White Sauce

joyfuljoybell, Apr 25, 2:11am
Has anyone got a fool proof recipe to make a smooth sauce please. I seem to get lumps and my boys call it grumpy sauce. Thank you.
tiogapass, Apr 25, 2:17am
heat milk and seasonings in a large jug in the microwave until boiling. mix some cornflour with a little cold milk unitl smooth. pour the cold mix into the hot while stirring then reheat until boiling. The trick is to stir a lot.
245sam, Apr 25, 2:22am
joyfuljoybell, how do you usually make your white sauce and... . . stovetop or microwave? For many years now I have successfully made white sauces in the microwave using the roux method (usually based on 2 tbsp each of butter and flour to 1 cup milk). :-))
mber2, Apr 25, 3:23am
I havent got a microwwave, so can u help me as my white sauce seems like joyfuljoybell as well
245sam, Apr 25, 3:38am
x1
ok mber2, to make a white/Bechamel sauce by the roux method... .

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and stir well. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the liquid very gradually, stirring carefully and thoroughly. Return the saucepan to the heat and whilst stirring constantly, bring the sauce to the boil. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
For a thin sauce to be used for soups, use ¾- 1 tbsp each of butter and flour to 1 cup liquid (milk for white sauce).
For a medium sauce to be used for general purposes, use 1½-2 tbsp each of butter and flour to 1 cup liquid.
For a thick sauce to be used for souffles, savoury fillings, etc. use 2¼-2½ tbsp each of butter and flour to 1 cup liquid.
For a very thick sauce to be used e. g. for croquettes, use 3 tbsp each of butter and flour to 1 cup liquid.

This method of sauce making is the method that I have used ever since I was taught how to make white sauce at Manual Training 45+ years ago, when of course, there were no microwave ovens to use, but nowdays I use the same method and do the actual cooking in the microwave.

Hope that helps. :-))
margyr, Apr 25, 3:40am
I also find using a whisk is good, a spoon works ok too but means you have to be a bit more slow and careful when adding the milk making sure it is all blended before adding more.
mber2, Apr 25, 3:52am
245sam
Thanks for that, it sounds kool
245sam, Apr 25, 4:01am
you're welcome mber2, I hope that#5 helps you to enjoy lovely creamy white sauces just as I have for all those many years.
I still remember when, as a mere 10-11 year old, I went home from our fortnightly day at Manual Training and told my Mum how we had learnt to make white sauce and that it was different to how she and most home cooks of that era made white sauce (by thickening the milk, then adding a knob of butter and seasoning to taste). Mum was good enough to not take that as criticism and instead asked if I'd like to show her how we'd been taught. Ever since that day my now 81 year old Mum has enjoyed roux method white sauce, initially made on the stove top and nowdays she also uses the microwave and nothing or no-one will change Mum back to what was 'her' way of making white sauce.

Happy sauce making. :-))
cookessentials, Apr 25, 4:32am
#From cooking class 101 thread

Basic white sauce (bechamel sauce) this basic white sauce can have things aded to it for different dishes. Cheese, for a lasagne, parsley, for fish, onion for corned beef etc.
1 cup milk;1/2 bay leaf;1 slice onion;5 black peppercorns;1 small peice celery, 1 blade of mace;30g butter;salt & freshly ground pepper;nutmeg. Heat milk with bayleaf, onion, peppercorns, cele-
-
ry & mace in a small saucepan until bubbles form around the edge. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 20 mins. Wipe out saucepan, melt butter in it. Stir in flour, stir over low heat 1 minute cont... .

* Quote

brianmac (130 )12:18 pm, Thu 30 Aug #12
#

Remove from heat and cool a little then add strained milk, stir until smooth. Return to medium heat and stir constantly until bloiling. Lower heat and cook gently 5 mins. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. This recipe makes a coating sauce-the right consistency for covering food in the dish in which it is to be served. For a flowing sauce to be used seperately, follow recipe but use only 1 tbsp flour. For a cheese sauce, add 30g of parmesan or sharp cheddar cheese and a pinch of dry mustard. or add 2 tbsp of finely chopped parsley and a few drops of lemon juice for parsley sauce.
beaker59, Apr 25, 4:48am
So sometimes my cheese sauce curdles is that because I have added the cheese too soon or used the wrong cheese or something else? I used to do the cornflour thing but these days generally do the roux method.
margyr, Apr 25, 4:51am
usually it curdles because it is too hot, i make mine take it off the element and then add the cheese and just let it melt into the sauce.
245sam, Apr 25, 4:56am
beaker59, curdled cheese sauce is something that, thankfully, I've never had but I remove the just-boiled and thickened sauce from the heat (and whether that be the stovetop or microwave is irrelevant) then immediately add the cheese and stir until it is well on the way to being melted. I gently reheat the sauce and then I have a hot, smooth, cheesey sauce made using Edam cheese usually, but sometimes tasty or both depending on what's available/handy at the time. :-))
joyfuljoybell, Apr 25, 7:36am
Thank you very much for all the suggestions. I am sorry didn't get back to board -- I had visitors call. I usually do mine on the stove top. I have trouble getting it smooth with melting butter and adding flour but try again. Thank you all very much.
deus701, Apr 25, 7:51am
the trick is to add the scalded milk slowly and taking your time. All good sauces takes time. But you can always strain the finished sauce if you're not satisfied.
cookessentials, Apr 25, 7:42pm
Let us know how you get on next time.
aktow, May 10, 11:09am
well if you were taught atManual Training 45+ years ago then you were taught wrong. . you missed out the clouted onion and bechamel or white sauce aviation should be cooked out for over a hour.
mojome, May 11, 1:57pm
Chef's secret instead if adding the milk slowly to the roux(butter& flour) try this
Heat your milk until just under boil, make roux in a seperate pan(or meltin microwave and add flour mix really well then whisk the roux into the hot milk, it will thicken quite quickly so do not stop mixing until it's ready
mwood, May 11, 5:11pm
Use cornflour instead of regular flour and it will be smoother and no need to "cook" the flour taste out, which must be done with regular wheat flour, thereby risking a lumpy result. Simplest method is 1 tablespoon cornflour + 1 tablespoon of butter into the microwave for 1 minute - mix well then add 1 cup (300 mls) of milk then stir it and back on high for 1 minute, stir back on high 1 minute if it's not ready give it another minute - if it's too thick add some more milk - stirring or whisking briskly is the key and this white sauce never lumps and can be used as a foundation for other classic sauces and gravies - just add the other bits after the first 1 minute of mix and microwave.
eclair5, May 13, 9:34am
I cheat when I make a white sauce. I put the cold milk in the saucepan, throw in the plain flour and a pinch of salt, whisk together with my wire whisk and then drop in a lump of butter. Heat slowly on the stove top, whisking frequently until it starts to bubble. Then whisk constantly until thick and cooked. Then add smoked paprika/mustard/herbs/cheese or whatever.

It's much easier than the roux method and nobody can tell the difference, honest! Just whisk with your wire whisk frequently!
feisha, May 1, 8:09am
I use melted butter and flour method, cook several minutes then add liquid. Best tip I know is to use whisk initially to avoid lumps, but wooden spoon at end to thicken. I foundusing the whisk all the way through meant an eternity before it thickened.