chinois or cheesecloth?

[gavlist]

I've been trying to make some recipes from the French Laundry cookbook, and many of them call for filtering through a chinois. I'm not terribly excited about paying $50-$100 (I'd rather save the money for ingredients) and cleaning the thing sounds like a lot of work too.

What about using cheesecloth to clarify sauces, etc? Will that do the trick? I have no experience with a chinois, so any informed opinions would be welcome.

thanks

[goodeatsgal]

I used to use cheesecloth to strain my chicken stock but a lot of small pieces of bones and vegetables would go through the holes in the cheesecloth. I would have to re-strain using more cheesecloth and felt that it was such a waste. I finally sprang for a chinois (I bought it at a restaurant supply store where it was cheaper than Williams-Sonoma and other online places) and have been really happy with it. It's not perfect - the stock will still be a little cloudy from fine particles that get through. But for my uses, that's okay. It is, however, an odd shape and takes up a lot of room in the cabinet, so that may be a consideration.

I haven't used the chinois to clarify sauces, so I can't answer that question.

[Bada Bing]

Depending on the recipe and application, you might do well with a food mill that has interchangeable discs. But I agree with hotoynoodle and others who say that the chinois is usually not just about straining but also about pressing tiny solids through the mesh to lend body without adding skins and other fibrous stuff.

[gavlist]

thanks everyone.

another question, while we're on the topic... it seems like it might take a long time for some purees to filter though the chinois. Is this just something that requires patience? Do you use multiple strainers of increasing fineness to facilitate the process? Or do you tend to force them through with a spoon or pestle, or does this end up forcing the solids through as well?

[rabaja]

The easiest and most effective way to strain through a chinois, or china cap, is to use a small 1 or 2 oz ladle. Pressing down gently on the bottom of the strainer with the ladle will easily force out whatever you are straining. If large solids are involved, occasional dumping of strained solids is recommended.
When straining stocks, cooks will often use a china cap first to remove the large solids, then strain a second time through a chinois to remove smaller solids.
Easier on the wrists, more dishes for the dishwasher!

[c oliver]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/725330

The picture here might help you.

[rabaja]

Actually a china cap isn't a chinois, technically. The strainer with the very fine mesh screen is referred to as a chinois, the strainer with small pin point holes (which actually come in a variant of sizes) is referred to as a china cap.
I know this is probably up for debate for many, as they are often confused, but the chinois and the china cap provide pretty different services.

[abourget]

I respectfullly disagree. A chinois--sometimes also referred to as a china cap--is a conical shaped sieve. There are two basic designs: mesh strainer (also referred to as a boullion strainer) and perferated strainer. The china cap reference--I suspect--is an Eglish translation for people who are adverse to French.

[Bada Bing]

China cap vs. Chinois is a matter of community verbal usage, so the difference that rabaja notes is observed in many places, and not observed in some others. There is no master answer.

For my own part, I never call a fine mesh strainer a China cap, reserving that term for the perforated metal type.

[rabaja]

A chinois will give you no "chunks" to speak of. Are you thinking of a china cap, perhaps?
What's pressed through a chinois may be a little thick, depending on what it is, (ie;berry puree), but it is the best way to rid a sauce or broth or custard of all solids.
Often professional kitchens will utilize both a chinois and a layer of cheesecloth lining the chinois when straining. This is the best way to get a really velvety consistency, without even the smallest of solids.
I'd encourage you to seek out a good chinois, yes they are around $60 for a good one, but they should last a lifetime in a home kitchen. You will find many uses for it.
On the cheap side, you can get lesser-quality models at places like Kamei in SF for around $35. These are not as nice, but will do in a pinch.
Cleaning isn't so bad either, I find the amount of time I spend dreading the cleaning is worse than the actual act :).

[hotoynoodle]

china cap = chinois. depending on the size of the perforations you can still get bits of goodness in your liquid. as opposed to cheesecloth which will only give the barest of liquids.

[bolivianita]

You really can use either, I think, with the same results and it comes down to what you already stated cleaning and cost. A chinois will be useful in many other recipes and and if properly taken care of not need replacement whereas cheese cloth is for a one time use and then must be replaced. I personally never use either but use a very fine sieve and occasionally one of thoser euseable coffee filters. Ithink also it will depend on wjhat recipe you are doing. Restaurant presentation and at home presentation can be quite different.

[hotoynoodle]

forcing stuff through a chinois provides a thicker chunkier texture than what you'd get from cheesecloth. i have a set of fine mesh strainers that i bought ages ago that do the trick. although if you have a restaurant supply place near you or look on-line i'm sure you can get one for $20-30.