Cheesecloth
Cheesecloth is a versatile and durable tool in the kitchen. This simple fabric, made from loosely woven cotton, comes in various grades, from open weave (lower grade) to fine weave (higher grade). Your purpose will determine which is best for you.
Straining and Clarifying
Although cheesecloth is marketed commercially for myriad purposes, my main use for cheesecloth is to strain and sometimes clarify liquids, especially fish and bone broths.
The fine weave of cheesecloth makes it ideal for removing small particles, especially from liquids. When making broths, soups or sauces, cheesecloth can be used to strain out unwanted solids, leaving a clear liquid behind that you can safely give to your dog.
Safety in Canine Diets
For peace of mind, it really is worth going to the extra effort of straining through cheesecloth. We want to know that what we’re feeding our dogs is safe. One particular concern for me is the presence of small bones in a home-made broth. A second straining through cheesecloth offers an added layer of safety by filtering out even the smallest bone fragments that might be left after straining through a traditional strainer.
Second straining with cheesecloth
Versatility in the Kitchen
Cheesecloth’s utility extends beyond straining and clarifying. It can be used for many other jobs in the kitchen. For example, it’s great for bundling herbs and spices when making stocks or soups, creating a bouquet garni that can be easily removed once cooking is complete. A cheesecloth bag can be used for peelings as well.
We know that some vegetable peelings can be difficult for dogs to digest. We also know that many vitamins and other beneficial nutrients are generally found in higher concentrations near or in the peel of vegetables and fruits. If you’re going to throw the peelings away, squeeze the most out of them first by cooking them in a broth or topping. The peelings can be kept separate by putting them in a cheesecloth “bag” (don’t buy a special bag if you don’t have one, just lay a piece of cheesecloth flat, put the peelings in the middle, lift the edges and tie with a piece of string). This method ensures that the vitamins can leach into the surrounding liquid before the peelings are discarded.
Cheesecloth can also be wrapped around fish before poaching, which stops the fish from falling apart and still leaves a useful poaching broth. I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s on my list.
Economical and Practical
When considering the purchase of cheesecloth, it is more economical to buy it in rolls rather than small sheets marketed especially for kitchen use. Buying in bulk not only reduces the cost per square metre but also ensures that you always have an ample supply on hand. A roll of cheesecloth offers more flexibility than pre-cut sheets, making it adaptable to various tasks, from straining litres of broth to wrapping mini bundles of herbs.
The durability of high-quality cheesecloth means that it can often be reused. After use, cheesecloth can be washed and put away for next time, making it even better value for money. And reusability makes your unbleached, biodegradable cloth environmentally friendly as well, especially in comparison with single-use alternatives.
Another use for cheesecloth is as a bed on which to sprout small seeds such as chia seeds and flaxseeds that are likely to create a mucilage and cannot be sprouted by water-based germination. I did invest initially in hemp mats but the cheesecloth works just as well: in fact, the mats I purchased couldn’t be reused whereas I was able to rinse, wash and sanitise the cheesecloth and use it again.
Quality of Cheesecloth
The quality of cheesecloth is an important consideration for its effectiveness. High-quality cheesecloth is made from 100% unbleached cotton, so no harmful chemicals or dyes come into contact with the food.
Obviously, the choice of grade depends on the intended use. For most of my purposes (I don’t make cheese or strain yoghurt – yet, anyway), I’ve been able thus far to get away with just buying one grade: for me, that’s the high-grade, closer-wave version. The more open-weave cheesecloth might allow through those tiny bones I am trying to strain out!
I buy the best quality, unbleached, cheesecloth I can find. A Google search will generally turn up a source of material that can be purchased by the metre for a reasonable price. It’s washable, reusable and will probably last for a number of years.
Important Considerations:
- Always consult your veterinarian before making any significant dietary changes, particularly where there are pre-existing health conditions or dietary restrictions.
- If you are feeding commercial food, check the label for ingredients before giving more. Excessive intake of any foods can have adverse effects.
- Ensure (where possible) that you use high-quality, organic products specifically formulated for pets (or better still, human grade ingredients) to avoid any potential adverse effects.
- Introduce new foods gradually to avoid adverse effects such as gastrointestinal upset or diarrhoea.
- I provide nutritional information purely as a helpful guide. Nutritional information on ingredients is obtained from the US Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central site (https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html) and any nutritional information provided in recipes is based on an online calculator: calories and other information will vary based on brands, ingredients and other factors.
- Check nutrient levels and recommendations for your dog’s weight, age and activity. For example this nutritional guideline produced by FEDIAF.
- I am not a professional canine nutritionist but supporting research is cited.
- The recipes shared were created by me and tested in my kitchen – and tasted and approved by our doggy friends!