What Is The Best Way To Make Cheese Sauce?

Cheese sauce is one of the many different types of dishes you can make using cheese. The great thing about a cheese sauce is that it is incredibly versatile as you can make it using nearly any type of cheese that you want, meaning that the end result can complement whichever dish you choose. This allows you to make the perfect cheese sauce for meat one day, for fish the next, and for pasta the next day.

Select The Right Cheese

The very first step in making the best cheese sauce is to select the correct cheese. Although you may be tempted to go with your favorite cheese, no matter the type, the truth is that some types of cheese will do better than others when it comes to cheese sauce. The simple route is to opt for a processed cheese, as these tend to melt uniformly, but they usually lack a great deal in terms of flavor. Teh good news is that there are also many natural cheeses that do well in cheese sauce. Some of the best options include Muenster, Monterey Jack, Havarti, Gruyere, Gouda, fontina, colby, cheddar, and Asiago. You can also use soft cheeses or blue cheeses, but be sure to remove the rind first.

Order Of Ingredients

Once you have your ingredients ready, you want to think about the order. Despite cheese being the main ingredient in cheese sauce, it is actually added last. That is because cheese can easily overcook and when this happens, it affects the texture negatively. As such, you want to add the cheese as your final ingredient. Be sure that you add the cheese when the sauce is cooking at a low temperature. If necessary, take extremely hot sauce off the heat so it cools slightly before adding the cheese. Also, be sure to grate the cheese before adding it as this will allow it to melt more smoothly.

Cooking Steps

The exact way to make cheese sauce will depend on the recipe that you select, but the general steps will be the same. Begin by cooking the same amount of butter and flour in a pan (first melting the butter, then whisking in the flour). Lower the heat and constantly stir. After the flour has cooked a bit, turn off the heat and warm up milk, then slowly add it into the mixture. Now you can simmer the sauce, constantly whisking it until it thickens. Finally, you can throw in the shredded cheese and whatever seasonings you want. Be sure to cook on very low heat due to the cheese.