Cheesecloth - How Sanitize & Use Wet Or Dry?

[mgable]

I am going to make my first hard cheese a peper Jack and am wondering about the cheese cloth. Do you sanitize it and use it while it is still wet?

[Cheese Head]

Good question!

Mine I clean by washing in clothes washing machine and then drying in clothes dryer and store for ready for next use. Sadly, no sanitizer. However, assuming rinsed, I see no reason the cheesecloth needs to be dry before using.

Make sure you pull it straight up tight around cheese to minimize ridges in rind of cheese from folded cheesecloth.

[zenith1]

Hi-I always wash my cloths out by hand after use. Then before use I rewash them making sure to rinse well a couple of times and then I boil them right before I use them. I haven't had any problems with contamination. It might seem a little time consuming to be this anal, but it would be a shame to lose a wheel after several months of agin :)g.

[DeejayDebi]

You should pick up some sanitizer but boiling water works. Throw the cheese cloth in boiling water for about 5 minutes and then wring it out. Be sure to  drip it in the whey before using it. It will not stick to the cheese that way.

[susanne]

i wash it in hot soapy water, rinse out well and then put in the microwave. another idea would be ironing hot

[DeejayDebi]

i wash it in hot soapy water, rinse out well and then put in the microwave. another idea would be ironing hot

I didn't even think of the microwave and I zap my sponges all the time! DUH!

[cmharris6002]

I just wash and rinse after cheese making then add to my pot when I sanatize cheese making stuff for a new batch and use it wet.

The microwave is a great idea!

Christy

[FRANCOIS]

Soak your cloth in warm whey before using and it will help to keep curd from sticking.  The whey will help lower surface pH faster and toughen the rind...

[DeejayDebi]

Definately soak in whey! If you soak them in water they will stick like crazy!

[siegfriedw]

Another reason to soak in whey according to a cheesmaking class I took is that then it will be at the same temp as the curd.

[susanne]

i will try the whey soaking tomorrow. so far i have avoided the sticking to the cloth by start slow pressure and redressed before using more pressure.
nthanks for the tip

[cmharris6002]

Is it benifical to soak plyban in the whey to the lower surface pH? I use plyban in the press and have never had a problem with it sticking.

Christy

[FRANCOIS]

surface pH will lower by iteself, it's just that soaking clothes helps the process along.  Either way you are achieving the same result.  Depending on the recipe, I have dipped kadova molds in whey before hooping.  It always seemed necessary to flip, flip and flip again with them though. 

[DeejayDebi]

Yes I flip my kadova molds alot to prevent ridges.

[Cheese Head]

Francois, just so I understand when you are using Kadova molds, you are flipping them a lot at start of pressing to avoid curds sticking to them like recommendation to soak cheese cloth in whey correct?

So far (OK one use) I haven't had problem with curds sticking to my [urlhttp://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,1959.0.html]Kadova Gouda shaped molds[/url]. Just to avoid that, when does it tend to happen, any special cheese types?

Another reason to turn Kadova type molds frequently in early stage is as Debi says to avoid ridge from follower.