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For a creamy taste without the cream, try evaporated (canned) milk! Evaporated milk is made by removing water from fresh milk and then heating it. Heating the milk gives it the creamy, slightly cooked taste and darker colour. When mixed with an equal amount of water, it can be substituted for fresh milk in recipes. Here are some great tips for buying, storing and using evaporated milk.
Evaporated milk is nutritious
- Just like fresh milk or powdered milk, evaporated milk is a healthy choice. It provides nutrients needed for healthy bones: protein, calcium, vitamins A and D.
- Evaporated milk is sold in cans. It comes in skim, 1%, 2% or hom*ogenized (3.25%) versions. Skim, 1% and 2% are all lower fat choices.
Tip: Sweetened condensed milk is a thick, syrup-like mixture used to make sweet baked goods like cookies. It is not the same as evaporated milk and does not count as a Food Guide serving of milk.
Buy it best
- At the store, look for evaporated milk in the grocery aisle with baking goods such as flour.
- Compare brands for the best price.
- Buy extra on sale. Keep some on hand if you find it hard to go grocery shopping.
- Do not buy cans that are leaking, rusted, dented, cracked or have bulging lids. These are signs the food is spoiled and may not be safe to eat.
- Check the best-before date before you buy.
Tips for storing evaporated milk
- Store unopened cans in a cool, dry place such as a cupboard. This helps prevent the can from rusting.
- For best quality, use by the best before date or within one year. Also try to use older cans first.
- Throw out cans that are: leaking, rusted, dented, cracked or have bulging lids.
- Put any unused evaporated milk into an air tight container. Store in the fridge. Use within 5 to 7 days.
- Do not freeze evaporated milk because it will become watery.
Tips for cooking with evaporated milk
- Shake the can before opening.
- Use undiluted evaporated milk instead of cream in recipes - and still get a creamy taste.
- Evaporated milk cannot be used to make whipping 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.
Five things to do with evaporated milk
Make creamy mashed carrots and potatoes.
- Cook potatoes and carrots until they are soft. Mash.Mix in enough evaporated milk to get the consistency you like. Enjoy these mashed vegetables on their own or as the topping for Shepherd’s Pie.
Or try this recipe from Cookspiration:Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Make a white (béchamel) sauce and use in:
- Creamy pasta sauces (like Alfredo sauce)
- Macaroni and cheese
- Cheesy sauce over steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
- Creamy tuna, salmon or chicken casseroles.
- Moussaka (baked eggplant with ground meat and a white sauce)
- Add sliced cooked mushrooms for a creamy mushroom sauce.
Lighten up desserts.
- Cut fat from a recipe simply by replacing ½ cup (125 mL) of table cream (18% fat) with ½ cup (125 mL) undiluted evaporated 2% milk.
- Try it the next time you make flan, bread or rice pudding, spice cakes or scones.
Add to homemade and canned soups.
- Get a nutrient boost. Use evaporated milk instead of water or milk in soups.
- Try it in these soups: tomato, carrot, squash or chowder.
Drink it!
Add equal amounts of water to diluted evaporated milk. Try it in:
- Latte
- Chai tea
- Hot chocolate
- Smoothies
Recipes where you can use evaporated milk:
Chicken and Corn Chowder
Curried Cream Of Parsnip And Carrot Soup
Stove-Top Broccoli and Mushroom Quiche
Whole wheat orange ginger scones
Spiced hot chocolate
You may also be interested in:
All about skim milk powder
Food Safety - Canned Foods
Last Update – June 10, 2020
FAQs
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.
How to use a can of evaporated milk? ›
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.
Can you add water to evaporated milk to make regular milk? ›
To use evaporated milk as a subsitute for fresh milk, add one and a half cans of water to each can of evaporated milk. Diluted evaporated milk is a good substitute for milk in coffee, hot chocolate and cooked cereal like cream of wheat or oatmeal.
How much evaporated milk equals 1 cup of milk? ›
For the same consistency as drinking milk, mix ½ cup Evaporated Milk and ½ cup water to make 1 cup of regular drinking milk. How can I use Evaporated Milk for extra richness and creaminess in my recipes?
Can you drink evaporated milk straight from the can? ›
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.
What are the best uses for evaporated milk? ›
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. If you don't have much of a sweet tooth, you can also use it in place of sweetened condensed milk in plenty of desserts.
Is evaporated milk healthier than regular milk? ›
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.
What is the point of evaporated milk? ›
The evaporation process concentrates the nutrients and the food energy (kcal); unreconstituted evaporated milk contains more nutrients and calories than does fresh milk per unit volume.
Does evaporated milk taste like normal 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.
Can I substitute evaporated milk for milk in mashed potatoes? ›
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.
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.
Is evaporated milk good in coffee? ›
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.
Can you freeze evaporated milk after opening? ›
It is not recommended to freeze evaporated milk, it changes its physical properties (colour, flavour, texture, etc.). Freezing the can could also compromise the seam integrity of the can which in turn would spoil the milk.
How much water do you add to evaporated milk to make milk? ›
Dialing the ratios down to 67 percent evaporated milk and 33 percent water helped only a little. But a 50-50 mix produced results that were close to the all-regular-milk versions in all three cases. It's good to know that we can keep a ready substitute for fresh milk in the cupboard.
How to dilute evaporated milk for drinking? ›
Evaporated milk can be diluted with an equal amount of water and substituted for fresh milk in recipes and even for drinking. Or it can be used undiluted in recipes that specify it.
What happens if you use too much evaporated milk? ›
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.
How do you use evaporated milk instead of cream? ›
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 happens when you mix evaporated milk and water? ›
In most instances, mixing equal parts liquid and evaporated milk can end up a similar beverage to whole milk. We recommend starting with a small amount of water, which will allow you to determine the ideal consistency.
How do you use evaporated milk in recipes vs regular milk? ›
Evaporated milk's richer consistency and flavor make it suitable for adding creaminess to dishes like soups, sauces, and desserts. Regular milk is a staple for drinking and cooking, especially in recipes where its natural consistency and flavor are essential, such as in baking.
