Cheesecloth has many uses besides wrapping cheese.
Cheesecloth is a lightweight, gauzy fabric with a variety of uses in the kitchen. As the name suggests, it can be used to wrap cheeses for waxing and curing, but it is also widely used for straining foods. It's traditionally used to strain fruit or berry juice for jellies, for example, and thick yogurt can be strained overnight in cheesecloth to produce a cheeselike spread. Most hobbyists recommend using fresh cheesecloth each time with foods, but it remains food safe if it's washed and bleached between uses. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Rinse the cheesecloth immediately after it's used to remove any physical soil. It's best to wash it immediately, but if this isn't practical, wring the cheesecloth and hang it to dry. If it stays wet, there's a greater risk of bacterial growth.
2. Wash the cheesecloth by hand or in your washing machine, using the gentle cycle and a mild detergent. Rinse it thoroughly in warm water to remove as much of the detergent as possible.
3. Wring the cheesecloth gently, and place it in a large bowl with one gallon of warm water and one tablespoon of bleach, a food-safe sanitizing solution. Soak your cheesecloth in the bleach water for at least two minutes.
4. Pour off the bleach water and rinse the cheesecloth thoroughly under hot running water. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before wringing it out, to avoid contaminating the freshly cleaned fabric. If there is any lingering smell of bleach, rinse one more time in hot water with a tablespoon of vinegar, to neutralize the bleach.
5. Tumble the cheesecloth dry in your clothes dryer, or hang it in a well-ventilated area to air dry. Don't dry it in your kitchen, where it will be exposed to contamination from cooking foods.
Tags: bleach water, warm water