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Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. How’s Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 91,091 times. Evaporated milk is exactly what the name implies: milk heated until most of the water has evaporated. The result is thicker than milk, but not as heavy as cream or even half-and-half.
Once a convenient way to ship a shelf-stable, canned product, evaporated milk is now more often sought for the light caramel flavor it picks up during cooking. You can use full fat, reduced fat, or skim milk. This makes it a poor choice for making evaporated milk unless you add an emulsifier, such as lecithin. Pour the milk into a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan. The wider the pot, the faster the water will evaporate. A thick, nonstick base helps minimize burning from milk solids that sink to the bottom. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently.
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Keep a close eye on the milk and whisk frequently to prevent a skin from forming. If a skin does form, remove it or break it apart, or it will block water from evaporating. Reduce heat to keep the milk at a very low simmer.
Depending on the pot size, stove temperature, and amount of milk, it can take anywhere from another twenty minutes to a couple hours to finish making evaporated milk. Alternatively, bring the milk to a low boil and stir constantly for ten minutes. This requires a deep pot to prevent boiling over, and comes with a high risk of a “scorched” taste. It may take several hours to boil down, but the result will have a pure milk color and flavor. Whisk and scrape the pan frequently. It’s normal for small amounts of milk solids to separate and stick to the base of the pan.
The heat will brown these slightly, adding the light caramel flavor found in most canned evaporated milk. Just keep a watchful eye on the pot and whisk at least once every five to eight minutes so the milk solids don’t scorch. Reduce heat and whisk vigorously if the milk rises above a low simmer. A rubber spatula is the best tool for scraping the base. A whisk is best for preventing skin from forming. Alternate between these tools for the best result. Stop once the milk is less than half its original volume.
Eyeball this based on the depth of the milk in the pan, or measure the volume in a heatproof measuring cup. The milk is now similar to store-bought evaporated milk, with a little more than half of its water removed. It’s normal for some spongy solids to separate out of the milk when you heat it. Pour the milk through cheesecloth or a fine mesh to remove these. Unlike the canned product, homemade evaporated milk is not shelf stable.