Bechamel sauce

[Opportunitynox]

What am I doing wrong when I make bechamel sauce? It always goes lumpy even though I think I've done everything correctly.

Are you making a roux? Delia's 'all in one' is genuinely foolproof but the milk has to be cold: https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/books/delias-complete-how-to-cook/all-in-one-white-sauce

It's just stirring it properly when you add milk, make sure the heating is low so it doesn't thicken too quickly. Are you using a whisk or a wooden spoon? It's easier with a whisk.

I don't worry too much about lumps anyway. I tend to cook the roux then add lots of milk, almost the whole amount as you will not getting over thickening then, and i add the cheese to the mix immediately while the milk is still warming up. Never get lumps like this.

Adding the milk a little at a time so it’s thick, but a bit less thick each time works for me!

Thanks for the advice. I'll try using a whisk in future and also maybe give Delia's all in one method a go.

I would think the saucepan makes a difference too. It's much easier to avoid the sauce catching on the bottom if the saucepan has a good thick base. My hob is gas which is much more controllable than electricity, and that helps too.

I always give myself 15 minutes to make it. You have to stir the milk in really gradually. If the milk it warm, that helps.

warm the milk and use a whisk when you add it

Definitely use warm milk.

How do you make it?

The way i was taught, when i was about 8 from my friwnds hotelier parents, was to melt the butter, add equal amount of flour. Stir in and cook off the flour. Add milk, little by little. Make sure you're whisking/stirring constantly. If you dare to move away or stop stirring it will lump.

Since learning ive done the following which adds flavour... added spices, mustard, bay leaves. Add an onion or garlic to the milk.and boil. If you want to add cheese, wait until your sauce is thick and cooked, remove from the heat before cheese in. Also, heat slowly, dont rush.

Obviously, don't do all the additions above all at once.

I use the Delia Smith's all in one method too. Much quicker than faffing about adding the milk slowly. I use a whisk. Occasionally it goes a bit lumpy but whisking harder usually gets rid of them

I alternate between a wooden spoon with a square corner and a whisk. Once I've started adding the milk it's mostly whisk, but I use the spoon every now and then to stir in any sauce thickening in the edges of the pan.

I stopped using a whisk and started breaking the lumps with a fork. It never fails me now. Also add milk gradually, breaks lumps, then add more. Repeat.

Thanks again for all your great advice. I didn't realise that I should be using warm milk, Ive been using cold milk. I'll try with warm in future.

The way I was taught by my mum to make it (which probably came from Elizabeth David) was to warm
some milk with some onion and a bay leaf. Do the equal amounts butter and flour and make a roux. Then drizzle in the warm milk, and finally grate in a little nutmeg.

Definitely no cheese!!!

It's probably blasphemy, but I make mine in the microwave. No need for butter, and I just do it in 29 second bursts and stir in between.

As PPs say, take it slow. Melt the butter slowly, add the flour and stir to make a paste, then add the milk/cream but slowly and little by little - cold works fine for me. Adding the milk more quickly makes it harder to control the lumps and ultimately makes the sauce thinner - which might be ok. Keep the heat low - gas hob makes it easier to control heat precisely. Practising is important - soon you'll get the rhythmn and feel more relaxed.

If it does go lumpy, usually because you’ve neglected it for a bit too long or have the heat up too high, it’ll just stir out with some perseverance. I’m super sloppy with it- eye ball the flour to butter ratio, use cold milk straight from the fridge, grab whatever spoon I find first and it always comes out fine.

Since I started making in a non stick frying pan with a silicone whisk, I've never had a single lumpy sauce!

I rarely have lumpy sauce, and I use cold milk, added all in one, after making the roux.....
If it does go lumpy, a whisk sorts it out.

I use an all-in-one method, @Opportunitynox - throw cold milk, flour and butter into a pan and gradually warm it up, whisking all the time. I always had lumpy sauce when I made a roux and added the milk, but this way has never failed me yet.

I've never had a problem making bechamel sauce in the traditional way but Delia's method is what I've done for years and it's just so easy.

I make a roux. I hear the milk before adding it to the roux.

While it’s at the thick paste/glue stage is when to make sure the lumps are gone. Then it’s just a matter of adding the rest of the milk in stages and stirring through.

I always mixed the flour in water first to a paste, , add slowly to warming milk then add melted butter or skip that if watching fat / calories, then add cheese, or whatever. This was my mums method!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/allinonewhitesauce_66114

I used this method yesterday to make some (disappointing) macaroni cheese. But the white sauce was excellent.