Hope this is not considered OT. Please think of it as home automation,
& there's quite a few posters on this group with a wide experience of
mechanical processing machines.

Over the years I've tried quite a few ways of speeding up the process
of (de)stringing red and black currants, none very successful. IMHE it
can take 3or 4 hours to string.just half an hour's picking.

Freezing them and then rolling or stirring to try to knock the stalks
off didn't work. Immersing them in water to separate out the chaff &
dud berries gave reasonable results, but the cook doesn't like wet
fruit. Rolling them over a board with holes to allow singletons to
drop through is only moderately successful.

So...any ideas please?

Anyone know how it is done commercially?

The fruit is destined for the freezer & will then used in pies, desert
fruit stews & jam later in the year. So an outcome with perfect
looking fruit is not essential, though turning it into a puree is a
no-no.

BTW the fruit has not been sprayed, so washing is not required,
especially as it will be cooked anyway before eating.

TIA

ironer wrote:

Over the years I've tried quite a few ways of speeding up the process
of (de)stringing red and black currants, none very successful. IMHE it
can take 3or 4 hours to string.just half an hour's picking.

Freezing them and then rolling or stirring to try to knock the stalks
off didn't work. Immersing them in water to separate out the chaff &
dud berries gave reasonable results, but the cook doesn't like wet
fruit. Rolling them over a board with holes to allow singletons to
drop through is only moderately successful.

Have you tried pulling the strings through the prongs of a table
fork?

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Chris J Dixon wrote:
ironer wrote:

Over the years I've tried quite a few ways of speeding up the process
of (de)stringing red and black currants, none very successful. IMHE it
can take 3or 4 hours to string.just half an hour's picking.

Freezing them and then rolling or stirring to try to knock the stalks
off didn't work. Immersing them in water to separate out the chaff &
dud berries gave reasonable results, but the cook doesn't like wet
fruit. Rolling them over a board with holes to allow singletons to
drop through is only moderately successful.

Have you tried pulling the strings through the prongs of a table
fork?

Chris
How do pick them in the first place? Pulling strigs and berries off the
bush seems obvious but it leaves you with your problem - you are
effectively picking them twice.
The whole process is much quicker if you combine picking and pruning -
you cut out the whole branch with the berries still on, take them away
and then remove the berries whilst sitting out in the sun or in the
kitchen. Its much easier then to take the berries off tidily and remove
stalks at the same time. And you've done the pruning, removed older
growth and any pests/deseases, the new growth will benefit from the
light and space and all that remains is a bit of tidying up after the
leaves have dropped and you can see the bush.

cheers
Jacob

normanwisdom wrote:
Chris J Dixon wrote:
ironer wrote:

Over the years I've tried quite a few ways of speeding up the process
of (de)stringing red and black currants, none very successful. IMHE it
can take 3or 4 hours to string.just half an hour's picking.

Freezing them and then rolling or stirring to try to knock the stalks
off didn't work. Immersing them in water to separate out the chaff &
dud berries gave reasonable results, but the cook doesn't like wet
fruit. Rolling them over a board with holes to allow singletons to
drop through is only moderately successful.

Have you tried pulling the strings through the prongs of a table
fork?

Chris
How do pick them in the first place? Pulling strigs and berries off the
bush seems obvious but it leaves you with your problem - you are
effectively picking them twice.
The whole process is much quicker if you combine picking and pruning -
you cut out the whole branch with the berries still on, take them away
and then remove the berries whilst sitting out in the sun or in the
kitchen. Its much easier then to take the berries off tidily and remove
stalks at the same time. And you've done the pruning, removed older
growth and any pests/deseases, the new growth will benefit from the
light and space and all that remains is a bit of tidying up after the
leaves have dropped and you can see the bush.

cheers
Jacob

PS that's blackcurrants. I don't grow red. I think the pruning is
different.

normanwisdom wrote:
normanwisdom wrote:
Chris J Dixon wrote:
ironer wrote:

Over the years I've tried quite a few ways of speeding up the process
of (de)stringing red and black currants, none very successful. IMHE it
can take 3or 4 hours to string.just half an hour's picking.

Freezing them and then rolling or stirring to try to knock the stalks
off didn't work. Immersing them in water to separate out the chaff &
dud berries gave reasonable results, but the cook doesn't like wet
fruit. Rolling them over a board with holes to allow singletons to
drop through is only moderately successful.

Have you tried pulling the strings through the prongs of a table
fork?

Chris
How do pick them in the first place? Pulling strigs and berries off the
bush seems obvious but it leaves you with your problem - you are
effectively picking them twice.
The whole process is much quicker if you combine picking and pruning -
you cut out the whole branch with the berries still on, take them away
and then remove the berries whilst sitting out in the sun or in the
kitchen. Its much easier then to take the berries off tidily and remove
stalks at the same time. And you've done the pruning, removed older
growth and any pests/deseases, the new growth will benefit from the
light and space and all that remains is a bit of tidying up after the
leaves have dropped and you can see the bush.

cheers
Jacob

PS that's blackcurrants. I don't grow red. I think the pruning is
different.


All this is making my mouth water.
You don't often see them on sale, so maybe the industry can't come up
with a method either

Stuart Noble wrote:
normanwisdom wrote:
normanwisdom wrote:
Chris J Dixon wrote:
ironer wrote:

Over the years I've tried quite a few ways of speeding up the process
of (de)stringing red and black currants, none very successful. IMHE it
can take 3or 4 hours to string.just half an hour's picking.

Freezing them and then rolling or stirring to try to knock the stalks
off didn't work. Immersing them in water to separate out the chaff &
dud berries gave reasonable results, but the cook doesn't like wet
fruit. Rolling them over a board with holes to allow singletons to
drop through is only moderately successful.

Have you tried pulling the strings through the prongs of a table
fork?

Chris
How do pick them in the first place? Pulling strigs and berries off the
bush seems obvious but it leaves you with your problem - you are
effectively picking them twice.
The whole process is much quicker if you combine picking and pruning -
you cut out the whole branch with the berries still on, take them away
and then remove the berries whilst sitting out in the sun or in the
kitchen. Its much easier then to take the berries off tidily and remove
stalks at the same time. And you've done the pruning, removed older
growth and any pests/deseases, the new growth will benefit from the
light and space and all that remains is a bit of tidying up after the
leaves have dropped and you can see the bush.

cheers
Jacob

PS that's blackcurrants. I don't grow red. I think the pruning is
different.


All this is making my mouth water.
You don't often see them on sale, so maybe the industry can't come up
with a method either

http://www.blackcurrantfoundation.co...fo.aspx?Id=210

In message , Chris J Dixon
writes
ironer wrote:

Over the years I've tried quite a few ways of speeding up the process
of (de)stringing red and black currants, none very successful. IMHE it
can take 3or 4 hours to string.just half an hour's picking.

Freezing them and then rolling or stirring to try to knock the stalks
off didn't work. Immersing them in water to separate out the chaff &
dud berries gave reasonable results, but the cook doesn't like wet
fruit. Rolling them over a board with holes to allow singletons to
drop through is only moderately successful.

Have you tried pulling the strings through the prongs of a table
fork?

Aah - the elderberry trick

--
geoff

In message , raden
writes
In message , Chris J Dixon
writes
ironer wrote:

Over the years I've tried quite a few ways of speeding up the process
of (de)stringing red and black currants, none very successful. IMHE it
can take 3or 4 hours to string.just half an hour's picking.

Freezing them and then rolling or stirring to try to knock the stalks
off didn't work. Immersing them in water to separate out the chaff &
dud berries gave reasonable results, but the cook doesn't like wet
fruit. Rolling them over a board with holes to allow singletons to
drop through is only moderately successful.

Have you tried pulling the strings through the prongs of a table
fork?

Aah - the elderberry trick


I though we were now using harmonised currants - so that should read stringing
blue and brown :-)
--
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