Can I use fat-free milk in béchamel?

Can I use a fat free milk to make the sauce? Should I add more butter to the roux if I do so?

roux bechamel

Best Answer

Yes. The important fat is the one the starch first goes into. The higher temperature reached by fats (as compared to water or milk) helps cook the flour, creating flavors. The liquid added later dilutes the mixture into a sauce. The liquid's fats are not as crucial for the sauce's thickness as the liquid's proteins.

I think of the cooked butter-flour mixture as a thickner that can be added to milk, broths, and even a saucy dish. The roux thickens way better than just a slurry of flour and a cold liquid.

Jack Lang has written a long post on Béchamel and Hollandaise and the science is summarized in chapter 4 of Vaclavik and Christian Essentials of Food Science

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Quick Answer about "Can I use fat-free milk in béchamel?"

Yes. The important fat is the one the starch first goes into. The higher temperature reached by fats (as compared to water or milk) helps cook the flour, creating flavors. The liquid added later dilutes the mixture into a sauce.

Can I use fat-free milk instead of whole milk?

Though they differ in taste and fat and calorie content, skim milk can serve as a whole-milk substitute in baking recipes. According to the American Heart Association, you can substitute 1 cup of whole milk with 1 cup of skim milk plus 1 tablespoon of liquid vegetable oil in recipes.

Can I use fat-free milk in recipes?

Most varieties of drinking milk (nonfat, low-fat or whole) may be used interchangeably in baking. If using nonfat or 1 percent milk, you sacrifice richness. If you want to cut some fat in your baking, it's best to use 2 percent.

I get good results from everything with 2 percent milk, including bechamel.

Can you use low fat milk white sauce?

Warm 2 cups of low-fat or nonfat milk on medium-low heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mix to the warming milk and stir until smooth. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously so the sauce doesn't burn.

Does fat-free milk have the same nutrients as whole milk?

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