How to Boil Milk
Check whether the milk needs to be boiled., Pour the milk into a large, clean pot., Heat the milk until it starts to bubble., Stir occasionally., Break up the foam as it forms., Boil for two or three minutes, stirring constantly., Store immediately.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check whether the milk needs to be boiled.
Some milk is safe to drink without boiling.
Follow this guide when deciding whether to boil milk:
Raw milk should be boiled whenever possible.
Pasteurized milk should be boiled if it has been stored at room temperature.
It does not need to be boiled if it's been in the refrigerator or a very cold room.
A sealed tetra pack with "UHT" on the label is safe to drink, even if it's been stored at room temperature.
UHT stand for "ultra high temperature," a type of processing which kills all harmful microbes. -
Step 2: Pour the milk into a large
Choose a taller pot than you need, so there's plenty of space.
Milk foams up when it boils, and will often overflow from a small pot.
Clean the pot thoroughly, or residue might curdle your milk.
If this becomes a problem, choose a pot to use only for milk.
Copper, aluminum, and stainless steel heat up much faster than cast iron and other heavy material.
This saves time, but you'll need to pay extra close attention to prevent burning and overflow. , Heat the milk over medium heat and give it your full attention.
A shiny layer of cream will rise to the top as it heats.
Eventually, small bubbles will rise up from underneath the cream, starting around the outside edge.
Once this happens, reduce heat to low.
You may heat the milk over high heat to save time, but watch it constantly and be ready to reduce heat.
Over high heat, the milk will rapidly move from the first bubbles to a rising layer of foam. , If your pot heats unevenly, the milk may burn in places.
Stir once every couple minutes with a wooden spoon or a heat-safe spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan. , The cream at the top of the milk traps steam as the milk boils.
This steam will break up the cream into foam, which will rise rapidly and overflow out the pot.
Respond quickly to prevent this:
Reduce heat until the milk bubbles at a steady rate.
Stir constantly to break up the foam.
Leave the utensil in the pot (optional).
This breaks up the cream surface, creating a gap for steam to escape through.Just make sure the utensil can handle prolonged heat without burning. , This is long enough to make your milk safe to drink.
Further boiling will just destroy nutrients in the milk., Pour the milk into a closed container right away.
Store in the refrigerator, or in the coldest place in your home.
If you keep the milk in the refrigerator, it does not need to be boiled a second time.
If storing the milk at room temperature, you may need to boil it before each use.
Boiling too many times will destroy nutrients.
If you do not have a refrigerator, try to buy only as much milk as you can use in one sitting. -
Step 3: clean pot.
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Step 4: Heat the milk until it starts to bubble.
-
Step 5: Stir occasionally.
-
Step 6: Break up the foam as it forms.
-
Step 7: Boil for two or three minutes
-
Step 8: stirring constantly.
-
Step 9: Store immediately.
Detailed Guide
Some milk is safe to drink without boiling.
Follow this guide when deciding whether to boil milk:
Raw milk should be boiled whenever possible.
Pasteurized milk should be boiled if it has been stored at room temperature.
It does not need to be boiled if it's been in the refrigerator or a very cold room.
A sealed tetra pack with "UHT" on the label is safe to drink, even if it's been stored at room temperature.
UHT stand for "ultra high temperature," a type of processing which kills all harmful microbes.
Choose a taller pot than you need, so there's plenty of space.
Milk foams up when it boils, and will often overflow from a small pot.
Clean the pot thoroughly, or residue might curdle your milk.
If this becomes a problem, choose a pot to use only for milk.
Copper, aluminum, and stainless steel heat up much faster than cast iron and other heavy material.
This saves time, but you'll need to pay extra close attention to prevent burning and overflow. , Heat the milk over medium heat and give it your full attention.
A shiny layer of cream will rise to the top as it heats.
Eventually, small bubbles will rise up from underneath the cream, starting around the outside edge.
Once this happens, reduce heat to low.
You may heat the milk over high heat to save time, but watch it constantly and be ready to reduce heat.
Over high heat, the milk will rapidly move from the first bubbles to a rising layer of foam. , If your pot heats unevenly, the milk may burn in places.
Stir once every couple minutes with a wooden spoon or a heat-safe spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan. , The cream at the top of the milk traps steam as the milk boils.
This steam will break up the cream into foam, which will rise rapidly and overflow out the pot.
Respond quickly to prevent this:
Reduce heat until the milk bubbles at a steady rate.
Stir constantly to break up the foam.
Leave the utensil in the pot (optional).
This breaks up the cream surface, creating a gap for steam to escape through.Just make sure the utensil can handle prolonged heat without burning. , This is long enough to make your milk safe to drink.
Further boiling will just destroy nutrients in the milk., Pour the milk into a closed container right away.
Store in the refrigerator, or in the coldest place in your home.
If you keep the milk in the refrigerator, it does not need to be boiled a second time.
If storing the milk at room temperature, you may need to boil it before each use.
Boiling too many times will destroy nutrients.
If you do not have a refrigerator, try to buy only as much milk as you can use in one sitting.
About the Author
Matthew Baker
A passionate writer with expertise in practical skills topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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