Lidl - Electric Fruit Preserver & Jam Maker

[veggiechicken]

Looking at the LIDL advert and video (when you don't have a TV you'll watch anything that moves!) - that Gadget looks enormous. Storage space? How do you clean it out? I think I'd fall in and never be seen again Not for me!!

[SarzWix]

It looks like it would be great for bottling tomatoes and pasteurising apple juice etc. If I didn't already have the pressure canner I'd probably get one.

[alldigging]

It can make 27l of hot chocolate and still I'm not convinced! :-)

I don't think it's for me. I would like an easy peasy way of making jam but that's not it.

[Alison]

I've got something remarkably similar to that which I use for pasturising juices and bottles of tomatoes etc. I don't think you're meant to make jam acutually IN it but it would pasturise a low sugar jam OK for preserving. Mine is huge but I'd rather have that (which I keep in the loft when not in use) than have to buy a new freezer to store all my passata rather than in jars in the cupboard as I do now

[SarzWix]

The easy-peasy way to make jam is to have a very good, heavy-base maslin pan and use Jam sugar, which has added pectin and achieves a set after only about 4 minutes of boiling.

[Lawrence]

I just saw this on the Lidl site today, and I thought I would get one, not for Jam as I dont think it gets hot enough!
I thought it would be useful as a drink dispenser when I do my First Aid courses.
It is cheaper than a regular Urn, and the video showing 5 Gallons of hot chocolate does make it appealing.
My other thought was that with it's variable temperature it would be great for brewing Beer.
Has anyone used one of these?

[SarzWix]

That sounds like a good idea... My only thought is, how would you let the CO2 escape, without allowing nasties in? It probably isn't designed to hold much pressure. Or would you just get a mash going and then transfer it to a bucket?

[Lawrence]

That sounds like a good idea... My only thought is, how would you let the CO2 escape, without allowing nasties in? It probably isn't designed to hold much pressure. Or would you just get a mash going and then transfer it to a bucket?

Yes, thats the idea, keep the barley at the right temperatures to extract all the sugars and then transfer to a fermentation bucket.
I bought some enzymes from the states (still can't find them here) so I can try other starchy ingredients too.