Bechamel Sauce

[Fabienne]

No need to scald the milk.

 

[Manton]

Add the milk to the roux -- not the other way around -- either off heat, or over a water bath on low. Don't do it on the flame until you get really good at it.

I have never heard of a commercially made bechamel, veloute, hollandaise, etc. Most commercially made sauces are terrible, anyway.

 

[Fabienne]

Originally Posted by Manton

Add the milk to the roux -- not the other way around -- either off heat, or over a water bath on low. Don't do it on the flame until you get really good at it.

I have never heard of a commercially made bechamel, veloute, hollandaise, etc. Most commercially made sauces are terrible, anyway.

Oh, you think that's what he meant? Yes, of course, you add cold milk to the roux. Knorr had a decent hollandaise in a packet several years ago, but it's just as easy to make it from scratch. The bÃ

chamel is so easy, you could make it with your eyes closed. Tried the IKEA sauces recently for kicks, I recommend not buying.

 

[CDFS]

Originally Posted by Manton

Add the milk to the roux -- not the other way around -- either off heat, or over a water bath on low. Don't do it on the flame until you get really good at it.

I have never heard of a commercially made bechamel, veloute, hollandaise, etc. Most commercially made sauces are terrible, anyway.

My guess is he meant 'add to' not 'add in'. Seems easier that way and would make for a better sauce.

 

[Manton]

You have to add the milk a little at a time. Start with a very small amount, then add more, then eventually stream the rest in. If you just dumb a clump of roux into the full amount of milk, the sauce will not work.

 

[Fabienne]

Originally Posted by Manton

You have to add the milk a little at a time. Start with a very small amount, then add more, then eventually stream the rest in. If you just dumb a clump of roux into the full amount of milk, the sauce will not work.

I always add the entire amount of milk at a time, or most of it, then will decide on the consistency based on what I am making (stuffing crêpes, making lasagna, stuffing gougères, etc.). I'm usually doing a bunch of other things at the stove while making the sauce, so I just whisk intermittently. It's hard to fail a bÃ

chamel in my experience.

 

[CDFS]

Originally Posted by Manton

You have to add the milk a little at a time. Start with a very small amount, then add more, then eventually stream the rest in. If you just dumb a clump of roux into the full amount of milk, the sauce will not work.

Yes, I think you, he and I mean the same thing. In my last post I meant in the sentence 'add in roux...' he meant 'add to roux while beating constantly...'

If you have the answer to my earlier question i'd be obliged.

 

[Manton]

The elements need to combine, that takes some time on the heat. Start off the fire or in a water bath, or on the edge of a very low flame so you don't burn the roux. When all the liquid is in, bring to a boil, whisking. Cook from that point about 15 minutes (but not boiling, lower heat when it boils).

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by Manton

You have to add the milk a little at a time. Start with a very small amount, then add more, then eventually stream the rest in. If you just dumb a clump of roux into the full amount of milk, the sauce will not work.

I use our heavy sauce pan and whisk flour into melted butter, incorporate but do not allow to darken. Add in some of the scalding milk, incorporate, rinse and repeat until about two cups are in, then you can almost stream in the other two cups. I would then bring to a boil, lower heat and whisk continuously for about 15 mins, adding white pepper and salt to taste.

Next time, my only changes will be adding the onion with cloves and bay leaf, and I won't continuously whisk.

 

[Manton]

You should cook the roux first, on low heat, for a good while. Low heat won't give color, but the roux has to be cooked until the flour is thoroughly cooked and all the chalky taste is gone. You don't need a whisk for this, in fact a whisk is pointless, just use a wooden spoon or spatula.

You need the whisk for when you add the liquid. You don't need to scald the milk, but it should be warm/hot, not boiling.

I would not add more than one clove; cloves are super-powerful.

Traditionally, a bechamel is seasonsed with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg -- nothing else. That said, you can of course season however you want, but if you use a lot of aromatic solids, you should strain the sauce through a fine chinois before serving.

 

[Piobaire]

Good stuff. Thanks for the tips. I think my next attempt will be even better and creamier.

Oh, in this case, I held back the nutmeg for seasoning the meat. Nutmeg is fairly powerful too, and I use it to season the meat in moussaka.

 

[kwilkinson]

Mmmmmm freshly ground nutmeg is unbeatable. The stuff sold already ground is meh.

 

[why]

This thread made me want to make **** on a shingle.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by why

This thread made me want to make **** on a shingle.

I always thought that was universally defined as spam on toast, but have recently run into people that define it differently. What's your recipe?

 

[why]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

I always thought that was universally defined as spam on toast, but have recently run into people that define it differently. What's your recipe?
Just cut up sliced dried beef (Hormel makes it -- NOT Spam it's dried beef) and put it into bechamel sauce with some pepper to taste and let it cook for a few minutes. Serve over sliced toast. Some people add worcestershire sauce but I've never tried it that way.