white sauce / bechamel - without lumps [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate:
How not to mess up bechamel scauce

So you melt the butter and mix the flour in = easy
Adding the first bit of milk and making a paste = easy

Now getting from that to a sauce without lumps = tricky.

Other than cheating and just using a power whisk or putting the resulting mess through a sieve are there any other tips?

sauce bechamel

Best Answer

In my experience, you want to add as little milk as possible at first, whisking well, then very gradually add more milk as you whisk vigorously the entire time. From your second line, I think you've got the "small amount" part covered. If you're not already doing this, whisk as you pour - once you start adding milk, I recommend to not stop whisking until the milk is incorporated.

I was also told that you should use warm/hot milk (I give it a quick hit with the microwave) instead of cold. That might be the difference that's causing yours to lump if you're already whisking very well. I don't always heat my milk and still get a good consistency, but I also whisk like a madman. I would recommend trying to the milk and see it if helps.

Pictures about "white sauce / bechamel - without lumps [duplicate]"

white sauce / bechamel - without lumps [duplicate] - Pasta on a Plate

white sauce / bechamel - without lumps [duplicate] - Plates with burger and pie neat crackers and mussels

white sauce / bechamel - without lumps [duplicate] - Top view of cut roasted meat near pan fried polenta and green beans with sauce on white plates on table in light restaurant

How do you make bechamel without lumps?

Tips for Preventing Lumps in White Sauce

Make sure to cook the roux for enough time. It generally takes at least 5 minutes for a light-colored roux to cook. ...

Add a little milk at a time. Adding all the milk at once won't ruin your white sauce, but you will likely have to whisk for a while to smooth out the lumps.

Why are there lumps in my bechamel?

Lumps have formed in the flour as you were making the sauce. The cause can be many reasons such as too much flour fell into the sauce as you were trying to thicken it for example. Once there are lumps in your sauce the only practicable way to get rid of them is to strain the sauce.

How do you fix lumpy white sauce?

\u201cCook out\u201d the roux for 2-3 minutes on very low heat to avoid a raw flour taste. When combining the roux with liquids, it is important that the liquids are not too hot. It is better if they are warm to moderately hot as this helps to avoid lumps. Gradually add the liquid a little at a time, stirring constantly.

Simple Secret to Easy lump-free Bechamel Sauce | Yummy

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Engin Akyurt, Dana Tentis, Rachel Claire, Geraud pfeiffer