cheese sauce, bit of advice for future reference needed please

[lucysmam]

I just wondered if someone could tell me how to eliminate lumps?

Do you melt the butter, add the flour & add the milk a bit at a time so it all gets stirred to the same consistency each time you add milk? Or do you just bung all the milk in at once?

Or is there some other trick to it that I can't think of?

Thanks to anyone who knows xx

[AttillaTheHan]

I always add the milk a little at a time, let it start to bubble, then add more. Also when the sauce starts getting to a thick liquid consistency I use a whisk instead of a wooden spoon.

[nannyL]

if it hets lumpy i find that if you use a whisk and whisk it fast the lumps disappear

i very very rarely get a lump (but do whick the lumps out of my frieds who always gets lumps)

i melt butter... add flour (and mustard powder)...add a TINY bit of milk, then a LITTLE bit of milk, then another LITTLE bit, then a bit more each time and i dont get lumps doing that

[Chocolateteapot]

Google for Delia's all in one white sauce, you chuck it all in the pan, stir and it comes out lovely and smooth.

[norksinmywaistband]

I melt butter add flour cook for a minute
Remove from the heat while I add warmed milk a little at a time
No lumps here

[Furball]

I have easy peasy cheesy sauce recipe - makes 1/2 pint

2 dessert spoons of sauce flour (in flour aisle, but could use cornflour although I never hve)

1/2 pint cold milk
cheese - I use about 3 oz's

pop all in a microwaveable jug, pop in microwave for 1 min, stir, put in for another min and stir. Keep going (3 -4 mins?) until you have fab smooth sauce.

told you it was easy.

[lucysmam]

hmmm, norks I never thought of warmed milk, will try warming it next time & a whisk rather than wooden spoon along with just adding a little milk at a time. Thanks for the advice, fingers crossed no lumps next time xx

[fishie]

i put the butter and flour in together and let it melt into the flour, then cook the resulting paste for a couple of mins, hate the taste of flour in sauce. then add a little bit of milk and stir it lots, off the heat if it is going lumpy. then continue till achieve my aim.

sometimes there isn't enough of it though, i tend to underestimate amount of roux needed.

[CherryChapstick]

Hmmm. So I must be one hell of a cheat...
Warm the milk with any butter and seasonning until it just about starts to boil. Then I thicken it with 2 teaspoons of cornflour mixed with a drop of milk, a bit at a time, stirring continuingly, until right consistancy. Then remove from heat and whisk in the grated cheese.
Done.

[VictorianSqualor]

I melt the butter then mix the flour in with a plastic spatula (seems to mix it better) then add the milk bit by bit, continuously stirring.

[SexyDomesticatedDad]

Melt butter & flour and cook out for a while - keep stirring every now and again. Bring milk to boil (just below) then pour hot milk into pan and whisk together. This works for huge quantities too (think catering). Continue to cook the sauce on a low heat so there is no floury flavour. Add in cheese / mustard or whatever towards end of the cooking time.

Be brave - its much quicker just make sure you have a good strong whisk (hand balloon type) and hand action .

Also you can flavour milk with a bit of onion or bay leaf etc whilst heating up (tend to use microwave).

[witchandchips]

Take roux (flour + water mixture) off the heat and add liguird just off boiling temp a bit at a time. - put back on heat and bring to the boil stirring all the time. Not quick but no lumps

[Carmenere]

If you get persistant lumps just blast it with a stick mixer.

[Overmydeadbody]

What Carmenere said.

Also, just whisk whisk whisk while you are adding the milk, and keep whisking over a low heat until it is the desired thickness.

[Overmydeadbody]

oh, and also, I really really admire you lucysmam!

[JacobsPrincessOfDarkness]

Delia's all in one method is fab, just keep on whisking!

[lucysmam]

Well, have come home to find loads of advice. Thank-you all, I am making notes while my lo tries to pinch my paper

OMDB, thank-you for the compliment. Although I'm not entirely sure why, but thank-you