JR Ultra Juicer FAQ
Masticating juicers are built and designed differently to standard centrifugal juicers. They produce a greater juice output and a more nutritious juice.
However, because they are designed differently, it is important that for the best results they are used slightly differently.
Below are some of the more common questions and answers for the JR Ultra Juicer.
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My juice is a little pulpy, how can I fix this?
1. Make sure the orange rubber plug is fully inserted into its slot underneath the juice bowl. This part is removable to assist with cleaning but it is easy to forget to re-insert it. It acts as a pressure point to ensure pulp ejects from the pulp tube.
2. The outlet can sometimes get blocked if you feed the juicer too quickly. Please try slowing down the rate at which you insert produce into the juicer. You should not hear the auger straining; this will reduce the juicing efficiency and allow pulp to build up. Slow down and add one piece at a time for optimal juice extraction.
3. For JR Ultra Juicers which require pre preperation of produce, cutting your product into small, 3 to 5cm pieces is optimal for juicing and reducing pulp. Add one piece at a time and allow it to process. It is normally unnecessary to use the pusher on any of the JR Ultra juicers. If you are feeding at the right tempo the JR Ultra will simply take the produce by itself. If you have to push produce in you may be adding too much at a time.
4. Make sure you refrigerate your product prior to juicing. This will also give you a less pulpier juice.
5. Please also check that the silicon wiper blades have not worn.
6. Some of the more fibrous ‘stringy’ vegetables can add to the pulp of the juice. This can be remedied by simply pouring the juice through a fine strainer.
7. Green leafy food is certainly more difficult to extract and can clog the JR Ultra if too much is put in too quickly. This is because leaves have very little bulk and lots of fibre. The lack of bulk means the pulp is more difficult for the juicer to remove from the system. To help prevent clogging from leaves and celery, etc. It is best to juice a few leaves first followed by a few sections of bulkier foods like carrot or beetroot to help push the pulp through. Then add more leaves followed by more carrot and so on. Alternating between the food types will help to prevent clogging and will also reduce the amount of pulp in the juice.
8. Remember, leaves have very little bulk and thus are more difficult to juice for any juicer. To get the best juice extraction from leaves the best way to insert them into the JR Ultra is to grab a few leaves and roll them tightly into a ball or cigar shape. This makes the surface area larger, makes the leaves bulkier and gives the Auger something to squeeze against. Leaves that have not been rolled have more chance of clogging the system.
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Do I need to core apples before juicing?
When using a JR Ultra juicer that requires pre chopping of produce, it is best to core apples.
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What are the best apples for juicing?
We find that chilled granny smiths, are the best. Besides tasting gorgeous they are slightly firmer and better to juice with.
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Do I need to peel citrus fruits before juicing?
Yes. Firstly, the JR Ultra is not a peeling device and secondly juiced citrus peel doesn't taste that great. Also, we've found that attempting to juice whole pieces of orange and lemon peel can clog the JR Ultra and make using the machines much more difficult.
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Do I need to refrigerate fruits and vegetables before juicing them?
Apart from tasting better when juiced, refrigerated fruits and vegetables will provide a higher yieldof juice than room temperature product. This is because the fibre in refrigerated product is firmerwhen chilled and consequently provides more juice when crushed in the JR Ultra compared to a softer/warmer fruit or vegetable.
For these reasons, we strongly recommend refrigerating all products you plan juicing in the JR Ultra.
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What's the best way to prepare nuts for making nut milks?
We recommend raw almonds as the best nut (although it is actually classified as a kernel) for makingmilks with. All nuts should be soaked for 12-24 hours and then rinsed thoroughly before feeding intothe JR Ultra simultaneously with water – we have found that 250gms of dried nuts makes a good,creamy 1 litre of milk. Add more nuts to water for a creamier consistency.
Use only raw nuts and avoid any roasted/cooked nuts. Other nuts worth trying either in combination with almonds or alone are: brazils, macadamias, hazelnuts, walnuts and pecans.
We also recommend adding agave syrup, maple syrup, cacao nibs, dates (with stones removed),apple juice, cinnamon as sweeteners and flavour enhancers to your favourite nut milk.
Always use the juicing strainer for making nut and bean milk.
What can I juice with a JR Ultra and what should I avoid?
The JR Ultra can juice just about all types of fruits and vegetables except the below;
Coconuts
Seeds
Unsoaked/roasted nuts
Legumes
Sugar Cane
Anything frozen
Fish/Meat
Liquorice root or other woody materials
Dried herbs / spices
Stone fruit with stones in
If you're in doubt about something not mentioned on this list then drop us a line info@juicyretreats.com and we'll respond within 24 hours.
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Can I grind seeds, grains or legumes with the JR Ultra?
All of these require specialist mills for grinding. The JR Ultra is not capable of such a task and warranty will be voided if this is attempted and damage occurs to the JR Ultra.
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Can the JR Ultra make pasta?
No.
Can the JR Ultra make cold press olive oil?
This is a different process to juicing and requires different machinery. The JR Ultra is not able to make oils from olives or any other fruit/vegetable.
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My JR Ultra was working fine however it has suddenly stopped working?
This issue is almost always due to the top section not being put in place or aligned correctly. Please re-align the bowl and try again.
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How does the JR Ultra cope with fibrous items such as celery and vanilla pods?
The JR Ultra has no blades so some fibrous fruits and vegetables that have a "stringy" construction need to be pre-cut before juicing. Simply cut items to a short length of half an inch to avoid fibres getting wrapped around the internal mechanism.
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What's the best way to prepare fruits, vegetables and leafy greens for juicing in the JR Ultra Slow Juicer?
Vegetables
We recommend preparing your vegetables by cutting them into a size so that the pieces will just fall through the feeder chute without needing to be pushed down. Chop carrots into half-inch discs and all other root vegetables such as beetroot to a similar size.
(Update)
With the release of our new JR Ultra 8000 whole juicer you are able to add many more foods in their whole form. However, the principle extaction method is still the same as a standard slow juicer and so very large or thick root vegetables with a harder consistency should still be prepared slightly before juicing.
The instruction manual will direct you as to the best way to prepare your ingredients. It is mentioned that large root vegetables should be soaked first. However, this only applies if you are adding thicker roots whole. If you do not want to pre-soak root vegetables, simply follow the instructions and make a cut vertically down the centre to reduce the thickness, or if you don't mind a little more pre-preparation simply chop your root vegetables into smaller sizes. (of course the JR 8000 uses top of the range, extremely hard, yellow PEI plastic filters and is certainly capable of juicing all of these ingredients unsoaked and whole, but it is recommended to ensure the best care of the appliance that very large root vegetables be prepared properly)
IMPORTANT
All slow masticating juicers work differently to centrifugal models. It is important for the lifespan of all the parts on any slow juicer that food be inserted a little more slowly and the machine be allowed to work on each individual piece of food before the next is added. Using the pusher to push food down is not necessary. The pusher should only be used to reposition the food that is not being self fed by the auger. Pushing too much food into any slow juicer at once will cause more clogging and may cause damage to the filters. The JR 8000 is designed to feed itself at the correct pace. If you add food in its whole form to the juicer (especially harder root vegetables and spices) please allow the auger to take in the food at its own pace.
Fruits
Ensure you cut pieces into a size that will easily drop down the feeder chute. Remove skins from citrus fruits. If the JR Ultra becomes clogged then this can be remedied by feeding a different textured fruit or vegetable through.
Leafy greens
Roll leaves into cigar shaped parcels and then fold them in half, ensuring that the size is not too big for the feeder chute. You may notice with some shinier leafy greens that they can on occasion clog JR Ultra – this can be remedied by adding a few pieces of carrot or other fibrous vegetables which then clears the mechanism. Also, wet leaves will not pass through the juicer as well as drier leaves so when washing produce, pat it dry with a kitchen towel before inserting into the JR Ultra.
Green leafy food is certainly more difficult to extract and can clog the JR Ultra if too much is put in too quickly. To help prevent clogging from leaves and celery, etc. It is best to juice a few leaves first followed by bulkier foods like carrot or beetroot to help push the pulp through. Then add more leaves followed by more carrot and so on. Alternating between the foods will help to prevent clogging.
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Can I make frozen sorbets with the JR Ultra?
No.
The JR Ultra is not designed to crush frozen items and doing so will likely result in damage to the strainer which will not be covered by the manufacturers warranty. We understand that some folks have been doing this on YouTube with masticating juicers but they will inevitably end up breaking their machine by doing so and this is not covered by any warranty provided with this machine.
You can, however, use the JR Ultra Slow Juicer to prepare juice and then freeze to make a delicious sorbet or ice cream.
(Update)
With the release of our new JR Ultra 8000 and 6000 juicers, it is now possible to make frozen desserts, smoothies and sorbets. Please refer to the instruction manuals for these new machines to see how this is done.
Do you have Nut Milk information available?
Yes! Here goes...
Firstly, you should soak your preferred nuts (use RAW nuts not roasted) in water for between 4-12 hours and then rinse them. This removes the enzyme inhibitors (nature's protective coating) which makes for a plumper, easier to juice nut as well as a more digestible nut milk.
Almonds make the creamiest milk but require the longest soaking (overnight minimum) - we recommend experimenting with other nuts and combining them - pistachios and almond milk is amazing!
Generally speaking, 250gms of nuts will produce a nice creamy litre of milk. Of course this is all down to personal preference so simply add more nuts / less water for creamier milk or less nuts / more water for thinner milk.
Once you've soaked and rinsed your nuts, place them in a bowl and get a bottle of water containing your desired amount of water (we recommend a bottle as it's easy to maintain a slow and constant stream of water into the JR Ultra).
Now switch the JR Ultra on and start placing handfuls of nuts into the JR Ultra feeder chute whilst slowly pouring the water in at the same time. (please ensure that the normal juicing strainer is used for make nut and bean milk). The goal here is to be placing your last nuts into the feeder chute just as the water runs out. This takes a few times to get right but the results are well worth it.
Alternatively, after soaking the nuts, rinse and change the water in the bowl for fresh water so that the nuts are submerged. Using a ladel, add the nuts along with the water with the machine turned on. This is a good way to add an even amount of nuts and water at the same time and many find this way to be easier.
Flavourings:
So this is where the fun starts - you can simply add any of the following items in with the nuts and the JR Ultra will do a great job of blending them in with the nut milk... As with anything you put into the JR Ultra, pre-cutting larger items will deliver better results and fewer blockages
Dates (PLEASE remove the stones) - dates make a great sweetener for the milk without an overbearing taste - buy the moist plump organic ones from your local health store, avoid the harder mass manufactured varieties sold in colourful bags in supermarkets
Figs - chop small and remove the stalk
Fresh apple - chilled, cored Granny Smiths work best
Cinnamon - for best flavours get the bark rather than the pre-ground varieties. Soak for 4 hours and then rinse - this softens the bark and makes it easier for the JR Ultra to extract flavour from - go easy though as it's easy to overpower your milk with this stuff.
Dried fruit- pretty much any dried fruit acts as a great flavouring and sweetener for your milk - just cut into reasonably small pieces and experiment! Don't forget that dried fruits do have high sugar content so don't go too crazy! Less is more!
Vanilla- avoid the processed stuff and seek out some good quality REAL pods from your local health store / deli. Cut into 1cm pieces and juice at the same time as your nuts. We recommend 1 whole pod per litre of milk. Pre-soaking the pod for a few hours will deliver better results. Unlike the nuts, you can use the water you soaked the vanilla pod in as the water to make your nut milk with.
Pistachios- more than any of the other nuts, we've found that a 50/50 mix with almonds produces divine tasting nut milk with a beautiful pale green hue to it. Sweetened with raisins or dates and you'll have a drink fit for the Gods.
Cacao nibs- Cacao nibs are broken pieces of the cacao bean and the cacao bean is where chocolate comes from. Cacao in this form is really high in antioxidants and makes fantastic natural chocolate milk when processed through the JR Ultra with nut milk. The cacao nibs are naturally quite bitter and therefore may require some extra sweetening - dates are a good partner here, as is agave syrup. Soaking the nibs for 4+ hours will ensure max flavouring of the milk - we recommend starting with 2-3 tablespoons of cacao nibs and experimenting to your own tastes from there.
Agave Syrup- agave syrup is a great low GI alternative to sugar. It's very sweet and should be used sparingly - add to taste to your nut milk.
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Additional filtering:
The fibre that remains in the milk after processing through the JR Ultra is no doubt good for you. However, some people may find prefer a super fine milk without any fibre residue. You can quickly and easily achieve this by pouring the milk through a professional culinary filter net
Stringy Vegetables;
Certain Stringy Vegetables such as celery may produce a more fibrous juice; simply run the juice through a filter net for easy removal of this fibre
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My JR Ultra keeps jamming, how do I prevent this from happening?
The JR Ultra operates best when you find the right tempo at which to feed the fruits and vegetables down the chute and also the right size of fruit/vegetable. Also, allowing the juicer to self-feed is very important. You do not need to use the pusher other than to reposition food if the auger is not self-feeding. Do not ‘shove’ food into the feed chute. Simply add the food and allow the juicer to take it in and process before adding the next item.
Finding the right tempo comes with trial and error but listening out for the "scrunching" up of the piece you've just fed into the machine will tell you that the JR Ultra is ready for more. Remember, if you hear the auger straining, slow down slightly and add smaller sized pieces each time. Wait for the ‘scrunching’ to subside before adding more produce. With the JR Ultra like all masticating juicers it’s better to take your time to produce a better quality juice.
The general rule is that harder vegetables like carrots need a bit more time than say apples or oranges. However, allowing adequate time for every piece of food added to be processed is always good practise.
In terms of size, a small amount of preparation in advance of juicing will ensure optimal results and the fastest juicing. We recommend that all matter should be cut to a size where it can just fall through the chute without needing to be shoved.
If the machine does clog and cut out then you can simply hit the reverse button for 2-3 seconds and this will unblock the offending fruit/vegetable and you can then continue juicing by switching to forward.
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How long can I keep a JR Ultra juice for before it goes bad?
There's no specific answer to this as there are too many variables based on type of produce and storage method. We recommend drinking your JR Ultra juices immediately to enjoy maximum taste and nutritional benefits.
However, if necessary you can refrigerate juices: fruit juices tend to last longer from a taste perspective: 24-48 hours. For vegetable juice, unless you have vacuum storage containers we'd advise 12 hours max. At the end of the day, fresh juice should be consumed freshly made – all other options deliver sub-optimal results.
We've kept nut milks for 3 days refrigerated and they still taste great.The old rule applies that Mother Nature gave us - your nose - if it smells ok then it probably is!
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What's the best way to clean the JR Ultra and can I put the JR Ultra parts into a dishwasher?
Simply holding the parts under running water and wiping with a dish cloth immediately after juicing is the simplest cleaning method. You will most likely find following this method means you won't have to use washing up liquid – just keep an eye on your water usage though!
We do not recommend using a dishwasher. Using the method above is not only quicker but more effective as the juice and residue doesn't have time to dry on and stain permanently. Save yourself bother and always clean your JR Ultra as soon as you've finished using it.
On occasion you can soak the removable parts (not the base unit containing the motor!) in a baby bottle cleaning solution. This does a great job of removing some of the juice stains that can build up over time.
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I've got a technical issue with my JR Ultra, who do I call for assistance?
Please email info@juicyretreats.com outlining a brief description of the fault, how it occurred and any supporting photos if applicable. If this is a warranty claim then please provide a scanned copy of your receipt. We will respond usually within 24 hours.
Orange Rubber stopper on the underside of the drum - what purpose does it serve?
The rubber orange stopper acts as an ejection device for the pulp. When inserted into its slot, it pushes pulp out of the pulp tube and generally keeps the tube from blocking.
It's designed to be unplugged from the slot so that the ejection tube can be cleaned easily.
Always make sure you re-insert the plug prior to juicing. Attempting to juice without inserting the plug into its slot causes the JR Ultra to juice inefficiently and the pulp tube to become blocked.
It can be easy to forget this so get into the habit of checking on this before you juice each time.