Is the nylon stocking food safe?
Also, the stocking would probably melt if the liquid is too hot.

If you plan to make a lot of jelly, a jelly bag is worth the investment. It's about $7 on amazon, including the stand. Which means you don't have to figure out a way to hang the cheesecloth.

Personally I find that a big ugh. Just my irrational take on it.

You can use organic coffee filters in a colander, muslin bought from the fabric department of a store like Walmart or Michaels, even a pillowcase. Lots of options. Actually cheesecloth, unless it's a really fine grade, is too coarse to work that well and you risk threads in the juice.

The old discussion below also provides some info.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Cheesecloth Grade for Jelly

You can buy some cheap cotton fabric (loosely woven) place in in a strainer(inside a pot), .. then squeeze it. Cheese cloth is tooo loose. There are also fine steel strainers(mostly found in Asian markets)
You can buy a strainer bag from a beer/wine brew store.

You use mutliple layers of cheesecloth, not just 1 layer. I have also used fresh clean but old cotton like pillowcases and such.

I won't use the steel strainer with fruit, but that's me.

If you squeeze, then the juice will be cloudier than if you let it drip thru. It takes time, but gives you a better looking product.

Before I got my steam juicer, my favorite thing to use was a flour sack towel in a colander.

Well I had the cherries all picked and they were ripe, I was unable to find a jelly bag ,so I used a knee high nylon stocking. My friend who makes his own wine said they work great for straining, I agree ,it worked great , strong too.

I use an old pillowcase, pour boiling water over it in colander before putting fruit in, then hang it over a pan to catch the juice with the colander in the pan just so it doesn't splash (much) if it falls.

I'm surprised you could find a stocking more easily than a pillowcase (you must not be a single guy!). I cut up all my nylons a few years ago to fill with ice melt and throw on the roof when we had ice dams - never replaced them ;-)

I knew about pillow cases , but when I tried wrining one out , to squeeze the juice out to the last drop ,the pillow case ripped. So muchy for those .. My nyon ( bought new at dollarama ) worked great..
Another thing I found is when I dumped the 16 cups of nanking cherries that were boiled etc. into the nylon, I only got a bit of juice , but the next 16 cups I scooped into a sieve and caught the juice below , then set the pulp aside , I poured all the juice that had come trhough the sieve ( pulp removed ) into a nylon and got at least 4 times the juice. I think the pulp when not first strained , is to much mass for the inside juices to find their way out of the bag.. Anyway it seems that way.. I have let the juice sit for a few days and the sediment settled at the bottom. nice and clear on top.. I'm thinking of drawing the clear off with a turkey baster thing..

I guess your pillowcase was too well used. I would use the turkey baster (new) also. If used, you might have a oily residue in the baster.

I use a nylon gallon sized paint strainer. new of course, sterilized.
Nancy