Buchner filter/funnel

[twodogs]

just ordered a buchner filter/funnel with a vaccum pump to try different filtering of ingredients. looking for uses, ideas thoughts on the product formerly kept only in the chemistry lab.

cheers

[slkinsey]

Um... what is a Buchner filter/funnel, and what does it do? A brief google search seems to indicate that it is some kind of scientific equipment?

What, exactly, do you propose to filter? Could you, for example, puree tomatoes and then filter out the tomato water? Or would the filter be so fine that the flavor components wouldn't make it through?

[fifi]

Here are some pictures of Buchner funnels. They are fitted into a receiving vessel, usually a flask, that has an outlet fitting at the top so you can hook it up to a vacuum pump and pull a vacuum on the receiver. (I couldnt find a picture of the whole set-up.)

Note that there are two types. The ceramic ones have little holes in a flat plate in the base. The base is normally covered with a disc of filter material. The filtering characteristics of the filter disc determines the final results. There are filter discs capable of filtering out viruses. The fritted glass version at the bottom is not often used with a filter disc but the fineness of the frit determines what you filter out. Then there are the Millipore type where you do use a filter disc. That type is normally used in microbiology labs.

OK... End of Labware 101.

Now I am really curious what one would do with this in the kitchen? (And I am a labware freak.)

edit to add: Here is a Millipore set-up.

[twodogs]

consomme without a raft

remove extra fine protien particles from sauces

get vegetable essences and their residue use in soups, sauces, cakes, crusts

really get the grit out of shellfish liquor and not have to wait all day for the process for the vaccum pump pulls the liquid through

use to drain yoghurt, ricotta, squash, heavy cream for clotted cream or vegetable purees quickly

just a begining

cheers

[Mayhaw Man]

You could filter the beans out of chili

[fifi]

Or the slime out of okra?

The grit out of the shellfish liquor makes a lot of sense. If you have the glass frit type, be warned that cleaning the frit is a bitch.

[Mayhaw Man]

Beer labs tyically use millipore type discs to filter fresh beer and check for bacterial growth. Some kind of general media is used (there are ones that check for specific things, but that is not the oint-any growth means something was wrong downstream).

I never really though about using them for food projects, but it might be kind of fun.

Slime is an important component of the okra flavor profile. No true okra lover (that leaves you out, I believe) would ever think of employing any method to take out the slime.

[twodogs]

ive got one with filters thus allowing more versatility, i can get different grades and a much easier clean up, i'd rather spend the time cooking than cleaning.

cheers

[Katherine]

What size funnel did you get, and did you buy a flask and adapter for it yet?

We used to use all different sizes at work, both some small ceramic ones and large plastic ones.

The receiving flasks I used were up to 4 liters, but for what I was filtering (you don't want to know) I had to change the papers repeatedly as they clogged, which was messy. I recommend getting coarse (fast) filter paper discs to start, and plenty of them. Also, you might want to put whatever it is through a fine sieve to get the lumps out first.