Bushra Griffith
Cheese sauce is a tricky thing to get right. It's prone to breaking when overheated or if cheese is added too quickly to a hot liquid. The proteins in the cheese get loose and the melted fat starts to leak out. But there are ways to prevent this from happening.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| High heat | Causes cheese sauce to break |
| Sodium citrate | Can be added to prevent cheese sauce from breaking |
| Mustard | Can help stabilise cheese sauce |
| Cream of tartar | Can help prevent cheese sauce from breaking |
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What You'll Learn
High heat
If you are making a cheese sauce, you should avoid boiling it. Instead, warm up the milk and then whisk in your shredded cheese. You can also add a couple of pinches of sodium citrate to make the sauce less likely to break.
If you notice an oily layer forming on your cheese sauce, whisk the sauce frequently to keep the emulsion stable. Cheese sauces are prone to breaking when overheated or if cheese is added too quickly to a hot liquid.
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The proteins in cheese getting loose
Cheese is made up of fat, calcium and proteins. When you heat cheese, the proteins get loose and the melted fat starts to leak out. This is what happens when a cheese sauce breaks.
To prevent this from happening, you can add an acid like cream of tartar or mustard to the sauce. You can also add sodium citrate, which will help to stabilise the sauce.
The temperature of the sauce is also important. If the temperature is too high, the proteins in the cheese will get too loose and the sauce will break. It's best to take the sauce off the heat before adding the cheese and then stir it in. You can then put the sauce back on the heat to keep it warm.
If you do end up with a broken cheese sauce, you can try whisking it frequently to keep the emulsion stable.
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Mustard as a stabiliser
Cheese sauces can break when overheated or if cheese is added too quickly to a hot liquid. The proteins in cheese form a shell around the fat, and when heated, these proteins loosen and the melted fat starts to leak out. To prevent this, you can add mustard to the sauce, which will help stabilise it. Mustard powder can be used if you don't like the acid in regular mustard.
Mustard is a great stabiliser for cheese sauces as it helps to emulsify the sauce, preventing the fat from separating and creating an oily layer. It also adds a nice flavour to the sauce, which pairs well with cheese.
When making a cheese sauce, it is important to keep the heat low. You can take the sauce off the heat and then whisk in the cheese, as the sauce will be hot enough to melt it. This will prevent the sauce from breaking.
If you are making a béchamel sauce, you can also add a small amount of sodium citrate to prevent the cheese sauce from breaking. This will help to stabilise the sauce and make it easier to work with.
Another option is to use a cornstarch-thickened béchamel sauce instead of one thickened with flour. This will prevent the sauce from becoming grainy and can help to keep the sauce stable.
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Sodium citrate as a stabiliser
Cheese sauces can break for a number of reasons, including overheating, adding the cheese too quickly to a hot liquid, and not whisking the sauce frequently enough. One way to prevent cheese sauce from breaking is to add a stabiliser, such as sodium citrate.
Sodium citrate is a salt that is commonly used as a food additive to improve the texture and stability of cheese sauces. It works by binding to the calcium ions in the cheese, which helps to prevent the proteins from "loosening" and the fat from leaking out. This keeps the sauce smooth and prevents it from breaking.
To use sodium citrate as a stabiliser, you only need a small amount—around 2% by weight of the cheese. Simply add it to your warm milk or béchamel sauce, along with your shredded or diced cheese, and whisk until smooth. This method will help you create a stable cheese sauce that won't break easily, even if you use high heat.
In addition to sodium citrate, you can also add a small amount of mustard or mustard powder to your cheese sauce to help stabilise it. The acid in the mustard can help prevent the sauce from breaking, even if it is overheated.
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Whisking to keep the emulsion stable
When making a cheese sauce, it's important to keep the emulsion stable to prevent the sauce from breaking. Cheese is made up of fat, calcium and proteins. When heated, the proteins loosen and the melted fat starts to leak out. This can cause the sauce to break, resulting in an oily layer forming on top.
To prevent this, it's crucial to control the temperature of the sauce. The number one cause of a breaking cheese sauce is too high heat when adding the cheese. Therefore, it's best to take the sauce off the heat before adding the cheese and whisking it in. The residual heat in the sauce will be enough to melt the cheese, and you can always return the sauce to the stove on low heat to keep it warm.
Additionally, whisking the sauce frequently, as suggested by one source, can help keep the emulsion stable and prevent the sauce from breaking. This is especially important if you notice an oily layer forming on top of the sauce.
Some ingredients can also help stabilise the sauce. A small amount of sodium citrate, for example, can prevent the sauce from breaking. Cream of tartar, which adds acidity, can also be used, although it's not necessary. Mustard or mustard powder can also help make the sauce more stable, even if it's been destabilised by cooking.
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Frequently asked questions
The number one cause of a cheese sauce breaking is too high heat when adding the cheese.
You should cook your cheese sauce at a low temperature. Take the sauce off the heat and then whisk in the cheese.
You can add a small amount of sodium citrate to your cheese sauce to stop it from breaking.
You can add cream of tartar to your cheese sauce to add acidity and prevent it from breaking.
If you notice an oily layer forming on your cheese sauce, whisk the sauce frequently to keep the emulsion stable.
