The fruity, slightly sweet juice of mirabelle plums is absolutely perfect for making homemade juices or liqueurs. If you’re looking to get your hands on that fresh, golden nectar, there are a few different ways to go about it. However, if you want to save yourself a major headache, using a steam juicer is definitely the way to go!
Different Ways to Juice Mirabelle Plums
Generally speaking, you’ve got three main options when it comes to juicing these little yellow plums. The most common methods are:
- Cold pressing
- Hot juicing (stovetop method)
- Steam juicing
Cold Pressing Mirabelles
With cold pressing, you’d use a fruit press, a berry press, or a centrifugal juicer. The big downside here? You have to pit the fruit beforehand, which can be a real chore.
Hot Juicing Mirabelles
Hot juicing involves simmering the plums in a pot on the stove until they release their juices. Just like cold pressing, you’ll need to remove all those pits before you start cooking.
The Struggle of Pitting Mirabelles
Let’s be honest: pitting mirabelles is a huge pain. Because these fruits are so small, you need a massive amount of them to get enough juice for a decent batch. It’s incredibly time-consuming! The whole process becomes much faster and easier if you can find a way to skip the pitting stage entirely.
Steam Juicing Mirabelle Plums
This is where steam juicing wins, hands down. The best part? You don’t have to pit the fruit! You can toss them in whole, and the machine does the heavy lifting for you—the pits just separate themselves naturally during the process.
How a Steam Juicer Works
Inside a steam juicer, hot steam breaks down the cell structure of the fruit. This causes the juice to flow out and drip into a collection container. The pits stay completely intact and remain in the fruit basket, so you can just toss them out once you’re finished.
Step-by-Step: Using Your Steam Juicer
To get started, you’ll need a standard steam juicer. Here’s how to do it:
- Wash your mirabelles thoroughly and sort out any bruised or spoiled fruit.
- Toss the good fruit into the juicer’s fruit basket.
- If you like your juice a bit sweeter, feel free to sprinkle some sugar over the fruit now.
- Now, assemble the juicer. Make sure everything is seated correctly so it works right! The bottom pot gets filled with water. On top of that, place the collection container (where the juice gathers). Finally, set the fruit basket full of mirabelles on top and pop the lid on.
- Let the steam juicer do its thing on the stove for at least an hour.
Bottling Your Fresh Juice
Once the juice is ready, you can drain it directly through the attachment hose. Make sure to use sterile bottles or jars that can be sealed airtight.
Shelf Life
If you store your juice in a cool, dry, and dark place with an airtight seal, it’ll stay fresh and delicious for several months.
Making Mirabelle Liqueur
If you want to kick things up a notch, you can mix your juice with spirits like rum or vodka to create a fantastic homemade mirabelle liqueur. But don’t stop there—this fruity juice is also amazing for making jellies or drizzling over desserts as a sweet sauce!