Think of a food mill as your reliable kitchen sidekick—opting for simplicity over fancy gadgets. While the food processor performs its high-tech dance, the food mill keeps it down-to-earth, requiring your hand-cranking skills. This straightforward device becomes your kitchen buddy, demonstrating versatility that sets it apart from the tech-heavy food processor. It’s like having a classic assistant that values your input, adding a touch of simplicity to your cooking adventures.
One of the standout features of a food mill is its ability to transform ingredients without the risk of turning your culinary aspirations into a gooey disaster. While a food processor’s sharp blades may inadvertently reduce your dream of velvety mashed potatoes into a starchy nightmare, a food mill gently processes and purees, preserving the desired texture and consistency.
Whether it’s creating smooth, lump-free baby food, making silky tomato sauces, or turning cooked fruits and vegetables into uniform purees, a food mill excels at achieving the perfect consistency. Plus, its manual operation provides you with precise control over the process, ensuring that the results meet your culinary standards.
Not everyone knows how to use a food mill, but learning this process is worthwhile.
1. Prepare Your Ingredients:
- Start by washing and chopping the food you want to process.For instance, if you’re making tomato sauce, wash and chop the tomatoes into smaller pieces.
Chopping fruits before adding to food mill is very important because it makes the process easier, ensures a consistent texture, allows you to remove unwanted parts, gives you better control, and speeds up the cooking.
2. Assemble the Food Mill:
- Most food mills come with several components, including a bowl, a hand crank, a perforated disk, and a stand or handle. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to assemble the food mill properly, or watch video fot tutorial.
3. Cook the Food (if necessary):
- Depending on your recipe, you may need to cook the ingredients before milling. For example, for applesauce, you’d cook the apples until they become soft and easy to process.
4. Choose the Disk:
- Select the perforated disk with the hole size that matches the desired texture. Smaller holes yield a finer puree, while larger holes result in a coarser texture.
5. Start Milling:
- Position the food mill over a bowl or pot that can collect the processed food. Load a small amount of the cooked food into the food mill’s bowl.
6. Mill the Food:
- Turn the hand crank in a clockwise direction while applying gentle downward pressure. The food will pass through the holes in the disk, and the resulting puree or strained liquid will be collected in the bowl or pot below.
7. Continue Milling:
- Add more cooked food to the food mill and turn the crank to process it. Continue this process until you’ve processed all the food.
8. Scrape Off Any Residue:
- Occasionally, you may need to use a spatula or the back of a spoon to scrape off any remaining puree that might be stuck to the bottom of the disk.
9. Discard Seeds or Peels:
- If your goal is to strain food like tomato sauce or applesauce, you’ll find that any seeds or peels are left behind in the food mill. You can discard them.
- To remove food scraps, seeds, or peels from a food mill, stop turning the handle, open the mill, and take out the unwanted parts. Then, clean the mill.
10. Transfer the Processed Food:
- Use the puree or strained food in your recipe and enjoy, or store it if needed.
you can use a food mill to mash
- Potatoes: For making creamy mashed potatoes.
- Tomatoes: To make tomato sauce or remove skins and seeds.
- Apples: For applesauce or pie filling.
- Berries: For making berry coulis or seedless jams.
- Carrots: Ideal for making baby food or carrot puree.
- Squash: To create smooth butternut squash or pumpkin puree.
- Fruits for jams: Like peaches or apricots, to remove skins and create a fruit base for jams.
- Homemade baby food: For a variety of fruits and vegetables.
- Spaetzle dough: To create the traditional German pasta.
- Grains: To make rice or oatmeal cereal for babies.
- Sauces: For making creamy sauces like Alfredo or velouté.
Food mills are versatile tools that can assist in a wide range of food preparation tasks.
Different types of food mill, their estimated prices, and unique features:
| Food Mill Type | Estimated Price | Unique Features |
|---|---|---|
| OXO Good Grips Food Mill | $50 – $60 | Three stainless steel grinding discs for fine, medium, and coarse textures. Easy-turn handle. Non-slip legs for stability. Dishwasher safe. |
| Cuisipro Deluxe Food Mill | $80 – $100 | Extra-large 18/10 stainless steel bowl with easy-pour spout. Interchangeable disks for various textures. Non-slip handle and knob. Dishwasher safe. |
| Weston Stainless Steel Food Mill | $40 – $50 | Stainless steel construction. Two interchangeable grinding discs. Extended handle for easy cranking. Large capacity. |
| Foley Food Mill | $20 – $30 | Simple and affordable. Hand-cranked design. Ideal for basic straining and pureeing tasks. |
| RSVP International Endurance Food Mill | $50 – $60 | Made of 18/10 stainless steel. Comes with three disks for fine, medium, and coarse textures. Long handle for easy milling. Dishwasher safe. |
Note that these estimated prices can vary depending on the brand, retailer, and any ongoing promotions or discounts. It’s a good idea to check the latest prices and customer reviews before making a purchase decision.
