What are some ways to turn fresh apples into apple juice that don't cost $200?

@pdworkin: That doesn’t answer my question.

Actually, it does. You can make apple juice in a juicer or a press. You wish to do neither of those. I cut the Gordian knot and suggested how you can get it with no juicer and no press.

What if you tried the boiling/straining method, but put it through a strainer lined with a coffee filter?

@pdworkin: You didn’t “cut the Gordian Knot”. You side-stepped the question.

@augustlan Way too labor intensive. There is actually a sieve called a chinoise that is made for that purpose, but it takes way too long for the small amount of juice.

Fine. I sidestepped the question.

I must be getting cranky. Sorry.

Might I ask why you want to do this? Are you overwhelmed with apples?

I would just use a blender that costs $10 or less. Just cut up the apples, add a little bit of water, and turn it on – strain through a sieve or wrap in cheese cloth and suspend over a bowl overnight – almost instant apple juice. (If you don’t want to use water, use a small amount of store bought apple juice as a starter. Stir the pulp left over with some sugar and cinnamon for apple sauce.

I just slice up the apples and squish then with a meat hammer. Try it.

You can’t include the total equipment price, you have to amortize it over the life of the equipment. That’s like saying How can you heat up a TV dinner for less than $500 (the cost of the stove)?

If you drink apple juice every morning and the $200 juicer will last for 3 years and it takes 2 apples @ 50 cents each your glass of fresh apple juice costs you abt $1.18 and you still have the pulp you can use to make lower fat, lower sugar, very moist spice cake.

I bought can we say brand names here? the Jack Lalanne Power Juicer Pro at Super Target for around $150 several months ago. The money I have saved creating my own juice from fruits and vegetables has more than made up for the cost. In fact, someone is giving me a bushel of pears this week, I can juice them up, freeze what I don’t use right away, and in February when the thought of fresh pears is a distant dream, I can thaw it out and have a nice healthy drink while there’s a foot of snow on the ground.

Spend the money, even if you have to save a little bit at a time, healthy food choices are usually always worth the cost.

@galileogirl, mucha lurve for figuring out the actual costs; stop by for some fresh juice anytime!

I would have simply used a cheapo blender and a strainer.

@Darwin ah yes, but you get what you pay for.

@evelyns_pet_zebra Actually, that’s almost how we did it when we had six apple trees in the yard, except instead of a blender we used a Foley Food Mill operated by hand, and then the strainer. The juice was terrific.

@Darwin, I forgot all about food mills. That’s a GA. I would have tought of it for applesauce, but I’m sure it can make juice.

@Darwin: My blender is very pitiful. Did the food mill work well? Was it labor-intensive?

Apparently apple juice is made primarily by large commercial outfits, according to this site. It has to do with the necessity for pasteurization. Also, you have to clarify the juice.

With cider, all you need to do is press the apples. Not much filtering is required, either. The juice turns brown with oxidation very quickly. I thought it turned brown instantly, but if that’s the case I’m not sure how apple juice is possible. The Wikipedia article is not that much more informative.

Cider may be brown because it is unfiltered. This site discusses the impact of pasteurization on cider. It is true that pasteurized cider doesn’t have much flavor—it tastes like apple juice. The fear of salmonella is what lead the push for pasteurization of cider. However, salmonella is usually introduced in large factories. I have never heard of a case of local farm-produced cider causing illness. I get all my cider unpasteurized, if I can. I don’t enjoy pasteurized cider at all.

@daloon Good point – and irradiated cider tastes like fresh cider, but I know some people object (unnecessarily, I believe) to irradiated foods.

@La_chica_gomela – Yes, the food mill was labor intensive, but it worked well considering we weren’t producing large quantities to sell. It also gave my mom a way to keep us busy during those Fall afternoons where the sun would set by 4 or 5 o’clock so we couldn’t play outside.

You get nice definition in your arms, too.

Be sure the apples are thoroughly washed before you process them, and throw away (or compost) the core.

I use my apples whole, and I don’t worry about the seeds containing arsenic, because there isn’t enough arsenic in the seeds to hurt the average person. There are nutrients in the cores that you would be throwing away by coring them first. I suppose you could cut them in pieces and take the seeds out if you were too concerned about it.

When I juice, I only make enough to last three days tops. My apple juice would be considered cider because it is not pastuerized, it has all the little floaties in it, and sitting in the fridge, it has a tendency to separate and turn brown. It looks and tastes just like the cider I used to make at the orchard where I worked in the 90s. I give it a good shake and pour it in a glass.

When I make ‘Zebra Juice’ I use green (or white) grapes and black (they are really deep purple) grapes. I cut the bunches small enough to go down the hopper, seeds, stems and all. The trick to mixing fruit juices is to use something sweet and something tart to balance it out. With my juicer, I can make 80/20% carrot/celery juice, and that stuff is freaking awesome! .

@evelyns_pet_zebra What do you use to “juice”? The main reason I suggested coreing is because that is the area that is the hardest to make sure all the mold is removed.

@all: Time for an update: We found the solution! There is a wine and beer making supply store nearby that will lease us an apple press for $6 / day! Yay! Thanks for your suggestions!

@LCG Thanks for the update and info.

@evelyns_pet_zebra Never mind, I see it.

@season: That actually looks pretty handy! Thanks!