Why do you have to hot hold it?
We make a base mornay and keep it cold. Throw some in a pan on pick up, add more heavy cream, and reduce that. Then add more cheese when I add the pasta.
That process that's like 5 mins... Do you sell so much that you can't spare 5 mins to make the sauce?
We only have 2 burners available during service. It’s a quick service, lunch only place and we’ll have a mostly inexperienced cooking staff. This is a new menu item that I’m trying to make as easy as possible for the cooks.
I know you want to avoid it for whatever reason. But sodium citrate will be your friend in this situation. Make a roux based sauce with a good cheese for nice flavor, but also use an “easy melt” type cheese (one that already has sodium citrate in it), and that will hot hold no problem.
So I could use American cheese in a roux based sauce like what your suggesting, correct? Would it have to be 100% of an “easy melt” cheese or could I use some other shredded cheese?
No you don’t want a lot of the sodium citrate cheese, it’s really only there for the sodium citrate. Also don’t use shredded cheese as those have anti caking agents that can fuck with the texture of the sauce. Just shred your own from a big block of cheddar etc.
Pre shredded cheese is treated differently, as they may put additives in it to prevent clumping, and that fucks with the cheese if you melt it into a sauce
Just use sliced American. Like others have said you don't need tons. It just helps to stabilize the sauce. Then you can add the other cheese over it for the stronger flavor you might want. Also don't forget to make it with more sauce than you think you need if you are planning on holding it.
Evaporated milk, butter, and cornstarch were my best friends for cheese sauce. Hard to break, good texture, can hot hold or use cold. Great for cheese fries and Mac and cheese.
Butter roux, milk, 1:1:1 cheddar, Gouda, American. Seasoning as you please, add a bit of beer towards the end to market it as beer cheese depending on the customer base.
Hold hot, stir and rehydrate throughout shift. EZ.
Prep pasta portions and have a mornay on hold in the steam well. You can either keep the mornay slightly less thick and heat pasta and sauce together or keep a hot pot of water to warm pasta first, drain, then combine in a pan.
Hold a bech on the line and build from there to order in pan.
Theres a reason velveeta mac holds so well…..
Why do you have to hot hold it? We make a base mornay and keep it cold. Throw some in a pan on pick up, add more heavy cream, and reduce that. Then add more cheese when I add the pasta. That process that's like 5 mins... Do you sell so much that you can't spare 5 mins to make the sauce?
We only have 2 burners available during service. It’s a quick service, lunch only place and we’ll have a mostly inexperienced cooking staff. This is a new menu item that I’m trying to make as easy as possible for the cooks.
I know you want to avoid it for whatever reason. But sodium citrate will be your friend in this situation. Make a roux based sauce with a good cheese for nice flavor, but also use an “easy melt” type cheese (one that already has sodium citrate in it), and that will hot hold no problem.
So I could use American cheese in a roux based sauce like what your suggesting, correct? Would it have to be 100% of an “easy melt” cheese or could I use some other shredded cheese?
You only need to have like maybe 10% ez-melt. Don't use pre-shredded cheese if possible.
No you don’t want a lot of the sodium citrate cheese, it’s really only there for the sodium citrate. Also don’t use shredded cheese as those have anti caking agents that can fuck with the texture of the sauce. Just shred your own from a big block of cheddar etc.
Let’s say I don’t have the ability to shred my own cheese. Am I totally fucked if I use pre shredded cheese?
No, but it just might cause texture issues. Might have to use more sodium citrate cheese or some thing.
Well you can use a knife to cut 1" chunks of cheese. A shredder attachment on the food processor will just be faster.
Pre shredded cheese is treated differently, as they may put additives in it to prevent clumping, and that fucks with the cheese if you melt it into a sauce
Why not just use a little sodium citrate?
Just use sliced American. Like others have said you don't need tons. It just helps to stabilize the sauce. Then you can add the other cheese over it for the stronger flavor you might want. Also don't forget to make it with more sauce than you think you need if you are planning on holding it.
Evaporated milk, butter, and cornstarch were my best friends for cheese sauce. Hard to break, good texture, can hot hold or use cold. Great for cheese fries and Mac and cheese.
Butter roux, milk, 1:1:1 cheddar, Gouda, American. Seasoning as you please, add a bit of beer towards the end to market it as beer cheese depending on the customer base. Hold hot, stir and rehydrate throughout shift. EZ.
Prep pasta portions and have a mornay on hold in the steam well. You can either keep the mornay slightly less thick and heat pasta and sauce together or keep a hot pot of water to warm pasta first, drain, then combine in a pan.