Looking for a small cheese vat 5 gallon size for making 4 gallon recipes of cheese, would love a temperature controlled steam jacket type vat. Any suggestions?
Thank you.
If you are looking for a legal 3-A approved vat pasteurizer this is the only one that I know of and it is the one that I use. It works great but they are expensive.
http://www.microdairydesigns.com/ (http://www.microdairydesigns.com/)
Just use a stainless pot and heat in your kitchen sink.
Like Sailor said use a stainless pot in a sink or look up Souse Vide on the forum here. If you still want a vat loom here: http://www.microdairydesigns.net/pasteurizers-vats/ (http://www.microdairydesigns.net/pasteurizers-vats/)
Thank you all for replying, I am looking into Microdairy Designs :)
The Microdairy vat is great if you need to legally pasteurize, but if you're making cheese at home or don't need to pasteurize, there's no reason to spend $5k.
A big stainless steel pot on the stove or in the sink will work perfectly. Very little need for a temp-controlled water jacket if you're working with that much milk in a normal 70 degree kitchen - the temp just doesn't fluctuate that much.
Quote from: CountryCottage on May 01, 2018, 04:17:26 PM
Looking for a small cheese vat 5 gallon size for making 4 gallon recipes of cheese, would love a temperature controlled steam jacket type vat. Any suggestions?
Thank you.
I use a bain marie that has a temperature control unit built in, the trays I have hold 8Lt (2.12 gallon) for smaller batches and a 20Lt (5.28 gallon) but I make 18lt batches in. Works great, you have to take a bit of time to work out temp controller but this didn't take long.
sorry for bumping this old thread.
Has anybody ever tried using a bain marie directly as a cheese vat? Meaning without using any trays or pans .. looks like I could fit about 24 to 30l milk in that single basin and I also would get a drain for the whey for free.
Anything speaks against that idea (besides the need for good cleaning of the drain after each batch) ?
Thanks
Quote from: borisb2 on January 29, 2025, 10:16:14 PMsorry for bumping this old thread.
Has anybody ever tried using a bain marie directly as a cheese vat? Meaning without using any trays or pans .. looks like I could fit about 24 to 30l milk in that single basin and I also would get a drain for the whey for free.
Anything speaks against that idea (besides the need for good cleaning of the drain after each batch) ?
Thanks
I used this (https://www.webstaurantstore.com/avantco-w50-12-x-20-full-size-electric-countertop-food-warmer-120v-1200w/177W50.html) back in the day, with instructions by a member formerly active here, Iratherfly. Pretty involved diy as you had to rig a pid controller with components, etc. Now, with an inkbird and a submersible probe, it would be a breeze, imo.