A lot of the reading material about cheese making says to use a double boiler to heat the milk and curds. On this forum, however, I've read about several experienced people using a single heavy duty stock pot. I would like to use a heavy duty single stock pot. I have a very heavy duty pot and I am wondering if it would qualify as a suitable pot for making cheese. It is a Le Crueset cast iron, very heavy Dutch oven. Those of you into cooking would know this product. It's the Mercedes Benz of cookware, made in France and is used on all the coking shows on TV. My wife can hardly lift it. The metal on the sides is about 1/8" thick and on the bottom thickens up to at least 1/4". Its volume capacity is just right for the small batches of cheese I want to start out making. So, my question is: Can I use this Le Crueset Dutch oven for my cheese making instead of a double boiler? Thanks.
Cast iron is not good for making cheese. You should use stainless steel.
IMHO those pots are enameled inside out so they should suit for cheese making.
I have a very nice stainless steel heavy bottom pot, 18/20 thickness. Unfortunatly, it only holds 1 1/2 gal max. I did extensive research for comparable pots online, the cost is insane (average of 100.00$ for 16qt).
So, i went the other way. i already had a 30qt aluminum that I use for my waterbath canning, i found an inexpensive 16qt online, and i double boil. it really is not as hard as it sounds. i was overwhelmed my first time, but it gets easier.
one note....my 16qt only holds 2 1/2 gal because the rivets on the handles leak....i DO NOT recommend the Imusa brand ss stockpots!
so good luck, and i hope this helps!
Quote from: Sailor Con Queso on April 02, 2010, 01:48:01 PM
Cast iron is not good for making cheese. You should use stainless steel.
Thanks for the feed back. Could you tell me what is it about cast iron that makes it bad for cheese making. I do have a stainless steel pot, and several other pots (not as thick). What should I look for in these pots to see if they are suitable for cheese making? Thanks.
Cheese is acidic and contains a ton of bacteria. Cast iron and acid do not do well together and many health code regulations require stainless. Cheese really isn't "cooked" to a very high temperature, so any stainless will do. Thicker is nice, but not necessary. Go with what you have.
I would think as long as the enamel does not have any chips that your Le Crueset would be fine.
Sailor - the pot he is referring to enamel lined , the cast iron would not come in contact with the milk. http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/en-us/Products/Enameled-Cast-Iron/ (http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/en-us/Products/Enameled-Cast-Iron/)
Quote from: Sailor Con Queso on April 02, 2010, 04:44:51 PM
Cheese is acidic and contains a ton of bacteria. Cast iron and acid do not do well together and many health code regulations require stainless. Cheese really isn't "cooked" to a very high temperature, so any stainless will do. Thicker is nice, but not necessary. Go with what you have.
Sailor: 1) Are you telling me I can use any kind of stainless steel pot and the thickness is only a preference and not a requirement? 2) Why do I keep reading about double boilers with respect to cheese making? and 3) Deb . . . yes it is enamel lined but, to be honest, the enamel has rubbed off in the center of the bottom surface and the iron is exposed.
Umgowa, i had the same question not too long ago....It was explained to me that direct heat is very hard to control with regards to scalding or heat pockets. I have done it both ways, and I think it depends on the type of cheese you are making. that is the one thing i really liked about rikki carrol's book...suggestions as to what type of heat to use.
Quote from: padams on April 02, 2010, 07:50:34 PM
Umgowa, i had the same question not too long ago....It was explained to me that direct heat is very hard to control with regards to scalding or heat pockets. I have done it both ways, and I think it depends on the type of cheese you are making. that is the one thing i really liked about rikki carrol's book...suggestions as to what type of heat to use.
I'm making Gouda . . what do you suggest for a pot?
Stainless steel. Heat it in your kitchen sink. No danger of scalding the milk. All "meso" cheeses heat to 101F or less, so heating in the sink is easy. Gouda is a "washed curd" cheese. Read the recipe and heat the hot water on your stove - pot doesn't matter.
I use stainless steel; and yes, expensive, but if you make a lot of cheese, it is worth it. However, the the Le Creuset, in my opinion should be fine as it is well-insulated, so perfectly fine for making cheese.
Okay, might as well chime in.... :)
Two concerns:
- The cast iron cooker is heavy enough already. If you plan on moving it while it has milk in it, that may be difficult. I have a 6-quart Lodge dutch oven (similar to the French item, but made in the U.S.A.) and it is heavy. I wouldn't consider making cheese in it when better alternatives are available.
- The chance of scalding the milk on the bottom of the dutch oven is there.
Sailor has some good points:
- iron & acid = bad mojo (a chip in the enamel perhaps?)
- warm your milk in a small, lightweight stainless steel pot in the sink
I have done the double boiler approach and the sink-warming approach and both work just fine. Stainless steel pots in both cases.
-Boofer-
Glass is or corningware another option if you have one big enough.