• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Work with Me
  • Press/PR
  • Contact
Display Search Bar

The Kitchen Whisperer

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Shop
  • Weekly Menu
  • Tuesday’s Tips

Sep252018

Why cheese sauce turns gritty and breaks

Posts may contain affiliate links. Please see my Privacy Policy for further details.

Nothing beats a smooth, creamy, and cheesy cheese sauce. Find out today how why cheese sauce gets gritty and how to prevent it!

While I get that there are 5 food groups, in my world, there are 8. Sure we have dairy, fruit, grain, lean meats and proteins, veggies but for me, I also like to consider pizza, bacon, and cheese as their own separate food groups.

Oh sure I know they technically fall under the other 5 but these other 3 play such a high role in my life that they deserve their own group. In my household, and specifically my fridge, I have an entire cheese drawer with nothing but cheeses in it.

At any given point in time, there are at least 8 different varieties of cheeses and no, I’m not talking about the individually sliced stuff. And yes I do like Velveeta by the way. That stuff is the bomb for a creamy cheese sauce!

Secret to smooth and creamy cheese sdauce

But have you ever made (or had) mac and cheese that wasn’t creamy or smooth? Instead, it was grainy or gritty? Kind of gross, huh? So there are a few reasons why this happens and what you want to avoid.

  1. Use real cheese and not cheese food (i.e, the individually wrapped slices). If those say they are real cheese without a million additives then you’re OK.
  2. Velveeta – so no, technically it’s not ‘real cheese” as it’s made with whey protein concentrate, milk protein, and other additives to create a pasteurized cheese product. Again if you want to use I won’t judge you.
  3. Grate your cheese instead of buying pre-grated cheese. Those cheese are packaged with additives (powders). Those powders hamper your cheese melting/smoothness.
  4. When you make your roux (butter/flour) then adding your milk (béchamel) you must add your cheese to the heated mixture slowly. *NOTE! Do NOT add the cheese to the mixture if it’s boiling/bubbling. Adding cheese to a bubbling mixture will cause the cheese to break down. The emulsifiers and coagulants break down when heated thus causing a gritty texture.
  5. Remove the hot béchamel from the heat. I tend to remove the pan from the heat completely when adding the cheese to prevent it from getting too hot and curdling/breaking.
  6. Add the cheese slowly – if your recipe calls for 2 cups of shredded cheese add in a little bit at a time. Add some, stir till melted and add more. Continue to add and stir.

 

 

close
Belgian Liege Waffles

JOIN MILLIONS OF TKW FAMILY MEMBERS

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER TODAY! RECIPES THAT ARE EASY TO MAKE, DELICIOUS, AND CHEF CREATED!

No email clutter! Read our privacy policy for more info.

You're one step closer to joining millions of TKW Family Members! Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Sharing is caring!

Pairs Perfectly With:

Know your wheat!
Tuesday Tip with The Kitchen Whisperer – How to Store Celery
Tuesday’s Tip with The Kitchen Whisperer – Easiest Way to Shred Chicken
Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

View Comments

Recipe Reviews & Comments

  1. Alyssa says

    December 26, 2020 at 10:59 am

    Thank you! I made a homemade Mac and cheese last night and it turned out oily, and the cheese sauce was curdled looking. Now I know I added the cheese too quickly and kept heat on much too long. I’ll try it again using your tips!

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply to sean freeman Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

I'm Lori, The Kitchen Whisperer®! Let me help you tame the kitchen one bite at a time!

More About Lori

let’s be friends

Deliciousness Delivered.

Sign up to receive delicious recipes, kitchen tips and weekly menus (bacon, pizza, oh my!) straight to your inbox.

Yeah!!! I'm so happy you are joining the TKW Family! You will get an immediate email asking you to confirm your subscription. If it's not in your inbox check your SPAM or JUNK folders. If you do not confirm it, you won't receive my newsletters.

Subscribe for delicious new recipes, kitchen tips & weekly menus

Yeah!!! I'm so happy you are joining the TKW Family! You will get an immediate email asking you to confirm your subscription. If it's not in your inbox check your SPAM or JUNK folders. If you do not confirm it, you won't receive my newsletters.

What's Trending on TKW

Biscoff Cookie Butter Cheesecake Dip
Cheesy Dill Pickle Bacon Cheese Ball
Fudgy Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallow Filling
Everything Bagel Breakfast and Brunch Casserole
Authentic Belgian Liège Waffles
Slow Cooker Pulled Banana Pepper Roast Beef
Iconic Grandma-Style Pan Pizza with Pepperoni Cups
Chunky Portabella Mushroom Veggie Burgers
The Best Super Soft and Chewy Hoagie Bread Rolls
Back to Top
  • Recipe Index
  • instagram
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Site CreditsDesigned by Melissa Rose Design.Developed by Once Coupled.