Can you drink evaporated milk?

There are many reasons why one might lean towards evaporated milk, but not everyone has a complete understanding of what it is.

Many recipes specifically call for evaporated milk. It’s a great way to cut costs by buying in bulk, it’s safe to store in an emergency supply kit, and of course, many people like to just use it in place of regular milk.

There are many ways to use this canned drink, but the real question is whether you can use it to replace conventional milk in your daily life.

So can you drink evaporated milk? Yes, you can drink evaporated milk. Few people drink it straight from the can, although it is possible to do so, but many drink it diluted with water.

In this article, we’ll explain what exactly evaporated milk is and the many different ways you can use it, including, of course, drinking it. We’ll also answer some of the most common questions about evaporated milk, so you can confidently try this product for all your various food preparation tasks.

What is evaporated milk?

Evaporated milk is simply conventional cow’s milk with approximately 60% of the water content evaporated.

The rest of the milk is packaged for sale, generally in cans or stable tetra packs, which gives it a very long shelf life.

As with traditional milk, you can find multiple varieties of evaporated milk, such as organic, lactose-free, and even low-fat. It can be made with both whole milk and skimmed milk, so the percentage of milk fat is variable, depending on the brand and production methods.

Evaporated milk is homogenized, which means it has undergone a special treatment process to keep the fat in the combined milk from separating into cream and water.

It is also sterilized to prevent contamination and bacterial growth. The packaging process guarantees that it will remain safe without refrigeration until the container is opened, breaking the seal.

What does evaporated milk taste like?

Although the unique taste of evaporated milk may take a few tries to get used to, many people find it quite delicious, as well as being very useful in a wide variety of recipes.

Evaporated milk tastes a lot like regular milk, but it’s much thicker and less watery. The mouthfeel is creamier and heavier.

Due to the heating process required to promote evaporation, the milk sugars caramelize very little, adding a bit of color and a slight hint of sweetness compared to conventional milk.

What is evaporated milk used for?

Evaporated milk is incredibly versatile and can be used in many different recipes and culinary applications. Here are some of the most common ways to use evaporated milk:

• To drink
• Enrich drinks like smoothies and coffee
• Adding a creamy thickness to sauces and other hot recipes
• Baking with it, adding creaminess without too much water content or the high fat content of heavy cream
• make ice cream

While it’s easy to say that evaporated milk can be used for all of the above applications, that’s not saying it all.

In the rest of the article, we will share more information on how to use evaporated milk in different ways, as well as any limitations or drawbacks it may have.

How to use evaporated milk

If you have a can of evaporated milk that you’d like to experiment with, or are considering adding evaporated milk to your pantry, here are some helpful tips for using evaporated milk in a variety of ways.

Can you drink evaporated milk out of the can?

One of the first questions people ask about evaporated milk is whether you can drink it straight from the can.

Although you certainly can and it is entirely safe to do so, you may find it quite thick and viscous and not as pleasant as the conventional milk you may be used to drinking.

When you first open a can of evaporated milk, it’s a good idea to poke a small air hole, cover it with your finger or a cloth, and shake the can well.

Although evaporated milk is homogenized so that the liquid and solid are evenly distributed, shaking the can before use will better disperse the thicker cream that can settle to the bottom over time.

If you want to try it, do it! Some people like thick drinks.

However, if you don’t like it straight out of the can, you may want to make it into a hot chocolate with cream or chocolate milk, or use it in other beverages.

Can you turn evaporated milk into regular milk?

If evaporated milk is too thick to be really palatable out of the can, can it be made into regular milk?

Yes, you can add water to make evaporated milk more like regular milk.

Since evaporated milk is essentially regular milk with the water removed, you can add water to bring it back to a thickness and flavor more like regular milk.

Most brands include directions for diluting their evaporated milk to use as a substitute for fresh milk. This can apply whether you cook with it or drink it.

In most cases, mixing equal parts water and evaporated milk will create a drink that is roughly equivalent to whole milk.

However, we suggest that you start with a little less water, to help you gauge the perfect texture. If it’s still a little thick for your liking, you can always water it a bit more.

Many people drink watered down evaporated milk on its own, just like they would regular milk, but it can also be used as a direct substitute for fresh milk in recipes.

Can you drink evaporated milk with cereals?

Using evaporated milk with cereals is one of the most common ways to drink it - that is, eat it - especially if you are new to this canned beverage. The flavor and consistency of evaporated milk is slightly camouflaged by the flavor and texture of your cereal.

If you still don’t have the ratio between evaporated milk and water perfectly under control, practicing with a bowl of cereal will help you get used to making the milk. It will also help convince you that it is a perfectly acceptable alternative to conventional milk.

To use evaporated milk in your cereal, we recommend that you first mix it with water in a glass or pitcher and then pour it over your cereal.

If you try to mix the evaporated milk and water in a bowl of pre-poured cereal, it will be more difficult to combine the thicker milk with the water evenly.

For cereals, a good ratio to start with is equal parts evaporated milk and water. If you prefer thicker milk or a creamier taste, you can add more evaporated milk to taste. If it’s too thick for your preferences, you can temper it with a little cold water.

Can you drink evaporated milk in coffee?

Yes, you can have evaporated milk in the coffee. It is a very popular alternative to cream.

Many people keep a can of evaporated milk in their fridge, poked open in the top of the can with a stopper rather than removing the lid completely. In this way, the evaporated milk can be poured into a coffee cup directly, and carefully.

If you want to try this technique, here are two very useful tools:

• Can Opener with Tapper to poke holes in the top of your can for easy pouring
• Lids for food cans to keep milk fresh, even after opening the can

Of course, you can also transfer a can of milk to a resealable bottle to keep it cool too.

We love these vintage-style 1L glass bottles from The Dairy Shoppe, which have both a lid and a pour spout. You can use them to keep plain evaporated milk cool for use as a creamer, or you can combine a can of milk with water and have it ready to drink or use as milk whenever you need it.

Can you drink evaporated milk if you are lactose intolerant?

Evaporated milk is simply conventional cow’s milk that has had the water removed through the evaporation process. This process does not remove lactose or other milk proteins.

Drinking evaporated milk is not a good idea for someone who is lactose intolerant. Likewise, people with a sensitivity or allergy to milk and milk products should also avoid evaporated milk.

However, there are some special varieties of evaporated milk that have also had the lactose removed. You may have to search to find a can of lactose-free evaporated milk.

Nestlé‘s Carnation brand offers a tetra pack of lactose-free evaporated milk that is a handy pantry staple if you ever cook, bake or prepare food for someone who is lactose intolerant.

Related questions

Is evaporated milk the same as condensed milk?

Evaporated milk is not exactly the same as condensed milk (also known as sweetened condensed milk).

Evaporated milk is basically concentrated milk with 60% of the water removed. Condensed milk is similarly evaporated, removing approximately 60% of the water content, but is also sweetened with added sugar.

Condensed milk contains an average of 21 grams of sugar per ounce. By comparison, whole evaporated milk only has about 25 grams of sugar per cup.

As you can probably imagine, this intensely sweet form of concentrated milk isn’t typically used as a milk substitute, but rather as a specific sweetening ingredient in recipes like this decadent chocolate cake.

Is evaporated milk the same as heavy cream?

Heavy cream is not evaporated milk. It is made from the fat-rich part of fresh milk.

Heavy cream is between 36-40% fat, which is over 85 grams of fat for every cup of heavy cream. By comparison, the same volume of whole evaporated milk has about 17 grams of fat.

However, evaporated milk and heavy cream have similar consistencies and flavors. Although the fat content gives heavy cream its creamy texture, reducing the water content helps make evaporated milk thicker as well.

Evaporated milk can be a good lower-fat, lower-calorie substitute for heavy cream in certain recipes, but because of its lower fat content, it does not whip or hold its whipped shape well.

Is evaporated milk vegan?

Standard evaporated milk is made from cow’s milk and is therefore not vegan. However, it is possible to find types of evaporated vegetable milk.

Nature’s Charm offers a can of evaporated coconut milk. It is a vegan and dairy-free alternative to evaporated milk for baking or drinking. Although it is a good comparison in terms of texture or consistency, it is considerably sweeter than conventional evaporated milk.

It is not simply coconut milk with the water evaporated from it, but rather a combination of coconut milk, coconut cream and thickening agents, plus sugar. It is delicious and plant-based, but you should taste the product before using it in any recipe, especially savory dishes.

Carnation by Nestle also offers almond milk for cooking, which is quite a bit thicker and creamier than conventional almond milk, but not as thick as conventional evaporated milk.

If you are going to dilute it with water to make drinking milk, we recommend starting with 2/3 almond milk for cooking and 1/3 water. Adjust it according to your needs and preferences.

Is evaporated milk sweet?

Evaporated milk is just regular whole milk with some of the water removed, so it generally tastes like thick milk.

It goes through a heating process to evaporate the water, so some of the natural sugars in milk can caramelize to a very slight degree, creating a somewhat stronger natural sweetness, but there is no added sugar.

Evaporated milk can be compared in taste to heated or steamed milk.

Condensed milk, however, is often confused with evaporated milk, although they are not the same, as already stated. Even though it looks the same and is sold in the same area of your supermarket, condensed milk has a lot of added sugar and is quite sweet.

Before buying or opening a can, always double and even triple check that you have evaporated milk and not condensed milk. The results will be very different if you use the wrong one!

Does evaporated milk go bad?

Evaporated milk is manufactured to be shelf-stable, and is packaged in cans or, less commonly, tetra packs.

All packages carry a recommended expiration or best before date. This is how long the manufacturer estimates the evaporated milk will be at its highest quality.

Almost all canned goods are safe and of high quality long after their best before date has passed. If possible, we recommend using it within 6 months of the best before date. If you stock up for an emergency, try to rotate your supplies as often as possible.

Once the can of evaporated milk is opened, it spoils like any other dairy product. It should be kept refrigerated at all times and in an airtight container to protect flavor and safety.

Use an opened can of evaporated milk within 1 week. If the evaporated milk has been left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, you should consider throwing it away, as it risks being contaminated.

Where is the evaporated milk at the grocery store?

If you’re looking for evaporated milk at your grocery store, you’ll usually find it on a shelf in the pastry aisle.

One of the reasons why evaporated milk is popular and convenient is because it can be stored long term and does not require refrigeration, i.e. before opening.

Evaporated milk is useful for emergency preparedness kits, camping supplies, buying supplies in bulk, in very hot places, or in areas where power outages are frequent.

You can also buy evaporated milk online, making it even easier to get the specific options you’re looking for.