We have constantly mentioned cheesecloth in cheese, soup and poultry recipes but its clear that few people can clearly define what it is. Fewer are those who know how to use cheesecloth. So, what is cheesecloth used for in these and other recipes? Well, this being a common question, we found it necessary to discus 20 uses for cheesecloth in the kitchen and beyond and help you make the best of it in your kitchen and when undertaking outdoor activities.
What Is Cheesecloth?
Cheesecloth is a loosely woven cotton resembling gauze. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was very popular in the shirt making industry. Today, its popularity is in the kitchen where it has endless uses.
Traditionally, cheese cloth was only used to make cheese. This is because it hardly disintegrates when stretched while holding wet items. This is the same characteristic that makes it very popular in modern kitchens. Today, cheesecloth uses extend far beyond the kitchen.
Cheese cloth is available in different grades that include Grade 90(44×36), Grade 60(32×28), Grade 50(28×24), Grade 40(24×20), and Grade 10 (20×12). Grade 100 cheesecloths are also available in local and online markets. The grade is defined by the threads per square inch.
What Is Cheesecloth Used For Inside And Outside The Kitchen?
It comes as no surprise that there are numerous and amazing uses for cheesecloth. The gauzy fabric that is easily found in food and convenience stores can be used in hundreds of ways both in the kitchen and outside the kitchen. Without further ado, let’s walk through 20 uses for cheesecloth that are common inside and outside the kitchen.
10 Common Uses For Cheesecloth In The Kitchen
Now that there are numerous recipes that use cheesecloth, lets discuss ten of the common ways on how to use cheesecloth in the kitchen and bring out the magic in every recipe.
1. Making Sachets
Cheese cloth is commonly used in making sachets. These are little pouches of aromatics and herbs. The sachets are used in adding flavors. They are a perfect way of adding food flavors as they do not add significant amounts of sodium or calories in foods and beverages.
With the cheesecloth or one of the cheesecloth alternatives in place, one can comfortably drop the sachets in soups and stocks knowing that they will be easy to remove. The sachets are also used as tea bags.
2. Straining Milk Products
Cheese cloths are quite essential in milk products straining such as yogurt and cheese butter. The thin fabric makes it possible to remove the whey leaving a consistent fluid. Using the cloth stands out as one of the easiest yet efficient thickening methods.
3. Pressing Tofu
To get that extra firm tofu, you need to squeeze out water. Cheese cloths come in handy in the pressing process. Pressing out the water gives the tofu more room to take marinades making them crispier.
4. Wrapping Citrus Fruits
Lemons and other citrus fruits are common ingredients in most recipes. These fruits will last long especially when stored in the right place and manner.
Cheesecloth comes in handy in the storage of citrus fruits. It is even more helpful when using the fruits in recipes. However, many people remove the seeds and that’s where the cloth comes in.
5. Dusting
Dusting gives foods that fine finish. It’s normally used with cookies and cakes that are dusted with icing sugar or cocoa. With a piece of cheesecloth, the dusting process becomes easy.
6. Cleaning
Cleaning silverware doesn’t need to be troublesome. Cheese cloths are characterized with fine weaves that give enough friction to remove water stains as well as other gunk on cutlery.
A great way of improving the results is wetting the cloth and adding some baking soda. This gives a fine polish that restores the original shine.
7. Basting Poultry
A nicely done moist piece of turkey or chicken tastes so good. It makes great lunch and dinners and will have everyone asking for more. A great trick to get it nicely done is wrapping it in cheesecloth drenched in a mixture of olive oil, white wine and butter.
8. Covering Foods
Insects and bugs love tasty foods as much as we do. One of the most effective ways of ensuring that the bugs do not mess you meals is covering the food with cheesecloth. Cheese cloth covers burgers and barbecue perfectly and will also come in handy in outdoor kitchens.
9. Preparing Crispy Potatoes
Crispy potatoes are super sweet but there are few potato recipes that will help you make delicious treats at home. Well, we got you covered. One of the tricks that will get you crispy potatoes with almost any recipe is having a piece of cheesecloth as the additional tool.
Cheese cloths play the trick of draining maximum water from the potatoes giving them the coveted crispy texture. You just need to make a bag with the cheesecloth, place the potatoes inside and wring the bag to draw out the water. Your potatoes will easily make crispy and delicious treats.
10. Brewing Coffee
Coffee is a favorite drink for many across the wild. Everyone wants to have the highest quality coffee but few people know how to make tasty coffee. This leaves them with the only option of visiting the local espresso joint. This needs not be the case as all you need to have is a piece of cheesecloth. You may also need to learn how to use cheesecloth and re-use it after cleaning.
One of the amazing uses for cheesecloth in coffee making is the removal of the finely ground coffee from cold brewed coffee. This requires you to use a number of cheese cloth layers. High grade cheesecloth may be very effective as you just need a few layers for the perfect outcome.
10 Uses for Cheese Cloth Outside The Kitchen
Having learnt how to use cheesecloth in the kitchen, it’s also important to know you you can use cheesecloth outside the kitchen. Cheesecloth fabric has numerous uses outside the kitchen. To wrap up the 20 uses for cheesecloth, let’s briefly discuss 10 of the common uses outside the kitchen.
11. Regulatory Testing
Cheese cloth is used in regulatory testing. Here, it is used to wrap the electrical product before power can be switched on. If nothing happens to the cheese cloth even after the product is spifflicated, the product passed the test. The product fails and is rejected if the cloth is charred or burnt.
12. Manufacture Of Summer Clothing
The grade 90 cheese cloth is used in the manufacture of summer clothing. The great fabric qualities make it ideal for summer clothes. With this cloth, it’s easy to make light and breathing cloths for the hot weather.
13. Plano Graphic Printing
Plano graphic printing from a stone or metal surface and intaglio from engraved plates use cheese cloth to wipe out smeared paint.
14. Halloween Decorations
Cheese cloths are also used in Halloween decorations. These pieces will make great decorations and will be perfect while on a budget. They can easily be cut and painted in gray stains bringing out the cobweb theme. Red shades may also be used to make sudden dry blood patch simulations.
15. Cleaning With Vacuum Cleaners
Home cleaning with vacuum cleaners is the modern and smart cleaning technique. The results will be perfect with the use of cheese cloths. The cloth is used on the nozzle. As the machine sucks in dust, the cloth controls the entry on huge dirt particles into the machine. This improves the machine’s performance and extends its life.
16. Making Bed Linens
What about making bed linens? Cheese cloth pieces can be dyed and used to make beautiful linens. The strands can also be used to design trendy curtains.
17. Bag/Pouch Designing
A creative way of using cheese cloth is designing small pouches or bags. These are similar to those sold in convenient stores for drying herbs. The only difference is that making them at home allows you to make customized bags and give them that personal touch. It is also a cheaper option.
18. Drying Of Glass Articles
Cheesecloth comes in handy in drying of glass articles. Cheese cloth doesn’t streak glass and can thus be used to dry the glass without a flaw.
19. Making Mosquito Nets
An ingenious way of using cheesecloth at home is making mosquito nets. The thin fabric will keep the dangerous insects at bay but still allow free flow of air. It is a great option when going out camping.
20. Insect Restraint
Camping can be disastrous if you do not have ways of keeping insects away from your food. With a piece of cheese cloth, you can always keep your food safe.
Take a wrecked umbrella, hack the handle off and fix the cloth on the wire chassis. This gives you a fine dome that you can use to cover your food while in the campsite.
Conclusion
There are countless uses for cheesecloth and it only takes a creative mind to innovate yet another way to use this piece of fabric. Feel free to explore these among other uses such as survival cheese cloth uses and make use of this precious piece.
Though you may have bought the cheesecloth to age cheese or strain yogurt, you may also use it for other purposes. It ought not to lay collecting dirt in your kitchen shelf.
Normally, the cheese cloth will be a huge piece and you may just need a small piece for your foods. Why not try some creative ways of making use of your cheesecloth?