!)
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