The Science Behind the Perfect Cheese Sauce 

I’ve watched tons of “How to make Mac ‘N’ Cheese” Recipes and this was, by far, the clearest and most precise one ever! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! ♥️ I will be making this!

i just came here to watch cheese.

applebee's mushroom soup -roux -warm milk -diced celery -diced white onion -minced garlic -button mushroom -butter -salt -and freshly ground pepper

Metric - 50g butter, 50g flour - 1 litre liquid. Much easier to remember.

"Everything tastes better with *a little bit* of melted cheese." A little bit? A LITTLE BIT?! EXCUUUUUSE ME, YOUNG SIR, EVERYTHING TASTES BETTER WITH LOTS OF MELTED CHEESE! Seriously, though. I love melted cheese. Pushing that aside, thanks for the tips! I really want to make cheese sauce now...

These instructions and the technique was SPOT ON! I've tried so many times unsuccessfully to make a proper cheese sauce until I saw this video, My guests could not stop eating my mac and cheese. In fact, even I don't normally like mac and cheese and cleaned my plate with this technique. The sauce was sooo incredibly silky and smooth - almost like velvet! Kudos to the chef for sharing this knowledge. I've seen tons of videos on youtube but this one is by FAR the best as it relates to explaining WHY this method should be used when making a proper sauce. Oh yeah, I added a dash of nutmeg as suggested by a few other readers :)

Oh my gosh! I tried this recipe and it is amazingly flavorful. I think the gruyere really gives it that perfect flavor. And yes, keep the cheddar at 1/2 cup, as otherwise it gets grainy.

Sharp cheedar doesnt make the sauce gritty. The heat of the béchamel, if too high causes cheese to become gritty. Let the sauce cool a bit before adding cheese.

Roux = 3 tbsp butter + 4-1/2 flour 3 cups warmed milk (24 oz) 2-1/2 cups grated cheese, extra if needed for consistency

This guy is saving my life lately. I don't know how to cook but these recipes are so easy and helpful.

Why do i always watch these food videos when i'm hungry?

"You can never over-stir a roux, you can under-stir and burn the roux"

My kitchen conundrum is not having Thomas Joseph in my kitchen

FINALLY!!! AN EXPLANATION!!! thank heavens! this was such a HUGE HELP!

Regarding warm vs cold milk: America's Test Kitchen should do an hour of tests on all these tips and rules that TV and YT chefs give us. Leave nothing sacred. Julia, Martha, Jacques, Lydia, Bon Apetit, ATK ... all of them. Any of their "do it this way" tips should be tested scientifically to see if they really make a difference. I've seen lots of very good cooks say "warm liquid + cold roux" or "cold liquid + warm roux".... opposite temps needed to prevent lumps. And other very good cooks say "warm liquid + warm roux." They can't both be right. What they all say is 1) get the proportions on the roux right. 2) add the liquid gradually, keep mixing. Those last 2 things are the real issue. The temp of the liquid is not important.

Lmao when he said he didn't really like the flavor of white pepper... I remembered the video clip of Snoop Dog and Martha Stewart... "Can we get some black pepper please?"!!!

AHHHHH !!!!!! thank you thank you. i always wondered why i get a gritty cheese sauce, people think im crazy. i thought it was all due to the starch on pre-shredded cheese or too much flour but then i did it by hand and still gritty. i never knew it was due to my beloved sharp cheddar and parm. thanks this is the first video that has actually explained this other people tell me im just making it up or its because i scorched my sauce.

I get goosebumps when a metal rubs another metal

will the taste become different if I only use one type of cheese? Because besides cheddar cheese, It's hard to find the other types of cheese in my country.

I didn't get the "Science" part of it, which is what I was really looking forward for. Just another recipe of cheese sauce... ok.

Loved it right till the very end then you added not for oven baked after I'd made it and followed you through!

Addresses one of my problems in the kitchen! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge, Thomas!

Key is to add little milk at a time and add cheese when mixtures is thick and not in liquid mixture

Instead of using the traditional French habit of using flour; use cornstarch instead. You will have a lighter sauce than the traditional flour based one. ONE CAVEAT; cornstarch is a more powerful thickener than flour. You will have to use less. One added advantage with cornstarch is that it is more stable than flour, which minimizes milk separating from it. One point to remember is to take the pan off the heat before adding the cornstarch, and quickly whisking it before returning it to low heat. Second point is to use warm to hot milk added in slow batches while stirring. The milk being hot will make sauce cook faster. Adding slowly minimizes lumps; whether hot or cold, always add liquids slowly in batches. White pepper is just the center of the peppercorn. Slightly spicier for some palates, but creates a more professional looking sauce. If you still want BLACK PEPPER!, and no specks, you can add the black pepper to the milk while stirring it to get it hot; thereby infusing the taste into the milk. Then filter the milk through a fine filter to separate the black pepper from the milk, before combining it with the roux. And remember...remember...regular black pepper has the white pepper mixed into it already!

Thank you I took my time and made this and it came out amazing!

I was wondering why using only cheddar always gave me a very grainy sauce, I always thought it had something to do with the flour. Very helpful video!

What’s a chef drag queen called? Roux Paul

So this is how you do it, thank you so much for sharing :)

I was always taught that warm roux + cold milk = no lumps, and it's worked for me so far. But also people swear that warm milk never creates lumps, so maybe both work?

This is why I come back here all the time. When you want facts based on actual knowledge and competency, and not someone's grandma's recipe, you go to the professionals. Again sir, I admire your vast knowledge and ability to explain what is happening effortlessly. Once again, I came back, and I learned. Thank you.

Boil a little bit of water add a teaspoon of sodium citrate then put in the cheese of your choice mix it. Much easier and tastes loads better

I sometimes add a little nutmeg to my sauce, comes out like heaven. Thank you THOMAS 😺

Well, if you mix milk powder or any powder with warm liquid, less lumps would form since the heat helps in distributing the stuff easier. So I'm not really surprised with using warm liquid here.

I was wondering what I was doing wrong, the texture was always off... I was only used aged cheddar! 😱😱

Gruyere is one of my favorites, if you mix cheeses you can create another flavor that no one has ever tried before. TheReaper!

Yep, the science is sound. Worked perfectly with some Havarti and Sharp Cheddar.

Thank you for this! for the longest time my cheese sauce always ended up grainy and lumpy, now I know it's because I only used sharp cheddar, I'll play with my cheese ratios now, you are a dinner saver!

My cheese sauces always come out gritty, but now I know to avoid crumbly cheeses like cheddar, to keep a low heat, and add the cheese slowly.

I actually made potatoes gratin with this recipe and it turned out fine. But I only use cheddar cheese so I had to add more cheese

I used havrti instead of Comte and it came out amazing, I used it as cheese sauce for homemade French fries. My word when I first tasted it were "This cheese sauce was blessed by Gods"

I will add some fresh veggies such as green onion, green pepper and some fine herbs to that I think it will be perfect for a side potato and a steak! :D Yummy!

WONDERFUL!!! Thank you soooo much!

Thank you very much. This is the creamiest my Mac has ever been, haha. I just can't do well following online recipes, and this video was a godsend because it explains the things that are usually glossed over in normal cooking videos. Again, thank you! :D

can you store this in the fridge with no loss of texture?

Should the stove be turned off before adding in the cheese and the condiments, or be set on a medium flame? What about the stove temp. throughout the cooking time of the sauce. Does it start out on a low flame while the roux is getting ready, and then has to be cooked on medium flame after the addition of milk? Temperature is so important a thing and I saw no mention made of it.

Could you do an episode on watery apple pies? For some reason I always have this problem when creating my filling. It starts out fine and dry but after it cools down from baking, the syrup comes out too thin or watery. Thanks! Love the show!

I tried this and it is sooooo good

Thanks Chef

I use cold milk and have no lump problems. Whereas with warm milk there was always a 50/50 chance of not turning out right.

Here's the science part: the gluten in the roux acts as a binding agent for the milk solids in the cheese and butter, which helps you get a sauce that doesn't separate or look too oily.

Basic bechamel sauce that has been a standard in French cooking for centuries.

I am afraid to make sauces because they never turn out right! But now I see how important it is to do it just right. But recipes never explain WHY you should do things a certain way, and this helps me to understand that. Now I know why pure cheddar doesn't work! I am perfectly happy to just stir chunks of cheddar into my rice and broccoli, but If I serve my friends some broccoli with cheese sauce or a nice mac 'n cheese, they might like that, so I will try this. Thanks, PT!

Can u do an episode for science behind nougat.... Really needed

Thank you!

I would add a dash of nutmeg for an upgrade.

Thanks for sharing. I've prepared this n it came out nicely. would like to know amount of pasta goes with this. thanx

it tastes like soup and macaroni instead of the mac n cheese I was hoping for lol

In my opinion, two teaspoons of salt is way too much. At first I thought I read the recipe incorrectly, (the two tablespoons of salt and pepper confused me. Two teaspoon of each? Or one teaspoon?) but when I rewatched the video, I realized I was right. I normally don't add much salt so this really overwhelmed me.

i use cold milk - takes longer but stirring is therapeutic and the sauce is always lovely. What would the ratio of milk be to bake that mac 'n cheese?

huh. I always use just mature cheddar (or even extra mature if that's all we have) in my cheese sauce and it's the smoothest thing ever. No grainyness at all.

Ha ha mine still come out clumpy I really don’t know what I’m doing wrong and it still taste like flour

Thank you for addressing why cheese sauce (in my case, soup) went grainy (too much sharp chedder), sooo, is there any way to smooth it out, like putting it in the blender? It still tastes great, but... well, you know... it would be WAY better not grainy! Thanks! Anyone who knows, please let me know!

Hey, just wanted to know, is there a way to make the Roux gluten free? maybe using corn flour/starch? also, what other cheeses that are more common can I use? I am pretty sure sharp cheddar is the only cheese that you showed that is available in my super market. idk how that works so help would be nice (:

Thanks Thomas cheese sauce is not a problem for me but, would love a simple recipe using rice noodles, I love rice noodles, but need a sauce of some kind for it. please an thank you!!

Science indeed...that warm milk changed everything. Now I know why my husband’s roux has been lumpy -warm the milk!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Thank you Chef!!!

This is exactly how I make my sauce

Brilliant video, thank you.👍

why would you use slightly warmed milk when you can use cold milk to get a lump free sauce. learned this from foodwishes

Why would you wait until the end of the video to mention to baking sauce ratio...

I wish that measurements were consistently by weight, not bouncing back and forth to liquid measurements.

I try many different way to make mac and cheese but every time may cheese sauce break down..know i am gonna do the way you said less sharp chader and more other soft cheese

Inappropriate title. Not a single scientific reason explained.

The best thing about the video is that it is very informative!! He just does't simply add the measured quantity of ingredients like most youtubers do. Thank You so much

I needed this. Last year I literally started to cry when the expensive cheese I bought came out like plastic. Had to throw everything away. That being said. Are certain cheeses off limits when attempting to get this consistency? I.e. pepper Jack or herb cheeses?

Is MatPat from GameTheory cooking now?

in the philippines, all we know is eden cheese 😂😂

I've been learning and practicing more cooking techniques, and every time I am looking to find out why certain techniques work, you always have the best answer. Thank you, Thomas!

You need to teach a class on cheeses. I know nothing about some of the cheeses you mention---and there're a million more cheeses out there.

How can we store the white sauce? In freezer or refrigerator?

I love Thomas ! he explains everything so well and his recipes look A W E S O M E

never knew Milo was a professional chef

can you give us the science behind the best croissants?

When making a rue.Do you put the fire Low/Medium or High? Thanks

What about the old addage: Cold milk and hot roux will mean no lumps! literally the first thing I learned when I made roux the first time.

Thank YOU!!!!

Planning on making a peppery cheese sauce for some fries. I have sharp cheddar and pepper jack on mind but what else should I use?

Just change cream and butter for roux and milk. It will be so better...

I made this and it came out amazing. I didn’t really measure I just winged it. I’m gonna make it again tomorrow.

Wow, great sauce. I bet his wife is proud.

I've made beschemel out of both hot and cold milk. if you're on top of it, and you stir it until it comes to a boil, you won't have to worry about lumps. Temperature of the milk doesn't matter. If you use Hot milk, you don't have to wait as long for it to come to a boil, but if you use cold milk, you don't have to dirty another dish to heat it up. I use cold, because i can't be bothered to heat up my milk separately.

Greuerre (can't spell it as I'm an uncouth Englishman) with Red Leicester and mature cheddar makes a damn nice cheese sauce for Mac n cheese.

Can you please do a video in sharpening your knifes?

Finally, someone who says that white and black pepper taste different. I never use white pepper for western cooking because it tastes way too sharp for me.

Is it okay if I use corn starch?

Super informative, lets see how it works out for me :)

When and how would you incorporate wine into a smoked gouda sauce?

I'm eternally thankful for people who share these recipes, this helps a lot of people online who want to learn to cook. Thank you for sharing!

In my place so far, all that is easily available is a white coloured cheese.

while my cheese sauce isnt amazing, im more interested in how some people managed to get a lumpy separated cheese sauce

Robert that stuff is disgusting and homemade tastes soo much better