Bain marie

[Hande]

Hi,
Those bain marie seems very good for home cheese making.
Have someone experiences to use of those ?
Thermostat have value 30-90c ( 86-194f )  , which looks very good.
http://viewitem.eim.ebay.fi/Bain-Marie-BMH160-inkl-11-GNBehlter-und-Deckel/200560978992/item

Hande

[Caseus]

Looks like what we refer to as a portable steam table.  I believe I have seen pictures of people using those, maybe DeeJayDebi.  I know I've seen them in books.

They are designed (the ones I've seen here in the States) to keep food above 140°F (60°C).  I don't know if they would be capable of heating to boiling temperatures (e.g., for recooked cheeses like Ricotta).  I'd especially want to know how accurately a particular model could control temperature at lower heat levels.  Is the temperature regulation based on a direct measurement of the temperature of the food in the pan?  Does it have very low settings like 88°F (31°C)?


EDIT:  I see you listed the temperature range.  My question (to the manufacturer, perhaps) would be to what degree of accuracy.

[Hande]

Yes that thermostat is perhaps not so accurate, but it has possibility to low temp anyway.
I think that curd is easier to cut in vat like that.

Hande

[Tomer1]

The thermostate is likely attached to the heating unit measuring the temp of the water. 
Accuracy should adequate for cheesemaking however you should still use a thermometer in the vat. You will also need to learn the system reaction time\delay to nail the heating rate required when rising the temp to heat or cook the curds.
For example:
Going directly from 30c to 35c might take 2 minute and it might take 10 minutes.   you will need to "play" the temp controler.

[DeejayDebi]

I do use one and I love it. Mine is very easy to use and you learn pretty quickly how much to tweak the dial. Mine is open with an 8 inch deep pan so for for really high temperatures I just add a bit of water from my teapot or tap. What it does best is maintaining temperatures like a rock without tweaking.  It doesn't take much and is so much easier for me start to finish. Makes cutting curds really easy, draining, cheddaring etc. I use a beer hose (plastic food grade hose) to suck water out if needed and for draining whey.

I also use an external thermometer my dial only has harshmarks

[Caseus]

What is the capacity of yours, Debi?  Don't you lose a lot of heat because of the large surface area?  Do you cover it when heating or resting to help retain heat? 

[DeejayDebi]

That was an 8 inch pan and it holds 7 gallons. The 6 inch pan hold 4.5 gallons. The 4 inch pan holds a lot of baked ziti! No problem with the heat even in the dead of winter my kitchen does not have direct heat so it stays about 55 degrees in there. Does need a bit of help getting over 150F in the winter but that's jut a matter of adding tap water. Yes I cover it when I am waiting mostly to keep things out of it but in the winter it does help retain heat.

[Caseus]

Enough baked ziti or ricotta stuffed shells to feed a small army!  That could come in handy for big family gatherings. 

Sounds like a great option for home cheesemaking. 

[DeejayDebi]

I use the "Vat" for my small catering gigs too. I often do 5 or more trays of baked ziti or lasagna at a time in my Camp Chef Smoke Vault cabinet smoker. It's very popular here.

[heather s]

I'm on the hunt for a used one of these here in the UK as I've seen a few cheese makers use them here. I made cheddar and some soft cheese in one and it was great, I love the wide surface area. It made me realise how much I don't want a high deep vat when I eventually (hopefully) get a bigger system. So far I've managed to get a few new insert pans for a great price at a catering auction and am 'watching' 3 or 4 bottom systems on ebay, I've seen them go sometimes for a really good price. That's great to see the hose used, thanks so much for that tip.

[DeejayDebi]

It all get pretty heavy and my stove is not near my sink so this is perfect for me. I have a few 15 gallon pots I use for cooking sauce and pasta but on canjun cookers so I am taller then they are. For cheese is the house the are just to darned tall and  PITA to work with.