Often end up with a burnt saucepan after boiling milk? We’ve got you covered

Who doesn’t hate watching the base of your saucepan develop a slight char when you boil milk in it for a while? Besides your vessel looking ugly and dirty, it’s also a real pain to scrub and clean, leading to further manhandling and damage to your kitchen equipment. While our mothers and grandmothers have years of experience in the kitchen and know how to avoid such pitfalls, newbies often fall prey to such disasters.

But what if we were to tell you that a simple hack promises your pots and pans to stay shiny for long-term use? Indianexpress.com spoke to celebrity chef Ananya Banerjee and found an easy way of making sure you avoid the burn.

Banerjee shared that milk contains proteins, fats, and sugars that can stick to the bottom of the pan and burn if the heat is too high or uneven. Boiling milk on high heat can cause it to scorch quickly.

According to her, milk boils at a lower temperature than water, so it doesn’t need as much heat. The natural sugars in milk, particularly lactose, tend to stick to the bottom of the pan and burn if not stirred constantly.

pasteurised milk does not need to be boiled, as the milk may change in taste and texture and lose its nutritional benefits. (Source: Freepik)

What can you do about it?

“Heat the milk on a low or medium flame to prevent it from scorching. Avoid high heat. Stir the milk continuously while it heats to prevent it from sticking to the bottom and burning,” said Banerjee.

Another great hack she suggested was adding a small amount of water (about 1-2 tablespoons) to the pan before adding milk. “This can create a buffer layer and prevent burning,” she added.

While this hack is particularly useful for stainless steel equipment, it should also be remembered when boiling milk in any other vessel.

Also, it is useful to note that pasteurised milk does not need to be boiled, as the milk may change in taste and texture and lose its nutritional benefits, said G Sushma, clinical dietician at CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. She added that unless someone is lactose intolerant or suffers from a weak gut, opting for pasteurised milk is the best option going forward.

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