Saving Sauces
I've made much too much bechamel sauce for a lasagne and don't want to toss it. Can this be frozen or should I just use it up in a few days?
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5 Comments:
If you freeze it, store it in ziplock bags and reheat in simmering water. There will be some seperation due to the fact that milk is an emulsion of fat surrounded by a somewhat watery substance and held together with a matrix of protiens. Some will argue based on a consitency difference, but I have found the reheated bechamel to have good mouthfeel and no discernable "grain".
When the bechemal is frozen, ice crystals form in the watery solution and rupture the protien matrix to some degree. This will result in some "breakage".
Reheat the ziplock bag in a pot of simmering water until the sauce comes back up to temp. transfer the sauce to a mixing bowl and and whisk to bring the sauce back together.
I have reheated Bechamel in a sauce pan by itself after being frozen and it was fine. But if you use this method be very attentive to it or it will burn as it will not melt all at once and what does melt first needs constant aggitation.
FYI, the bechamel will last for 4-5 days in the fridge.
Also FYI, Roux freezes very well. So next time make more roux and less bechamel or make small batches of bechamel until you get what you need. Then freeze what roux you have left over.
Good Luck!
Pavlov at 9:08AM on 08/29/09
Thanks. I didn't think of heating the ziplock bag in simmering water. I think that will probably do the trick. I made too much sauce because I thought my big lasagne pan was available ~ not so!
duncan1205 at 10:10AM on 08/29/09
Make macaroni and cheese after a few days.
climbhighak at 9:24PM on 08/29/09
Or scalloped/au gratin potatoes
climbhighak at 9:24PM on 08/29/09
broccoli or cauliflower gratin is good too. Sorry for the multiple posts.
climbhighak at 9:25PM on 08/29/09