When to Use a China Cap Strainer
A China Cap Strainer, which is also referred to as a Chinois, is a metal food strainer that is cone-shaped. These typically have a fine metal mesh that is ideal for straining stocks, sauces, soups and other foods where a smooth consistency is desired. For example, imagine you are making a delicate raspberry sauce to go with baked goods. To be sure there were no seeds in the sauce, you would process it through a China Cap Strainer that had a fine mesh interior. In cooking, a China Cap Strainer may be used to ensure that no small bones remain in a finished stock.
Unlike other skimmers and strainers, a China Cap Strainer is ideal when you want to produce a smooth finished product because only the finest particulates can pass through into the final product. Most other skimmers and strainers are significantly more coarse, even in comparison to a Coarse China Cap Strainer.
Along with being used to strain very liquid food products, a China Cap Strainer can be used to extract the juices and liquids from foods. For instance, to make a smooth tomato sauce, a chef may use a pestle, working cooked pureed tomatoes through the fine mesh to produce a finished sauce that is minimally processed but has a smooth uniform finish. Depending on the foods you will be preparing in your kitchen, you can select from Coarse or Fine China Cap Strainers.
