# Dumb question, but how do you strain boiled orzo?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-but-how-do-you-strain-boiled-orzo/648290>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 25, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-but-how-do-you-strain-boiled-orzo/648290 "2013-01-25T03:45:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-but-how-do-you-strain-boiled-orzo/648290/1 "2013-01-25T03:45:51Z")

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Not to start a colander thread, but do I just have a crappy colander? I lose most of it down the sink.

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-but-how-do-you-strain-boiled-orzo/648290/2 "2013-01-25T04:12:47Z")

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You need a strainer, which is like a colander, but has smaller holes.

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**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-but-how-do-you-strain-boiled-orzo/648290/3 "2013-01-25T04:29:09Z")

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How about cheesecloth in the strainer? I use one when I make frog-eye salad (teensy tiny pasta dots). Some of the orzo might adhere to the cheesecloth, but you’ll get most of it.

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**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-but-how-do-you-strain-boiled-orzo/648290/4 "2013-01-25T04:37:04Z")

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My colander must have much smaller holes than yours because I don’t have any problem at all. You can use a wire mesh strainer.

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**Author:** ![andrewbub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@andrewbub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewbub)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-but-how-do-you-strain-boiled-orzo/648290/5 "2013-01-25T06:30:55Z")

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[http://www.pastrychef.com/assets/images/large/strainer\_large1.jpg](http://www.pastrychef.com/assets/images/large/strainer_large1.jpg) try this