If you have been wondering if evaporated milk could be drunk since you have never bought it before, then this article is the right one for you. This article discusses how you use evaporated milk, and what you can partner it with.
What is Evaporated Milk Made Of?
However, there are bad effects of evaporated milk that people want to avoid. Evaporated milk is made of cow’s milk. Therefore, it contains the same milk proteins and lactose as regular milk in a more concentrated form. People with lactose intolerance, who may not be able to process the milk sugars, should avoid using evaporated milk. It is also not recommended for people who are allergic to milk or dairy products since it contains the same allergens as fresh milk.
Can You Drink Evaporated Milk?
Evaporated milk can be consumed straight from the can, or diluted with water. Evaporated milk is made with cow’s milk, and it has a thick, creamy texture. It has a rich, caramelized, and mildly sweet flavor. While evaporated milk can be consumed on its own, it is best used as an ingredient in recipes.
Drinking evaporated milk is okay
People often overlook evaporated milk in grocery stores. However, there are many ways you can drink and cook with this canned milk. Evaporated milk is, therefore, a staple pantry item for anyone who knows how to use it.
How to Drink Evaporated Milk
First, heat whole milk from cows, and remove approximately 60% of the water in order to create evaporated milk. The result is a concentrated milk product that has a long shelf-life. Evaporated milk is stored in cans on a shelf, instead of being sold in the cold dairy section at your grocery store.
Cooled Down Evaporated Milk To Drink
It can also be used when refrigeration is not available, when fresh milk may not be readily available, or when you need to store necessities for a while. Furthermore, evaporated milk is delicious. It is an important ingredient in many recipes, and it has a useful addition to many meals.
Can you drink evaporated milk directly from the can?
People often ask if they can drink evaporated milk straight from the can. The answer is yes. However, it is best to shake the product well before opening it.
Must shake up the drink
Evaporated Milk may settle, and that causes the milk to become thinner at the top and thicker at its bottom. Therefore, you need to shake the can to distribute the liquid into the solids, and give the evaporated milk its correct texture. But even after shaking the can, it is often too thick to drink straight from the can.
Can Evaporated Milk Be Made Into Regular Milk?
Yes! It can be mixed with equal amounts of water to give it the consistency of regular milk. The dilute evaporated milk has a similar texture and taste to regular milk. You can then drink the evaporated milk reconstituted in water from a glass.
Evaporated milk is a milk substitute for baking
In recipes, you can substitute regular milk with the reconstituted evaporated milk. Generally, the instructions on how to reconstitute or dilute evaporated milk as a substitute for fresh milk are found on the cans.
How Does Evaporated Milk Taste?
Evaporated milk often has a caramel or nutty flavor. The heating process can also cause it to taste sweet. When fresh milk is heated, the fat, protein, and sugar becomes concentrated into a smaller amount of liquid. Therefore, this produces a stronger flavor than fresh milk.
The flavor of evaporated milk becomes closer to that of fresh milk when it has been reconstituted. But, a lot of people still notice the difference. So, to mask the taste and make it more like fresh milk, you can add some vanilla extract.
Is Evaporated Milk Healthy?
Evaporated milk is rich in nutrients, vitamins, minerals, which are essential parts of any diet. It also has all the same nutrients as fresh milk, but in more concentrated amounts. Moreover, it is rich in calcium, which is essential for strong bones. This type of milk also contains protein, vitamin A, vitamin B, and magnesium.
Evaporated milk has more calories in it than milk
However, evaporated milk contains more calories and fat than fresh milk. So it’s a great choice for those who want to gain weight without needing to add more food into their diet. Evaporated milk also comes in many varieties, including whole, skim, and low-fat. The number of calories, fat, vitamins, and minerals they contain depend on the type of milk. Therefore, it is important to read the label, and understand its nutritional content.
Can You Add Evaporated Milk to Coffee?
Evaporated milk can be used in coffee straight from the can. However, it will give your coffee a creamier consistency since it is thicker than milk or coffee creamer. It also has less fat than cream, so many prefer to add it to their cup of coffee.
Begin by adding half of the evaporated milk to your cup than you would milk or creamer in order to find the right amount for your coffee. You may also need to adjust how much sugar you use since evaporated milk can be sweeter than fresh milk. However, it is less sweet than most creamers. Hot tea drinkers who prefer to use milk in their cups may like evaporated milk.
Can You Use Evaporated Milk With Cereal?
Yes. Evaporated milk can be used to save your rice krispies or corn flakes if you run out milk just before breakfast. However, it is better to first dilute or reconstitute it with water. Evaporated milk from a can is too thick to be poured into a bowl of cereal, so you need to reconstitute it to have the right consistency.
Moreover, evaporated milk cans are sealed, and do not need to go in the fridge. Therefore, this makes it a great option for those who do not like cold cereal. Evaporated milk can also be used to make oatmeal, especially if you like a thicker bowl of oatmeal without added liquid.
How Do You Use Evaporated Milk?
Evaporated milk can be used in many recipes that require a creamy dairy flavor without using too much fresh milk. It can also be used in sweet and savory dishes, as it doesn’t contain any added sugar. Moreover, it can thicken sauces such as cheese sauces, bechamel, or spaghetti. This method adds thickness to a dish without adding fat.
Mixing Evaporated Milk With Other Drinks
This milk can also be added to many beverages. You can add it to smoothies in place of fresh milk or yogurt, for a creamier texture. You can also combine ice cream and evaporated milk to make a milkshake. This makes a rich and ultra-creamy milkshake that you would need a spoon instead of a straw. You can make hot chocolate with evaporated dairy milk. Just add equal parts of whole milk and evaporated milk to get that wonderful warm treat. Also, evaporated milk makes a delicious addition to chai tea and lattes.
Cooking with Evaporated Milk
Evaporated milk can be used to create smooth creaminess in savory dishes. You may also add evaporated milk instead of butter or milk to mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, or mashed carrots to make a thick and creamy consistency. Moreover, use evaporated milk to enhance the texture and flavor of canned soups and sauces.
You may even use evaporated milk in desserts and pastries, like pies, flans, cakes, puddings, and scones.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk?
Condensed milk and evaporated milk are often confused. Both milk go through the process of extracting water from fresh milk. However, condensed milk is made with sugar, which gives it a sweeter taste. Here are the facts you need to know:
- Condensed milk has a thicker and syrupy-like texture compared to evaporated milk.
- Evaporated milk doesn’t contain any sugar added.
- The lactose in fresh milk is what gives evaporated milk its slightly sweet taste.
- In recipes, condensed milk is not interchangeable with evaporated milk.
How to properly store evaporated milk?
Unopened cans of evaporated milk should be kept in a dry, cool cupboard or pantry. Evaporated milk is shelf-stable, so you don’t need them taking up valuable space in your fridge. However, check and throw any bulging, dented or leaking cans. Cans also should be stamped with a “best before” date.
Use evaporated milk within the expiration date indicated on its container. However, if there’s no date on the can, use evaporated milk within one year of purchase. Unopened evaporated milk can last for a very long time, but it needs to be kept refrigerated and used quickly after opening. Place evaporated milk in an airtight container in the refrigerator after opening, and use it within five days.
Where can I buy evaporated milk?
Evaporated milk can be found in the baking aisle, near the flour, sugar, and cake mix. It can be stored on a shelf, and it is canned. So, it does not require refrigeration. Moreover, grocery stores place evaporated milk in the baking section since it is used in many baked goods, such as pies and cakes.
Is there an alternative for evaporated milk?
You can use a combination of half-and-half, fresh, and whole milk if you don’t have evaporated milk on hand. Just add 3/4 cup of whole milk and 1/4 cup half-and-half. This will yield one cup of evaporated dairy milk.
Can I make evaporated milk at home?
Canned evaporated milk is inexpensive and readily available in most grocery stores. However, many people prefer to make their own. You slowly reduce fresh whole milk to make your own evaporated milk. Just add 4 cups of milk to a saucepan, and put it over medium heat. Bring the milk to boil. Then, reduce heat to the lowest setting.
Next, stir as often as you can, and remove the skin that forms on top. Then, allow the milk to simmer until it’s reduced over 50%. This takes approximately 45 minutes. Let the milk cool, then place it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
