Evaporated Milk Is The Secret Ingredient For Creamy Potato Salad
Dreaming of the homemade potato salad of summers gone by? Well, head to the aisle where the evaporated milk lines the shelves and grab a can because this ingredient is going to make all the difference. Evaporated milk is unique in that it is a concentrated variation of milk minus 60% of the water you would normally find. The end result is a thick, creamy consistency when compared to regular milk. Just be sure you don't grab the sweetened condensed milk, because while yummy, it is also rather sweet due to added sugar.
There are several potato salad recipes out there that incorporate evaporated milk, and if you choose one where the dressing calls for it to be heated, evaporated milk's magic power will be evident as it is easy to work with because it doesn't curdle like regular milk does due to heat sensitivity. It takes just a half a can of evaporated milk with either lemon juice or vinegar, along with some mashed up yolks from hard boiled eggs, and mayo to create a dressing for your potato salad that is beyond tasty.
Use it in other recpes
That delicious bite is largely due to the evaporated milk's rich flavor, but it is worth noting that the color might look a little off. Evaporated milk is not milky white but rather has a brown tone to it. This happens because of the caramelizing of the sugar in milk when it is pasteurized. It is one of the reasons why you get such an intense taste with every forkful of your potato salad when you use this ingredient.
If you like the way evaporated milk tastes in your potato salad, you may want to try it in your mashed potatoes and swap out the traditional milk or half-and-half for this canned variety. Evaporated milk also has a flavorful impact on creamy soups and macaroni and cheese, but one of the side benefits is if you don't use the entire can, you can save it and use it in your morning coffee.