The pot I use to make ricotta in has a heavy buildup of milk scale. I sanded it out last year and it’s building up again quickly. I’m not sure what my pot is made of. Magnets stick to it, so I think it’s steel of some sort. I don’t know if the scale buildup is inevitable, or if it could be prevented either by a new pot or by a different cleaning material/process (now I just use hot water and soap).
I’ve read that stainless steel or enamel are best for cheesemaking. Could my pot be magnet-attracting but not stainless steel? If I buy a new one, do the differences in weight and quality between different models of stainless steel or enamel pot make a difference for cheesemaking? (I use a 2-stockpot double boiler type setup for ricotta, so a thick bottom shouldn’t matter.) Do any of you have particular models that you would recommend, or warn people against?
Should I expect this kind of buildup even with stainless steel or enamel? If so, how should I clean it off?