Which cheese do you use to make cheese sauce?

[Hellokittymania]

I just made some for the first time and I used shredded cheese. But it didn’t melt, and I think I added too much milk. The sauce was very liquidy. With bits of cheese in it… Not so nice… Also, how long do you leave the cheese in for? I’m doing this on the hib

What other ingredients did you use and what were the quantities? I always make a white sauce with milk, cornflour and butter than add the cheese.

Use cheese you have to grate yourself, usually cheddar or similar. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in starch to stop it from sticking together, it also makes it unsuitable for sauces.

So, did you make the roux first?

What Kelly said, but also the sauce does have to bubble to melt the cheese. I use mature block cheddar.

A block of cheddar I grate myself.

Melt butter, add plain flour to make a thick paste, add milk (I use a whisk at this point) stir until there are no lumps and sauce thickens. Add cheese and stir over low heat until it has melted. Season.

I don't think that pre grated cheese is the right cheese.

What Kelly said.
I use cheddar, and grate it.
The horrible pre-grated stuff is covered in something that ain't cheese so I guess if that is what you used that must be what is stopping it working.

I’ve used pre grated cheese, it’s fine.
Roux, add milk slowly until it’s warm, add cheese, any cheese until it’s bubbling.

I guess at the measurements, since I don’t have any measuring cups. I think I used about 100 mL of milk, 10 g of butter, 1 tablespoon of plain flour, I stirred that, and then I added in the cheese. The recipe was saying 500 mL of milk, for example, but I’m only on my own so I don’t need the full recipe.

Long distance, how long did you leave the cheese in for? Mine was bubbling, but nothing was happening…

I sometimes use pregrated lower fat cheddar, the brand we get doesn't have that coating. A bit of Parmesan adds more kick too.

I quite often make it with olive oil rather than butter. It's a bit easier as you can do the blending cold. For two I use 15g each oil and flour, blended together - sometimes with a bit of mustard powder. Then gradually work in the milk - about 250 mls. Then heat, stirring constantly till thickened and hot, add the cheese. If it's too thick gradually stir in a bit more milk.

It reads like you put the flour, butter and milk all in at the same time.

Melt the butter first on a medium heat. The stir in the flour and work vigorously to a paste. Once it starts to noticeably thicken start adding the milk. Not all at once though. A bit at a time, work it until you have a smooth paste then add some more. Repeat until all the milk is added. Finally, add your grated cheese. Not pre-grated - that stuff is usually garbage. Get a good hard cheddar and grate yourself.
For a bit of added piquance add a heaped teaspoon (or two) of english mustard powder with the flour. I also prefer to use a tin of evaporated milk rather than regular.

Did the sauce thicken when you cooked it? I tend to guess at the amounts for a white sauce, and sometimes I get the amount of flour wrong - too little - and it doesn’t thicken, and I find it works OK if you add more flour gradually, about a dessert spoon full at a time, and whisking it in, and seeing if the sauce thickens then.

I use the all-in-one method, where I bung cold milk, butter and flour in the pan, and heat it up, whisking as it comes to the bubble, and thickens. I am terrible at making a roux (when you melt the butter, add the flour, cooking it out for a moment or two, and then gradually add the milk, and whisk it until it thickens), and I saw a TV chef using the all-in-one method, and I have never looked back. It always works for me. The butter ensures that the flour doesn’t go into lumps, as long as you whisk it well while it cooks. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

I use a good, strong cheddar - I don’t use the pre-grated cheese because it has starch on it - and previous posters are right - you need to make sure the sauce is bubbling, otherwise the cheese won’t melt.

I make a roux in the normal way, add milk slowly and gradually while whisking, Cook out the flour for a couple of minutes then add strong mature cheddar which I grate myself. Stir over a gentle heat, then season as required with pepper and English mustard.

I did add everything at once… OK, next time I will try it differently.

I usually use Delia’s easy sauce recipe and use Parmesan and cheddar. I’ve used pre-grated with no problems; I think high fat cheese is key to getting a nice, smooth sauce.

Its the amount of the roux - the melted butter and flour that determines the thickness. Do it in the order suggested, add milk gradually and then cook it up until it thickens. I then grate in cheddar cheese and add a little salt and black pepper.

I use ore grated extra mature cheddar. Perfect!

Pre grated!

I always add the butter, flour and milk at once. You have to constantly stir. Cba with a roux personally. Once it's thick, add a dot of mustard, stir again, then add your cheese - preferably full fat cheddar. S and P to taste.

I worked in a kitchen, it’s fine to use cheese that has been grated. Most cheese is bought in grated.

I make it with the black pepper cheese from the wee cheese company, and sometimes add a bit of the Italian job cheese as well and its amazing!

You need to make the roux first, but if you really don't want too then heat milk on the hob and apparently mix a little cold milk with cornflour and whisk that into the pan
to thicken the sauce and then add cheese.

*separately not apparently!

I melt the butter, then add the flour and cook the paste for a couple of minutes, then add the milk slowly, whisking as I go. Add cheese last, and it usually melts and mixes in quickly.

Best tip I ever got for cheese sauce - warm the milk before you add it. I usually give it a wee whizz round the microwave, just to take the fridge chill off it. Means no lumps in the sauce!

Mature or Extra-Mature cheddar, and lots of it, grated fine at home - much less faff with a cylinder grater. Stir it in while the sauce is hot but off the boil. Add salt and pepper - white if you don't want speckles - and the essential teaspoon of made English mustard.

I'm guessing the balance of fat and flour wasn't right and that it hadn't thickened before you added the cheese.