Indispensable in most professional kitchens and increasingly present among home cooking enthusiasts, the chinois (also called chinois conique or chinois étamine depending on the model) is a thin, cone-shaped sieve. Its name derives from its resemblance to Asian conical hats, and not from any direct link with China. It is used to filter, smooth and refine culinary preparations to obtain a supple texture, free from lumps and impurities.
The culinary expression “passer au chinois” is now commonly used to refer to the action of straining a preparation to retain only the smooth, homogenous liquid. It’s a simple but essential gesture for the success of many sauces, soups, coulis, creams or cooking stocks.
🍲 What’s the use of a chinois in the kitchen?
The chinois is a precision tool, ideal when you want to obtain a clear, smooth and even preparation. Here are the most common uses:
✔ Filtering sauces and stocks
It retains herbs, spices, bones, vegetable trimmings or pieces of meat to keep only a clear, concentrated juice.
✔ Smoothing soups and veloutés
Passing a velouté through a chinois gives a silky texture, without fibers or grains. This is the secret of “professional” soups.
✔ Preparing coulis, purées and jams
Unwanted seeds, skins and pieces are removed, ideal for red fruit coulis or vegetable purées.
✔ Clarifying broths
A clarified broth becomes clear and bright, perfect for elegant presentations or a sauce base.
✔ Sprinkle or sift
With a fine-mesh chinois, you can sprinkle powdered sugar, cocoa, or even sift flour with precision.
🥣 The different types of Chinese
There are several models suited to distinct uses. The choice essentially depends on mesh, sturdiness and the type of cooking you do.
| Chinese type | Description | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Chinese | Stainless steel, larger perforated holes | Sauces, juices, non-fibrous soups |
| Chinese cheesecloth (or fine mesh chinois) | Very tight woven mesh | Creams, coulis, fine sauces, clear broths |
| Professional broth/pouring chinois | Deep cone, very sturdy | Bottoms, reductions, heavy-duty |
| Gauze strainer / ultra-fine sieve | Extremely fine mesh | Jellies, very clear juices, precise filtrations |
🔎Which diameter of chinois to choose?
The diameter determines how comfortable it is to use and how much you can strain at once. It is measured at the widest opening of the cone.
- Small (12 to 16 cm)
Ideal for small quantities, individual sauces, cooking for 1-2 people, or straining right from the pan. - Medium (18 to 20 cm)
Purposeful, all-purpose format, wide enough for veloutés and family soups without being cumbersome. - Large (22 to 30 cm)
Recommended for large quantities, restaurants, batch cooking, or preparing coulis in volume.
👉 For domestic use, the 18-20 cm is often the best compromise.
Fine pastry lovers can complement with a small ∼16 cm very fine mesh model.
🕳️Quel hole diameter choose?
The choice of mesh size is the most important element:
🔸 Wide mesh (1 to 2 mm)
✔ Lets liquids pass through faster
✔ Ideal for thick soups, compotes
❗ Less effective for thin preparations
🔸 Medium mesh (0.5 to 1 mm)
✔ Versatile use: sauces, juices, veloutés
✔ The best choice for everyday use
🔸 Fine mesh (< 0.5 mm)
✔ Retains almost all particles
✔ Perfect for coulis, clear juices, stocks
❗ Slower to filter → sometimes requires a spatula or ladle to squeeze
🥄 Usage tips
- Use a spatula, ladle or maryse to press the preparation into the mesh.
- To prevent clogging, rince immediately after use, especially with sweet creams or coulis.
- A quality stainless steel chinois will last for years, resisting heat as well as acidic preparations.
Our selection
Below you’ll find a comparison of the Chinese references we’ve selected, according to the criteria you presented to us in this article.
chez
✅On aime
Marque française réputée
Acier Inox
Grand choix de diamètres (10 à 27cm)
Crochets de maintien
chezTrous de diamètre très fin tout en gardant la forme conique et la praticité du chinois✅On aime
Qualité haut de gamme
Inox 18/10
chez✅On aime
Marque française
Matériau de qualité : fer blanc
Solide : double sertissage de l'étamine et renfort extérieur
📌Lancez-vous!
The Chinese is one of the cook’s best friends when you’re looking for a smooth, elegant and perfectly filtered preparation.
Whether sauces, veloutés, fruit purées or clear broths, it delivers a clean, professional result. The choice of mesh is essential: the finer it is, the silkier and more refined the final texture.
Envie de passer à la pratique ?! Retrouvez toutes les recettes qui font appel au chinois, et que les gourmets du site vous ont concocté avec amour !
Leave a Reply