I forget why the evaporated milk works so well, but it makes it just much better than just regular milk
Protein micelles. They're surfactant molecules that operate on the same principle as soap: they bond with fats on one end of the molecule, and hold everything together. The concentrated starch in the pasta (that you normally dump out when you drain pasta, like a fool) also acts as an emulsifier. The end result is a cheese sauce that's gooey—not quite liquid, and not quite solid. It's really good. You can do it with any "fondue appropriate" cheese, too: cheddar and jack are popular, but once every couple years I'm feeling like a fancy lad and make it with sharp cheddar, Gruyère, and Fontina.
My preferred method of making cheese sauce, though, is to use sodium citrate. You can get a kilogram of it for like $20, and you only need around 20 grams (so, 40¢) to make a litre of cheese sauce. A 50:35:1 ratio of cheese to water to sodium citrate makes a pretty smooth sauce, and there's no sugar or fats added to the cheese. You can also substitute other liquids for the water, too. Beer and white wine both make pretty damn good cheese sauces.
Okay, here's how my mom always did it
-About half of a 1lb box of pasta (elbows are traditional)
-1 can of evaporated milk
-Shredded cheese (whatever you want, but I prefer cheddar and pepper jack)
You put the pasta in your pot and put just enough water to cover the pasta, add some salt and put it to boil
When the pasta has absorbed the water, you add the evaporated milk and your cheese and stir it until all gooey and combined.
I forget why the evaporated milk works so well, but it makes it just much better than just regular milk
Sounds pretty tasty, have to give it a whirl sometime. Thanks!
Protein micelles. They're surfactant molecules that operate on the same principle as soap: they bond with fats on one end of the molecule, and hold everything together. The concentrated starch in the pasta (that you normally dump out when you drain pasta, like a fool) also acts as an emulsifier. The end result is a cheese sauce that's gooey—not quite liquid, and not quite solid. It's really good. You can do it with any "fondue appropriate" cheese, too: cheddar and jack are popular, but once every couple years I'm feeling like a fancy lad and make it with sharp cheddar, Gruyère, and Fontina.
My preferred method of making cheese sauce, though, is to use sodium citrate. You can get a kilogram of it for like $20, and you only need around 20 grams (so, 40¢) to make a litre of cheese sauce. A 50:35:1 ratio of cheese to water to sodium citrate makes a pretty smooth sauce, and there's no sugar or fats added to the cheese. You can also substitute other liquids for the water, too. Beer and white wine both make pretty damn good cheese sauces.
Sir, I thank you for the bounty of knowledge you have given me here
Where once I was but a cheese novice, I am now on my way to becoming a cheese wizard
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Evaporated milk has hydrogenated milk fats.
It is not health food.
Famous health food staple...
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... mac and cheese?
I'm saying that is why people use it.
You can use palm oil or lard as well. It is just that evaporated milk pairs better with cheese.
I love how in Spanish, they have their word for lard, and then their word for butter is "little lard".