The 7 Different Cheesecloth Grades And Cheese Cloth Uses

Every time you mention cheescloth in a recipe, a question lingers; What is cheesecloth used for? Well, cheesecloth, as the name suggests, was originally designed to ripen/age and make  cheese. Over the years, cheesecloth has warmed people’s hearts across the globe and the uses for cheesecloth have also multiplied. Today, cheese cloths are now used in almost every industry.

What Is Cheesecloth Used For?

It’s important to understand some of the common cheesecloth uses. Many a times, you will hear people ask what cheesecloth is used for. You will even find others struggle to accomplish tasks at home, especially in the kitchen, yet they have a roll of cheesecloth lying in the pantry. This happens when you do not understand the different uses for cheesecloth. Cheesecloth has hundreds of uses and a creative mind can turn the hundred uses to a thousand uses. Basically speaking, cheesecloth uses are endless. Here are 6 common uses for cheesecloth;

1. Straining liquids

This is definitely the most common cheesecloth use. Cheesecloths are used to strain cheese as well as other liquids. Straining basically means separating the large pieces of plant fiber and pulp such as vegetables or spices such as bay leaves from the liquid. The end product will be a fine clear liquid on one hand and well drained solids on the other.

Cheesecloth has proven to be the favorite fabric when straining broth and soups. It is for this reason that it remains a favorite in most kitchens. Almost every cheesecloth grade will be useful in straining liquids but Grade 100 cotton Farm Cheesecloth has proven to be the best.

It is advisable that you understand the different cheesecloth grades and their use before embarking on any straining tasks. This way, you will be guaranteed of the best results. Some cheesecloths will strain or drain the fluid quite fast while others will take longer. This will be determined by the weave as well as the absorption. The material used may also come to play.

2. Bundling herbs

Making the best soup and refreshments depends on how you handle your ingredients. Top ranking chefs have their secrets in bouquet garni. These are easily prepared using a cheesecloth. Having cheesecloth to bundle your herbs will see you bring out the best of every recipe. You may use cheesecloth to bundle fresh or dried herbs. Some of the herbs that will bring out the best flavors when bundled with cheesecloth include parsley, mint, thyme and bay leaves. The cheesecloth makes it easy to remove the herbs before serving.

3. Thickening yogurt

We all love yogurt in different consistencies. Having cheesecloth at home makes it possible to serve different yogurt varieties tp everyone’s liking. Labneh and Greek yogurt are the commonly strained yogurt products. Straining gives them a thicker consistency. The straining process may take up to three days and this is when you will get to enjoy the natural cheesecloth aspect. The fact that cheesecloth is made from natural cotton fabric means that no flavors will be transferred to your yogurt even after such long hours.

4. Wrapping citrus

Citrus fruits are best served and stored wrapped in cheesecloth. The commonly used citrus fruits, in recipes, are lemons. When squeezing these fruits, you will need to wrap them using a cheesecloth. The cheesecloth will ensure that you collect all the seeds with ease. Once you are done cooking, the remaining pieces of such citrus fruits can then be wrapped with cheesecloth and stored. The cheesecloth will minimize exposure of the exposed flesh keeping the fruits fresh and juicy.

5. Feeding fruitcake

Before you feed on that fruitcake, what about feeding it first? Feeding in this context refers to the process of soaking the cake in alcohol or rum to flavor it and even extend its shelf life. The best way to go about it is soaking your cheesecloth in the liquid and wrapping the fruitcake. This will give you the sweetest fruitcake.

6. Cleaning utensils

Most of the cheesecloth uses will come when cooking but that’s not where the cloth’s usefulness ends. You will always find it useful even after you’ve had your meals. One of the ways you can use your cheesecloth after meals is cleaning utensils. Cheesecloth will leave your utensils sparkling clean. It removes even the stubborn stains.

What Are The Different Grades Of Cheesecloth?

Well, the diversified usage of cheesecloth calls for different cheesecloth grades and there’s no shortage of these grades. Let’s get our hands dirty and dig into the 7 common cheesecloth grades. We will discuss the uniqueness of every cheesecloth grade as well as it’s uses at length.

The 7 Outstanding Cheese Cloth Grades

Cheesecloth grades vary based on the number of threads used per square inch. The variety includes; Grade 10, Grade 40, grade 50, grade 60, Grade 80, grade 90 and grade 100 cheesecloth.

The grade makes all the difference in cheese cloth thus explaining the varying cheesecloth uses. These grades include;

1.      Grade 10 (#10) Cheesecloth

This is the cheesecloth grade whose weave is 12*20 threads per square inch. It’s renowned for its fast draping owing to the loose weave that allows efficient airflow. It tends to be airy, light and gauzy.

Grade 10 cheesecloth Uses include;
  1. Making scary Halloween decorations.
  2. Designers also use it in rustic wedding décor.
  3. Aging cheese
  4. Cleaning and polishing

2.      Grade 40 (#40) Cheesecloth

This cheesecloth grade is a little finer compared to grade 10. Its weave count is 12*24 threads in every square inch. It is grouped in the medium grade cheese cloth category. It ranks among the type of cheese cloth that has a considerably high absorbing capacity.

The Common Uses For Grade 40 Chesecloth are;
  1. Cooking, basting, straining and squeezing juices.
  2. Its also used in polishing surfaces, faux painting and wiping surfaces.

3.      Grade 50 (#50) Cheesecloth

This is the medium grade cheesecloth that brings in the compromise for those who don’t want to have open fabric offered by grade 10 yet aren’t comfortable with the fine gauze given by grade 90. The thread count per inch is 28*24. This makes it a little finer than grade 40.

Grade 50 Cheesecloth Uses include;

It is commonly used in;

  1. Wedding decors
  2. Cooking
  3. Draping
  4. Polishing
  5. Cleaning
  6. Straining

4.      Grade 60 (#60) Cheesecloth

Grade 60 cheesecloth is slightly different from grade 50 cheesecloth. Its thread count is 32*28 per square inch. It’s the best definition of high quality medium grade cheesecloth.

Grade 60 cheese cloth Uses include;

This makes it suitable for use in;

  1. Cooking
  2. Straining
  3. Wedding décor
  4. Crafts
  5. Staining

5.      Grade 80 (# 80) Cheesecloth

The fine weave grade 80 cheesecloth has 40*32 threads in every square inch. This gives it extra fine mesh that can comfortably sieve even the smallest particles. The fine weave also makes the fabric very strong and durable.

The cheesecloth can be used several times(Recycled and re-used). It’s easy to wash and reuse.

Uses of Grade 80 Cheesecloth include;
  1. Cheese making
  2. Cooking
  3. Straining and filtering
  4. Crafting
  5. Staining
  6. Dress making

6.      Grade 90 (# 90) Cheesecloth

Grade 90 cheesecloth ranks among the finest cheesecloth grades. It is very similar to grade 100 cheesecloth and if not careful you may confuse the two. Its thread count in every square inch is 44*36. This makes it very fine. The huge number of threads also makes the fabric very strong and durable. This characteristic gives it great versatility thus its use in numerous areas.

Uses of Grade 90 cheesecloth include;
  1. The cheesecloth can be used as bandages
  2. Used in making of tea bags
  3. Makes excellent mosquito nets
  4. Useful in cooking
  5. reliable filter
  6. Cheese making
  7. Used in dress making
  8. Functions as butter muslin
  9. Used for binding

It is very durable and can be washed and reused for a number of times before it’s rendered useless.

7. Grade 100 (#100) Cheesecloth

Grade 100 cheesecloth is not your common cheesecloth. This is premium grade cheesecloth that is specially woven to achieve the characteristics of the best cheesecloth grades in the market. The cheesecloth is made from 100% natural cotton. The cotton is tightly woven to achieve 54 x 46 threads per inch. This is a very tight and fine weave thus making it very efficient for dense filtering and straining.

The fine weave enables grade 100 cheesecloth absorb moisture thus suitable for wiping and polishing tasks. Other outstanding uses for grade 100 cheesecloth include straining cheese, yogurt, honey, tea, coffee, bone soup, pressing tofu, basting poultry, wrapping fruits, straining nut milk and kombucha. It has numerous outdoor uses and being a thick fabric may be used for making summer dresses.

Most grade 100 cheese cloths will be available in their natural unbleached state. This makes them food safe and can be cleaned and re-used. Some brands have gone the extra mile of providing hemmed grade 100 cheesecloths. However, you do not need to worry if the hemmed cheesecloth isn’t available for you. The cheesecloth can be cut into pieces with ease without the worry of fraying out or leaving residues in your food. You will thus have an easy time using this cheesecloth.

Conclusion

Cheesecloth grades make all the difference in the cheesecloth selection and the quality of its output. These grades range from the lowest, grade 10, to the highest, grade 90. They have various uses and you can always select the grade that is best suited for your needs.

We hope that our review of the 6 common cheesecloth grades helps you make better and informed decisions when buying your cheesecloth. You can also check out some of the best cheesecloths that we have reviewed for excellent results inside and outside your kitchen.