I have a large enameled canning pot made for doing home preserving. That goes on the stove with a metal trivet in the bottom. My stainless steel cheese pot goes inside the canning pot. I put the milk in the cheese pot and then add water to the canning pot until it comes about halfway up the sides of the cheese pot. For the initial heating I then turn the gas on low and monitor the milk temperature with a digital thermometer,m stirring every so often. When the temperature reaches about 4 degrees less than my target, I turn off the gas and let it coast to the desired temperature. I find that the milk holds its temperature for the ripening process without adding additional heat. For the cooking process (the X degrees every Y minutes) I turn the gas on for a few minutes, then turn it off for a bit, then on for a few minutes, etc, monitoring the temperature as I do. I don’t consider it any more work than the sink/hot water method and I don’t have to worry about splashing water into my curds, etc.

-K

Hi Kathi

I am also on gas but never use it for most of my cheese making. I simply stand my pot in the sink and add hot or cold water to manage my temperatures. Others use a bain marie or also a crock pot. There are also home cheese vats you can purchase if you really get serious with your cheese making.