Chinois anyone?

[relbbaddoof]

I can think of at least two+ of you might have one (your responses will prove if I'm right), but do you recommend them?

I have my reasons for asking. OK, you've dragged them out of me. I have had occasion in the last two years to make clear soups. The first time around I strained twice through fine-mesh strainers, then, if greater clarity was required, used a coffee filter. (I know about cheesecloth, but don't always have it on hand, plus I really can't wash it out each time and it's expensive to toss after one use.)

The occasion for clear soups has risen again. Should I go chinois, and if so how hard are they to clean?

[MitchW]

They clean up pretty easy in the dishwasher.  But instead of spending that much of something you may use once a year, I'd suggest buying the cheesecloth.

[relbbaddoof]

Thanks. (You were one of the people I'd anticipated having had experience with one.) If it were a once-a-year use that would be one thing. But the last time the need for clear soups arose, it was a need that lasted twice-weekly for over 8 months. This time around the need may be similar.

[MitchW]

1 hour ago, relbbaddoof said:

Thanks. (You were one of the people I'd anticipated having had experience with one.) If it were a once-a-year use that would be one thing. But the last time the need for clear soups arose, it was a need that lasted twice-weekly for over 8 months. This time around the need may be similar.

Wow - in that case, purchase away.  However, I don't know that a chinois will give you clear soups; I know it will give you smooth soups.

What about a Spinzall? (Kinda kidding with this one).

[relbbaddoof]

1) Is there a particular brand of chinois you've used that you might recommend?

2) The Spinzall link says that denser material forms a puck at the bottom. I just got some broth from FK in Cambridge, just to check it out, and was puzzled by the solid mass near the bottom (it's still frozen so I can't investigate):

Wonder if they centrifuged and if that's the puck.

 

 

[splinky]

9 hours ago, MitchW said:

They clean up pretty easy in the dishwasher.  But instead of spending that much of something you may use once a year, I'd suggest buying the cheesecloth.

i love the fine mesh strainer/cheesecloth combo if i need super clear but usually a fine mesh strainer does enough. i have a small one and a wide mouth one. i had a really nice chinois (if it has the attached flat stand is is just called a bouillon strainer?) from dehillerin once and some helpful moron dented it in the dishwasher. 

[relbbaddoof]

1 hour ago, splinky said:

dented it in the dishwasher

Once dented, does it not work? I need to know all I can.

My needs are low volume but high frequency. I need only a cup or two of clear broth at a time, but, as I said, often. Typically I make a big batch (as I have just done), strain twice and store. Then I coffee-filter (if total clarity is needed in that particular serving) a cup or two. If the clarity does not have to be absolute I serve as is. My wondering was: if I used a chinois at the initial stage, might I be able to avoid the final, occasional filtering?

 

[MitchW]

I seriously think you'll need the final, occasional filtering if you're going for absolutely clear broth.  I like @splinky's idea as well; a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. It's quite simple to rinse and dry out the cheesecloth.

 

[bloviatrix]

I'm from the fine mesh strainer/cheesecloth school. You can buy a large roll of cheesecloth for not a lot of money. And if you want to re-use, rinse it in the sink and then put in the dishwasher.

[Anthony Bonner]

What about one of those superbags modernist pantry sells?

[relbbaddoof]

Didn't know about the superbags. Thanks.

Thanks also to other posters for the cheesecloth in sieve suggestions.

[backyardchef]

If you are planning to press the solids to strain, you may want to invest in a chinois. If it's just for straining, mesh strainer (with additional cheesecloth or coffee filter for extra filtering in a pinch). 

[relbbaddoof]

Yes, pressing the solids is a factor. On the occasions when I've used cheesecloth, as long as you use a triple thickness you can squeeze stuff out. Fine mesh strainers tend to be fragile -- at least mine are -- so pressing is tough. That was one reason I was thinking chinois.

[cinghiale]

In my email this morning from Japanese Pantry: Sarashi

[MitchW]

Even cheaper at MTC Kitchen, here in Manhattan!

https://mtckitchen.com/products/sarashi-cotton-cloth-alternative-to-paper-towels-12-8-x-330-7?_pos=1&_sid=352881513&_ss=r

Edited August 12, 2025 by MitchW

[StephanieL]

23 hours ago, backyardchef said:

If you are planning to press the solids to strain, you may want to invest in a chinois. If it's just for straining, mesh strainer (with additional cheesecloth or coffee filter for extra filtering in a pinch). 

That's exactly what N uses her chinois for--straining some of the fruit solids off (but not all) when she's making jam.

[relbbaddoof]

@MitchW, @backyardchef,
@StephanieL's N:

What brand do you recommend?

My needs are odd, as i said, and a chinois might not meet them, but it doesn't hurt to know stuff.

On my odd needs: I made a big batch of chicken soup Sunday night (with one whole chicken, one onion, one carrot, one leek, one clove, one bay leaf, two parsnips, six 1/2" chunks of ginger, and 30ish pepper corns -- sounds like an Rx bar). Normally there'd be garlic in the mix and some herbs, but these are verboten right now especially garlic (=gas). Double strained (and, with no cheesecloth on hand, squeezed with my clean, bare hands the bevishnu out of the coolish bones and veg to extract what goodness I could). Served, as-is that night (using fat-separator) with couscous, and new carrots freshly cooked (in the broth) and a few slivers of fresh ginger. The next night there was a need for clear broth, and just broth. So, after skimming off fat, I warmed some broth and coffee-filtered what I needed into about two cups of clear liquid.

As a side comment on coffee filtering versus other methods, the Internet informs me that the pores on coffee filters are about 20 microns in size. The finest modernist superbag pores are 100, I gather. Sarashi is unclear.

 

Edited August 12, 2025 by relbbaddoof

[backyardchef]

I think I mostly bought Winco because in the restaurant we beat them up pretty hard inside of 5gallon buckets with the back of a ladle so cost effective mattered. Given your use needs, I would think just making sure you got the mesh and volume size you need is most important and it will probably last you a good while. 

[relbbaddoof]

Thanks @backyardchef. You win the big prize of one cup of my filtered broth. We have to set up a convenient drop off point.

[relbbaddoof]

12 hours ago, cinghiale said:

In my email this morning from Japanese Pantry: Sarashi

You big spenders are clearly on an elite, advance-notice list. I only got my sarashi notification this afternoon. Luckily you hadn't bought them all.

[MitchW]

MIne doesn't have a brand on it. so I'm guessing I bought it in a restaurant supply place, as @backyardchef mentions above.  Winco works.

The restaurant supply store on Lafayette, at Houston, should have them.

 

[Orik]

On 8/12/2025 at 7:56 AM, MitchW said:

Even cheaper at MTC Kitchen, here in Manhattan!

https://mtckitchen.com/products/sarashi-cotton-cloth-alternative-to-paper-towels-12-8-x-330-7?_pos=1&_sid=352881513&_ss=r

But the surface area is smaller. Apples to apples the MTC one would be $32 were it the same size. 

19 hours ago, relbbaddoof said:

the Internet informs me that the pores on coffee filters are about 20 microns in size. The finest modernist superbag pores are 100, I gather. Sarashi is unclear.

 

There are 50 micron bags. 

https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Strainer-Filtering-Gasoline-Brewing/dp/B0B3RBF3FT/ref=sr_1_8?crid=P0RF4NS17LAH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Bbl5rmL-Yd9d9AXzZ9nErpYr1v5BODRPn5YJ18e3nOct1qU-j-BzyZFfFCXBSI4eML1JzjmrR1-SbnL1V_S3BHrcVgAYktCyYDwcKdwNesVt2KwX3Mfttd-KgR48nUjTLV_Nn0RTCjt2EiNX9tIOOzpHaHEYEmzCypMIdrqKcLXrIKIgAwsPOFx3j385uE4hHDDkUHSRM7-XAaW7hvKr-D1n07MaWJgyJ8-i6GVnXBY.weuT-hHW3l2leZz3W1MF8c7qyPvWSev6aPr8R4_4kE8&dib_tag=se&keywords=paint%2Bstrainers%2Bbag%2B50%2Bmicron&qid=1755095240&sprefix=paint%2Bstrainers%2Bbag%2B0%2Bmicron%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-8&th=1

[relbbaddoof]

Those uxcell bags go down to 0.5 microns. Hmmm.

[MitchW]

2 hours ago, Orik said:

But the surface area is smaller. Apples to apples the MTC one would be $32 were it the same size. 

You see, I was never that good at algebra geometry trig math!  Then again, the opportunity cost might be better by getting the one from MTC!

[StephanieL]

On 8/12/2025 at 12:13 PM, relbbaddoof said:

@MitchW, @backyardchef,
@StephanieL's N:

What brand do you recommend?

 

There's no brand information on the two we have.  I don't know where N got them, though I suspect they may have come from one of those big restaurant supply stores.