Bushra Griffith
Sodium citrate is a common additive in processed cheese that can turn any cheese, no matter how hard or sharp, into a creamy sauce that won't turn greasy or grainy. It is a salt derived from citric acid and is responsible for the meltiness of American cheese. Sodium citrate is an emulsifier and stabiliser, preventing proteins from coagulating, ensuring the sauce stays smooth and velvety even at high temperatures. To make a cheese sauce with sodium citrate, you can heat milk or water, dissolve sodium citrate, and then add and melt cheese. The more liquid you add, the runnier the sauce will be, and vice versa.
How to use sodium citrate for cheese sauce
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sodium citrate function | Prevents proteins from coagulating, keeping sauce smooth and preventing oiliness |
| Sodium citrate amount | Around 1% of the weight of dairy |
| Cheese type | Harder, shreddable cheeses such as cheddar, gouda, and parmesan |
| Liquid type | Milk, water, beer, bone stock, or plain water |
| Liquid amount | The more liquid, the thinner the sauce |
| Sodium citrate ratio | 85% liquid and 4% sodium citrate, based on the total weight of cheese |
| Process | Warm liquid, add sodium citrate, add cheese gradually, whisk until melted |
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What You'll Learn
- Sodium citrate prevents proteins from coagulating, keeping cheese sauce smooth
- Sodium citrate is a salt made from citric acid and baking soda
- It's an emulsifier and stabiliser, preventing cheese sauces from separating
- Sodium citrate is added to warm liquid and whisked until dissolved
- Cheese is then added gradually, creating a smooth sauce
Sodium citrate prevents proteins from coagulating, keeping cheese sauce smooth
Sodium citrate is the key to making a smooth and stable cheese sauce. It is a common additive in processed cheese, acting as an emulsifier and stabiliser. This dynamic duo prevents proteins from coagulating, ensuring the sauce stays smooth and velvety even at high temperatures.
When cheese melts, it tends to rapidly morph into an oily, congealing blob due to its molecular structure. Cheese can be thought of as a three-part network consisting of fat, calcium, and casein protein. Calcium acts as an adhesive, binding the proteins together, but these proteins do not interact with the fat. As the protein structure weakens with heat, fat leaks out, resulting in the familiar oiliness.
Sodium citrate is a simple salt synthesized from citric acid and baking soda. It can be easily purchased online or made at home. By using sodium citrate, you can transform any cheese into a luxurious, velvety, and creamy sauce. It works by forming a stable emulsion, preventing the fat from leaking out of the protein structure.
To make a basic cheese sauce with sodium citrate, start by warming milk or another liquid base such as water, heavy cream, beer, or bone stock. Stir in sodium citrate until it dissolves completely, then add grated cheese gradually while whisking or stirring continuously until melted. The general ratio is 85% liquid and 4% sodium citrate by weight of the cheese. Adjustments can be made to the consistency by adding more liquid for a thinner sauce or more sodium citrate for a thicker sauce.
Sodium citrate is a versatile ingredient that can elevate your cheese sauces to new levels of creaminess and smoothness. Experiment with different types of cheese and liquid bases to create the perfect sauce for your favourite dishes, whether it's nachos, mac 'n' cheese, or fondue.
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Sodium citrate is a salt made from citric acid and baking soda
To make a cheese sauce with sodium citrate, you can use any liquid base you choose, such as milk, heavy cream, beer, bone stock, or even plain water. Warm your chosen liquid in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Then, stir in the sodium citrate until it dissolves, and allow the mixture to scald. Turn off the heat and begin to stir in your chosen cheese a small handful at a time, whisking until it has fully melted. Repeat this process until all the cheese is incorporated.
The ratio of liquid to sodium citrate is important. One source suggests maintaining a ratio of 85% liquid and 4% sodium citrate, based on the total weight of your cheese. Another source recommends using 1% of sodium citrate by weight of the dairy. For example, for around 4500 grams of cheese and 900 grams of water, you would use about 44 grams of sodium citrate.
You can make your own sodium citrate at home by mixing citric acid and baking soda with water. For every 2.1 grams of citric acid, use 2.5 grams of baking soda. You should get 2.9 grams of sodium citrate after evaporating all the water.
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It's an emulsifier and stabiliser, preventing cheese sauces from separating
Sodium citrate is a culinary superhero that acts as an emulsifier and stabiliser in cheese sauces, preventing proteins from coagulating and keeping the sauce smooth and velvety even at high temperatures.
When cheese melts, its fat, calcium, and casein protein components separate, with the fat leaking out of the weakened protein structure. This results in the all-too-familiar oiliness when heating cheese. To avoid this, an emulsion is required to keep the fat in the cheese. Sodium citrate is a common processed cheese additive that can turn any cheese, regardless of hardness or sharpness, into a creamy sauce. It prevents the cheese sauce from separating and becoming an oily, congealing blob.
To make a cheese sauce with sodium citrate, you can use any liquid base of your choice, such as milk, heavy cream, beer, bone stock, or water. The amount of liquid added will determine the consistency of the sauce, with more liquid resulting in a thinner sauce and less liquid producing a denser sauce. In a saucepan, warm the liquid and whisk in the sodium citrate until it dissolves. Then, gradually add your choice of grated or shredded cheese, whisking continuously until it melts and reaches the desired consistency.
The ratio of cheese to liquid to sodium citrate can be adjusted to personal preference. A good starting point is 1 pound of cheese to 1 cup of liquid to 1 teaspoon of sodium citrate. However, if the sauce is too thick, you can add more liquid, and if it's too thin, you can add more sodium citrate.
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Sodium citrate is added to warm liquid and whisked until dissolved
Sodium citrate is a common processed cheese additive that can be used to make a creamy sauce that won't turn greasy or grainy. It is a salt derived from citric acid, and it can be easily made at home by combining baking soda and citric acid with some water and cooking it down. It can also be purchased online or from stores.
To make a cheese sauce using sodium citrate, start by warming your liquid of choice in a saucepan. Any liquid can be used, including milk, heavy cream, beer, bone stock, or plain water. Warm the liquid over medium-low heat until white wisps of steam begin to appear from the surface.
Once the liquid is warm, add the sodium citrate and whisk until it is completely dissolved. The amount of sodium citrate added will depend on the desired consistency of the sauce. For a thinner sauce, add more liquid, and for a thicker sauce, add less liquid. As a general guideline, use about 1% of the weight of the dairy in sodium citrate. For example, use a tablespoon of water and a gram or two of sodium citrate for two cups of shredded cheese.
After the sodium citrate has dissolved, it is time to add the cheese. Gradually add the grated cheese to the liquid, whisking continuously until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce has reached the desired consistency. If the sauce becomes too thick, additional liquid can be added, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved.
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Cheese is then added gradually, creating a smooth sauce
Once the sodium citrate has dissolved, it's time to add the cheese. It's important to do this gradually, a handful at a time, whisking or stirring continuously to ensure the cheese melts fully before adding more. This will help you achieve a smooth sauce. You can use an immersion blender if you have a lot of cheese.
If your sauce becomes clumpy, turn on a low flame under the pan to help incorporate the melted cheese. You can also add a splash of hot water if your sauce is too thick. The amount of liquid you add will affect the consistency of your sauce—the more liquid, the thinner the sauce.
If you're using a large amount of cheese, a ratio of 1% sodium citrate to cheese is a good rule of thumb. For example, for 4500g of cheese, you would use 44g of sodium citrate. However, the ratio is flexible and can be adjusted to your preferred consistency.
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Frequently asked questions
The basic recipe involves heating milk or water, dissolving sodium citrate, and then melting cheese into the liquid.
The amount of liquid used will depend on the consistency you want to achieve. The more liquid you add, the runnier the sauce will be. A good starting point is 1 cup of liquid to 1 teaspoon of sodium citrate.
Harder, shreddable cheeses such as cheddar, gouda, and parmesan work best.
Yes, sodium citrate can be made by combining citric acid and baking soda in water.
Sodium citrate can be purchased online or found in many stores near the baking ingredients.
