Author Topic: Vat - Stockpots  (Read 15394 times)

Cheese Head

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Vat - Stockpots
« on: May 17, 2008, 02:23:41 PM »
Our standard kitchen set of saucepans-pots max's out with a 1 US gallon sized stockpot, good for 1 US gallon size jug of milk resulting in ~18 oz/0.5 kg hard cheese. While I do have a 3 gallon stockpot it is aluminum which is not recommended for milk products.

To make bigger home batches of cheese I need bigger and preferably double boiler stockpots, thus I ordered from Amazon USA this set for USD30 including tax and free thus slow shipping.

Box arrived 6 days later and as expected they are thin with bottoms the same thickness as walls. But to act as nested double boilers for warming milk they are perfect and they stack down small with next size smaller lids going inside bottom of previous pot, except largest lid of course. When used as double boiler, the clearance is about 1 in/2 cm on bottom and 1/2 in/1 cm on each side. Only negative is labels don't peel off well.

Box said Made In India and that useful for several types of cooking but they forgot making cheese! Maybe they don't make cheese in India? Great value for USD30!

UPDATE #1 @ Dec 2008 = Stockpot description says largest is 20 US quarts, but only fits 4 US gallons, 16 quarts and totally full to brim. Not happy.

UPDATE #2 @ Jan 2009 = Largest stockpot now leaks from handle rivet holes on both sides, making the advertised 20 US quarts only good for 14 quarts, 3.5 US gallons. Not happy at all, Like salmac's post below, buy cheap, get cheap.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2009, 12:41:38 PM by Cheese Head/John »

DaggerDoggie

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2008, 11:13:35 AM »
Cheese making pots.  A 12-quart pot which fits inside the enameled pot as a double boiler.  The stainless pot just happens to rest perfectly on its handles about two inches above the bottom of the enameled pot.

The 50 quart stainless pot I use for batches calling for four gallons or more of milk.  I picked it up at a restaurant auction with the intention of making beer...I never have.  No double boiler here...I don't want another huge pot to deal with, this is already too difficult to clean,  It is heavy, and has a nice, thick bottom so it holds heat well and scorching has not been an problem.

SalMac

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2008, 06:33:00 PM »
I got these stockpots off ebay in the UK. I think theyre the same as yours CheeseHead

You got the better deal I paid STG 29.99 but that was a fraction of all other alternatives. comes in the 5 sizes 20l, 17l, 15l, 13l, 11l

Next stop BIG cheese!

With the double boiler method which size combinations work best? Nest the next size down or two down?

Cheese Head

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2008, 09:03:39 PM »
Mine work fine with next size down, I think it is only 1/2 "/1 cm between them so less water. That said I am lazy and have only used the double boiler once, rest of time I just use single and warm milk very slowly on gas ring and stir so minimize hot spots and don't burn/re-pasteurize. The only problem with them is that they are not teh size advertised on website or on box, largest was basically one size down, so biggest batch I can make is 3 US gallons.

Have fun!

Tea

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2008, 09:18:59 PM »
I prefer to use a double saucepan water jacket as I find I have better control of the cheese temps.  I also find that it gives a better all over heating of the curd, and that way I don't have to keep stiring to bring up the hot curd form underneath, and that way I don't over work the curd.
Maybe it's just me, but that's my preference.

SalMac

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2008, 09:27:28 PM »
A couple of Q's well <cough> apparently quite a few :-)

Did you notice any difference using the double boiler? I'm assuming not if you dont use it anymore.

3 gallons is 11 litres right? What kind of size cheese does that make?

Wonder what quantity of milk made Reg's alpine wheel? I dont think he mentioned that in the record.

Is it too big a jump to go from 5l to 20l in one go as a novice, should I try 10 l first (I normally make 5l at 1 go)?

Whats the optimal size do you think for a weekly home producer who wants cheese for the week but wants to build up a long term maturing 'bank' of really good cheese?

Dont worry if this is too overwhelming I'm trying to get a feel for the next step!

Sal

SalMac

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2008, 09:28:43 PM »
Thanks tea we cross posted :-)

Tea

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2008, 09:52:58 PM »
Ok Just checked Reg's post and he said that the cheese was 8 x 3 inches and he used 4 gallons.
10ltr give me a cheese 7 x 2 inches approx.
I think that John posted somewhere that a gallon was 3.8ltr so that would make 3 gallon 11.4lt.

Personally I don't think that 20lt is too big.  I started out making 10ltr and usually make that amount, unless I am wanting to trial a couple of cheeses, then I will make 2 x 5lt cheeses.  I really want to make larger sizes, but unfortunately 10lt is my biggest stock pot, and I would then need to get bigger hoops, so for now I try to be content with the 10lt size.

I don't know that there would be an optimal size for the home producer, as it would depend on how much cheese you eat/give away/sell to neighbours.  I am always running out of cheese, and I usually turn over 10 - 15lrs per week, but I have a large family.  John on the other hand, is waiting for cheese to be eaten, so he can make some more, and my friend makes at least 10-15ltr of cheese every day, as she supplies her family and friends, and her Maltese community with cheese.  I get her excess on the days that she doesn't want to make cheese.  ;D

And then there is the qestion of storing.  Either in a fridge of cave, and personally I don't have much room in either.

Just my thought.

SalMac

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2008, 03:25:23 PM »
OK valuable lesson just learnt. I decided to do 10l in a 17l bain marie.

I'm not sure I'm going to be able to lift a 17l pot of fluid out of a 20l bain marie on a waist height cooker on my own. Im only little :-)

Anyone got any experience about pressing cheese into tall fat tubes or flat  short wheels and their effect on affinage or taste?

Sal

Tea

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2008, 09:51:25 PM »
Hi Sal, the last monterey jack that I pressed is approx 8" x 4 1/2".  I had only done smaller rounds, and so this is my experiement as to how a larger cheese would mature, and what the difference in taste would be.
It is only about 3 weeks old at this stage, and I want to leave it at least another 2-3 weeks before I try it.
Again, sorry that I can't be of more help, it seems that we are both on the same quest here.

SalMac

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2008, 09:51:00 PM »
OK you clearly get what you pay for.

Here is a pic of the biggest stockpot (20l) I used this as a double boiler bain marie. After 1 use it has split, I hope you can see it. I cant remember seeing this happen when I was using it.

On the 17l pan the rivets that attach the handle leak.

We've fixed the leak and I'm now using the 20l pot for brining my bigger cheeses, so no real loss.

I measured the 17l pan it will only take 14.5 l

I might be wrong but having had a good look at the sereis I think they have used the same quantity of metal to make each pan so as they get bigger the metal is visibly thinner. If I weigh em I can probably establish that.

Just thought I'd share my experiences. Lets see how long they last :-)


Tea

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #11 on: September 20, 2008, 09:42:37 PM »
Sal that's terrible, I can't believe that would happen so soon.  Can you return them?  Thankfully you didn't have that pot full of cheese when it decided to split.  >:(

brandeeno

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2008, 08:28:33 PM »
all,
when doing the double boiler method, do you allow the water to touch the 2nd pot? classically when using a double boiler for cooking, melting butter, chocolate you do no allow the pot holding the food to touch the pot with boilding water.  this might be a different story when working with milk.
thanks

Cheese Head

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #13 on: October 25, 2008, 12:28:14 PM »
Hi Brandeeno

While I have enough pots to double boil, and the only time I used them as a double boiler I did allow them to touch. Frankly I am a bit lazy and just use a single stock pot on smallest ring on stove to warm the milk in. I heat slowly and stir so that no hot spots - scorching of milk, works fine so far.

Tea

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Re: Vat - Stockpots
« Reply #14 on: October 26, 2008, 09:55:18 PM »
Good morning Brandeeno.  I do prefer to have a complete water jacket around the curd, as I find that I get a better, more even temp that way, but that is my preference.