How to use evaporated milk (2024)

FAQs

How to use evaporated milk? ›

How do you substitute evaporated milk for milk in recipes? Evaporated milk has abiout 40% of the water removed. Add about 40% water to 60% evaprated milk to get the amount of 'milk' needed for the recipe.

Evaporated milk starts out as fresh milk and is heated to drive off more than half of the water. Add water and use it as milk or pour it straight out of the can and use it as half-and-half. Creamy, rich and perfect for baking, custards, soups and even ice cream.

Use evaporated milk instead of fresh milk in recipes. Add an equal amount of water. For example, if a recipe lists 1 cup (250 mL) milk, add ½ cup water to ½ cup evaporated milk. Try leftover canned milk in tea, coffee, omelets, soups, hot oatmeal or even spaghetti sauce.

Unopened cans of evaporated milk can keep for more than a year. But if you open a can and it's dark yellow or brown (a light brown color is normal), smells bad or appears curdled, don't use it.

Evaporated milk is made by slowly heating milk to remove about half of its water—a process that develops a light golden color and mildly sweet flavor. Nestlé states that Carnation evaporated milk can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio for regular whole milk.

As for whether you can drink evaporated milk right out of the can, it's safe to do so. Because the only real difference is the water content, evaporated milk is pretty similar when it comes to nutritional value. However, the taste and texture of evaporated milk can be somewhat off-putting to many people.

And while milk might only last a week in the refrigerator, unopened evaporated milk that is properly stored can last up to two years. But how can you tell when it's gone bad? In short, by looking at it. If your milk has turned dark yellow or brown, don't use it.

Pies with too much evaporated milk formed blisters on top.

As I let the pies cool, I saw that they all had browned blisters on top of their plastic-looking skin. Though the interior of the filling had a great, creamy texture. The flavor was ever-so-slightly muted and had a hint of milkiness to it.

On its own, evaporated milk is thick and creamy, making it an excellent replacement for half and half or creamer in your coffee or tea. You can also experiment with adding it to smoothies, milkshakes, soup, or pasta sauces, although you'll want to use less than you would with regular milk.

One cup of heavy cream can be replaced with one cup of evaporated milk, or three-quarters of a cup of milk plus one-third of a cup of butter. Editor's note: Evaporated milk lends a slightly toasty, caramel taste, so keep that in mind when adding it to recipes.

What is evaporated milk bad for you? ›

Potential downsides

Evaporated milk may be problematic for people with lactose intolerance or cow's milk allergy (CMA), as it contains more lactose and milk proteins per volume, compared with regular milk. Lactose is the main type of carb found in milk and dairy products ( 20 ).

But when left in its thickened, low-moisture canned state, it can also stand in for milk or heavy cream as an enriching agent. Evaporated milk gives body to smoothies, thickens up and sweetens coffee, and adds nuance and richness to creamy soups and chowders, not to mention savory sauces and even oatmeal.

The key here is typically to use less than you would with cow's milk since it's a much heavier product. But, if you have the urge to drink evaporated milk straight from the can, go right ahead; it's completely safe to do so.

Carnation Evaporated Milk is the best for mashed potatoes. I learned this from my mother-in-law in the '70s. She made hers with this, and they were the best I ever tasted. The Carnation Evaporated Milk just gives them a sweetness and great flavor that you can't get from just regular milk or even cream.

It adds more creaminess than fresh milk with less fat than cream. It is also called for in some dessert recipes and can frequently be used in place of half-and-half. Diluted evaporated milk can be used just like milk for cooking, baking, and even pouring over cereal or into drinks.

Substitute the water.

My go to is Buttermilk when I swap water in cake mixes. But I have used evaporated milk, which is canned milk if I can't get fresh buttermilk.

In terms of nutritional value, evaporated milk has a higher nutrient concentration than fresh cow's milk and, therefore, more calories. It has over twice as many grams of carbohydrates, protein, and fat – except for the reduced fat and fat-free varieties – and higher mineral content.

Pour the chilled evaporated milk into the mixing bowl and beat at high speed for 1 minute, or until foamy. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat again for about two minutes, or until thick and creamy. Serve immediately.

On its own, evaporated milk is thick and creamy, making it an excellent replacement for half and half or creamer in your coffee or tea. You can also experiment with adding it to smoothies, milkshakes, soup, or pasta sauces, although you'll want to use less than you would with regular milk.

What Does It Taste Like? Evaporated milk tastes like milk but with a thicker, less watery consistency. The process of heating the evaporated milk in the cans imparts a slightly sweet flavor to the milk and it's just a bit darker in color than ordinary milk. It has a similar viscosity to half-and-half.