How to make Bechamel sauce with hot milk

[ML5]

With a Bechamel sauce I was wondering if I heat up milk first & make the roux in separate pot do I take hot milk off the gas and mix in the Roux or is it best to keep milk heating and mix in the Roux

The milk doesn't need to be heated separately (unless you are infusing something into it). Just Make the roux and then slowly add cold milk to it.

Better if it’s hot/warm because you need to do that to infuse bay leaves, etc, but I’ve done a basic white sauce with cold milk. You’ve just got to keep the heat low, go slowly, and whisk the crap out of it.

Add the milk to the roux, off heat

Not sure whether it makes a difference in the end.

I make the roux in a saucepan, heat the milk in the microwave. Add the milk into the roux whilst stirring with a metal whisk.

Making quite a big bechamel sauce so can I add the Roux to the hot milk off the heat or best to have milk on heat?

I put the butter, flour and milk in together and heat them up at medium. It works every time (stirring). It's much less faff.

This, although you could heat milk in the microwave If you wanted save faffing with pots

I add the hot milk to the roux as I find it easier judge consistency (I do it by eye not measuring quantities). Stirring with whisk helps keep it smooth.

Just wondering, why hot milk ?

Me too.

You add the mil to the roux - slowly - not the roux to the milk. If you do you'll have lumps...

If you're making a Bechemel sauce, you're presumably infusing it with bay leaves etc?

I warm it but don't make it hot, take it off the heat to strain and then add it slowly to the roux.

I don't add the roux to the milk (as you've suggested).

I use a balloon whisk to stir in the milk and do it slowly, making sure each pour of milk is fully blended before adding more otherwise it goes lumpy.

I find it blends in more easily and the consistency is easier to judge if its warm.

James Martin said it’s easier to blend if you heat the milk & I’ve found it works better for me when heated.

yep, this

Ah fair enough, I have seen them warming milk on food programmes but they never clearly explain why. I use cold milk and never thought to warm it.

I suppose its because the warm milk keeps the butter soft and it's all at a similar temperature rather than adding something cold. Bit I don't suppose it makes that much difference given the roux pan is already hot! 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think you're adding the milk, hot, cold or warm, to the roux, not the other way round. Bit by bit, stir with a balloon whisk til your arm feels like it can whisk no more.

You need to add the milk (hot or not - I don't heat it) to the roux, slowly to dissolve it. If you do the opposite you will end up with lots of lumps.

quite honestly I show all the ingredients un mixed in a pan and use a whisk - works for me

From the cookery year.
Half an onion studded with cloves and a bay leaf in the milk simmered for about 20 minutes.
Decant the liquid into another jug.
Cook equal amounts of butter and flour in another pan until it becomes biscuity.
Gradually stir the infused milk into the butter flour mix, using a wooden spoon or a spatula to break up any lumps.
If you're making a béchamel then possibly add some nutmeg. You have to tip the pan up towards you to make sure that when you're mixing it in that all lumps are broken up..
I've been doing this for 35 years including professionally.

If you add the roux to the milk you're likely to get lumps. If it makes your life easier to add roux to milk, if you mix some milk with the roux first so it's more liquid then you'll be able to add that to the bigger portion of milk.

I add hot milk to the roux but I only add a bit of milk at a time to make sure it doesn’t go lumpy.

I always added cold milk to the roux, having been taught by a French domestic cook when I was cooking for a French family as a 19-year old. If cold milk is good enough for the French, it's good enough for me. My DD has adopted a Delia Smith all-in-one method which I have to confess is very good.

Add the milk to the roux SLOWLY to avoid lumps. Milk can be cold.