Chinois strainer

I say the finer the better with a China Hat. If I need something more open, I'll grab a round sieve. If I need something finer, I'll track down a coffee filter.

 

Chinois is one of my most valued kitchen possessions.

If you have a particular use in mind, I'd purchase one for that use.
90% of the time, I use it to smooth pureed soups and sauces.

I agree with ChefRay about coffee filters.
I'd add a case of cheesecloth to your purchase for the step in between.

 

Check your local restaurant supply store, you should find a decent mesh chinoise for under $50.00. I've also seen smaller ones at my local supermarket and at ktichen gadget shops

Coffee filters do work, but they are sslloooooww, and they are prone to overfowing or bursting. Jelly bags work quite well, either nylon or cotton.

If all else fails, get some new cloth baby diapers. I'm not kidding here, I've used them on many an occasion......

 

Multi layered cheesecloth.

 

The unbleached filters are less prone to rupture. They are quite slow though. I usually use them for final plating of a consomme rather than bulk stock making. They really are too slow for any kind of great volume.

 

"from my understanding a chinois strainer is much more expensive then a china cap but much more finer which is needed for stocks"



That is correct. A Chinois and a China cap are not the same piece of equipment. The only similarity is shape. A China cap is typically made from solid SS and is drilled so in essence it's a SS cone shaped colander.
A Chinois is also usually made from SS but has a band of solid SS around the opening and the cone is made from a fine SS mesh.
I agree with FP on Coffee filter use.... S L O W. I suspect most of us are talking about coffee urn filters due to the size. The other issue with coffee filters is that they are totally impractical for any thing that you might need to press through a fine screen. You won't be making raspberry sauce by pressing it though a coffee filter. The other problem with a coffee filter is they cog easyily which can be a RPITA depending on what you are doing.
For home use you can get small fine mesh strainers at any kitchen supply. Sur la Table and Williams Sonoma will have them. The diffence between a mesh strainer and a chinois will be the shape, size, price and a chinois often has a reinforcing band around the mesh to support it when pushing a product through with a ladle.
For most they will be all you ever need at home.



Rosle Fine-Mesh Kitchen Strainers - Sur La Table

 

I love this forum. I always learn about products I must have but never knew existed

 

Most, if not all French products are priced high because the labour cost is so high.

That being said the French quality is very good. The Asian chinoise are usually tin plated or galvanized, but the mesh cone IS s/s, and the cone is usually crimped into the body, where as the French is siliconed in.

If you're using it daily and using it hard, go for the French, if not the Asiab oe will do nicely.

A stand for a chinoise? We always used a #10 tin can with both ends cut off.....

 

Depends....

If the Chef is screaming at you, and your girlfriend just left you, and you're straining, say, cream of aspergus soup through the chinoise and pushing up and down with a ladle, then, yes the crimped edge won't last as long as the siliconed one.

Other than that, I'd go for the cheaper one....

 

Why not something like this?

Matfer - 017360 Exoglass Bouillon Strainer

It's French, I've seen it used in professional kitchens, and it doesn't break the bank. Never used it myself, but I'm thinking of buying one.

 

it's simple, get a china cap and a fine mesh chinois.....not extra or super fine or anythign else

supplement with coffee filters when needed.......and never strain a consomme with cheese cloth or you will have wasted all your time clarifying it. I work in a professional kitchen and we have a box of cheese cloth that very rarely gets touched.


those two piece of equipment and filters will make you extremely flexible in your straining needs

also, rereading some posts, go for one-piece construction, crimped designs alwasy fail.....try and get galvanized models that have a handle with a brace that follows under the mesh

 

For straining my stocks, I first use a pan shaped wire basket that's actually meant for deep frying. The mesh measures approximately 1/4 inch and is sufficient for preliminary straining of the bones and giant pieces of vegetables. And it costed me less than $10. For the secondary straining, a fine mesh strainer is used.

 

I just spit coffee all over my desk laughin......