FOOD NEWS
How Your Cheese Sauce Will Benefit From A Splash Of Lemon Juice
BY STEPHANIE FRIEDMAN
To cook a delicious mac and cheese or cheese fondue, you’ll need to make a smooth, tasty cheese sauce. For a creamy sauce that isn't stiff and stringy, add some lemon juice.
Interactions between the calcium and a protein called casein found in cheese can make your sauce stringy. Lemon juice’s acid prevents the calcium from bonding with the protein.
The protein molecules then break down when in contact with the juice, which leads to a smoother and creamier sauce. The lemon also adds brightness to the rich cheese.
If you’re making your cheese sauce to pour over vegetables or nachos, try pouring a little lemon juice over your cheese before warming it up so it can melt.
You can also add the lemon juice to the pot after the cheese has melted and you’ve taken it off the heat. Make sure to thoroughly stir it to get rid of any clumps.