Cream Sauce?

[Bella the Ball 360]

Okay I make a white sauce and then add cheese when I make mac and cheese. Sometimes the sauce curdles and sometimes not. I start with a roux butter and flour and then I add the milk and cook till it thickens. I then take it off the heat and add the cheese. Sometimes it is nice and smooth sometimes it curdles. Any ideas what I need to do to stop the curdle?

 

[NotUrsula]

Normally a cream sauce will separate because it has become too hot. Do you have a double-boiler? Usually when you use one it is foolproof.

However, if you have a separation issue, using an immersion blender on high can usually pull the fat molecules back into the liquid and save the sauce.

BTW, I make all my cream sauces with Evaporated Skim Milk; much less fattening.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

HUH...who knew. I did not use a double boiler but I will from now on. I do nto have an immersion blender but think I might get one . Thanks for the info.

 

[NotUrsula]

Let me recommend a Kitchenaid immersion blender if you can find one at a good price. The immersion section is all-steel. I've had two other immersion blenders that had plastic components in the past, and this one is MILES better.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Okay, IMHO, only experts and the blessed can make a bechemel white sauce using that method, and then turn it into a smooth cheesy cream sauce!!!

Here is the completely and totally foolproof method.
No double boiler...
No extra time..
No blender...

Have your melted butter and oil at a low temperature...
Dissolve your flour and liquids, COLD, in a bowl, and then stir into the pan.
It is the starch in the flour already hot, hitting that cold milk... instant thick lumps.
Increase the heat... Bring it up to a bubble.. Once it starts to begin to come to a boil, simply turn off or remove from heat.
You do not want too much heat.
Stir frequently until begins to cool.... You don't want lumps... You do not want that scalded milk taste... As smooth as a babies butt, every time!

Add your salt...
Add your cheeses...
gently fold together with your pasta.

 

[Imzadi]

Okay, IMHO, only experts and the blessed can make a bechemel white sauce using that method, and then turn it into a smooth cheesy cream sauce!!!

Here is the completely and totally foolproof method.
No double boiler...
No extra time..
No blender...

Have your melted butter and oil at a low temperature...
Dissolve your flour and liquids, COLD, in a bowl, and then stir into the pan.
It is the starch in the flour already hot, hitting that cold milk... instant thick lumps.
Increase the heat... Bring it up to a bubble.. Once it starts to begin to come to a boil, simply turn off or remove from heat.
You do not want too much heat.
Stir frequently until begins to cool.... You don't want lumps... You do not want that scalded milk taste... As smooth as a babies butt, every time!

Add your salt...
Add your cheeses...
gently fold together with your pasta.

I'm confused by your directions. It WILL form instant lumps that goes away while stirring & heating? Or do we not want lumps even at the beginning?

 

[NotUrsula]

Adding the flour to cold liquid does prevent lumps; but it didn't sound like lumps were the OP's problem; I read the problem as separation.

My mother was the world's most mundane cook most of the time, but she made a bechamel that was to die for. She worked it the opposite way, by very gently heating the liquid ingredients before adding them to the roux. (FWIW, that is also the method that Julia Child later publicized.) The problem that I find with adding the flour in the cold liquids is that the flour often retains more starch that way, and sometimes you can taste it.

IME the worst enemy of a bechamel is an electric stove; it is very hard to properly finesse the temperature of the burners. That's where a double boiler helps, even with the "cold flour" method. I find that on a gas stove it is much easier to finely regulate the temp.

Also, FWIW, I don't recommend using an immersion blender as a starting point, but they come in danged handy when your child decides to try to ride the dog when you are in the middle of cooking a delicate sauce or gravy. It's a great tool to have around when you need to try to rescue a sauce gone terribly wrong.

 

[kimmar067]

Also, FWIW, I don't recommend using an immersion blender as a starting point, but they come in danged handy when your child decides to try to ride the dog when you are in the middle of cooking a delicate sauce or gravy.....

....do we wanna hear this story?

 

[ilovejack02]

My tip for a bechemel , is to only use hand grated cheese. I find the pre grated stuff, can sometimes add an unpleasant graininess . I just doesn't seems to melt as smooth as when I grate myself. If I am in a truely huge hurry , I will buy the kraft grated cheese with a touch of creamcheese in it.

I always cook my flour and butter first.. gotta get rid of the flour taste.

 

[Gigi22]

The best way to make a white sauce is in a microwave.

It never lumps, and can be turned into a cheese sauce in an instant. I never make a white or cheese sauce any other way.

Medium White Sauce (for 1 1/4 c.)

2 T. butter/margarine
2 T. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1 c. milk

Place butter in a 4 c. glass measuring cup. Microwave on high for 45 sec. or until melted. Blend in flour, salt and pepper to a smooth paste. Microwave on high for 30 sec. Whisk in milk. Microwave for 3 to 3 1/2 min. on high, whisking 3 times.

For cheese sauce: add 1 c. shredded/cubed cheese, stir into white sauce. Microwave on high for 30 sec. or until cheese melts. Add a dash of cayenne or a few drops of Tabasco for a spicier sauce. Stir until smooth.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Thanks all....I have some good ideas here. My problem was separation but I am sure going to try the microwave one. I guess I was adding the cold to the hot but that was the way I learned to make it. Perhaps my heat was too hot.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Thanks all....I have some good ideas here. My problem was separation but I am sure going to try the microwave one. I guess I was adding the cold to the hot but that was the way I learned to make it. Perhaps my heat was too hot.

Never add cold to hot even with reg. gravies.

I don't know why you would take the sauce off the burner and then add the cheese? I add my cheese right away after mixing the milk.

I know that "simmering" cheese can get rid of the grainy texture however it is a method of trial and error for me to find a good cheese.

Get a white meltable cheese. I find it is easier to make cheese sauce than using yellow cheddar.

That immersion blender sounds cool! I might have to get that.

 

[PlutoPony]

My first thought is you're using too much heat while reducing the sauce. Try letting it get almost to the gentle simmer stage and see if the sauce gets to the consistency you want without separating. I also seem to have better luck when I use a whisk to add the liquid to the roux.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

The best way to make a white sauce is in a microwave.

It never lumps, and can be turned into a cheese sauce in an instant. I never make a white or cheese sauce any other way.

Medium White Sauce (for 1 1/4 c.)

2 T. butter/margarine
2 T. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1 c. milk

Place butter in a 4 c. glass measuring cup. Microwave on high for 45 sec. or until melted. Blend in flour, salt and pepper to a smooth paste. Microwave on high for 30 sec. Whisk in milk. Microwave for 3 to 3 1/2 min. on high, whisking 3 times.

For cheese sauce: add 1 c. shredded/cubed cheese, stir into white sauce. Microwave on high for 30 sec. or until cheese melts. Add a dash of cayenne or a few drops of Tabasco for a spicier sauce. Stir until smooth.

I never heard about using the microwave, I must try this now! Thanks.

 

[JLiz]

Does the sauce separate before or after you add the cheese?

If it's after, you may be adding too much cheese all at once and the excess fat is causing it to separate. If that is the case, just add smaller portions at a time, maybe 1/4 of the total quantity, then stir until it is melted and fully incorporated before adding the next 1/4 and so on. Or try the immersion blender, they really are handy (great for making pureed soups, too).

 

[cm8]

Okay I make a white sauce and then add cheese when I make mac and cheese. Sometimes the sauce curdles and sometimes not. I start with a roux butter and flour and then I add the milk and cook till it thickens. I then take it off the heat and add the cheese. Sometimes it is nice and smooth sometimes it curdles. Any ideas what I need to do to stop the curdle?

We have never used flour when making baked macaroni and cheese

I'm sorry but I can't give you any tips on how to stop the curdling
I hope it came out fine