The Key To Better Cheese Sauce Is All In Your Stirring Technique

Whether paired with a buttery, soft baked potato or showered over a serving of steamed broccoli, cheese sauce is a versatile component that can boost countless dishes. When making it at home, know that the key to a dreamy cheese sauce all begins with your stirring technique. Chef Serge Krikorian of Vibrant Occasions Catering has perfected this technique, saying that circular motions like figure-eights are the ideal stirring patterns to properly mix a cheese sauce.

"I like to use a nice, gentle figure-eight or slow circular motion with my whisk," shares Krikorian. Proper stirring technique is the key to avoiding lumpy, grainy cheese riddled with air bubbles. While stirring in this motion, add in the cheese bit by bit instead of dumping it in all at once. Once the cheese has melted, Krikorian suggests easing up on the stirring so it doesn't break apart.

This technique is tried and true across generations, too. "My mother always taught me that gentle stirring is key," explains Krikorian. Beyond matters of cheese, chef Krikorian and his wife, Mary Krikorian, have been in the catering and restaurant business for decades, bringing their unique recipes and expertise to countless venues and events. Now is your chance to bring their expertise to your kitchen.

Chef Krikorian shares that this stirring method will ensure the cheese sauce heats evenly, thus preventing the cheese from clumping up or settling at the bottom of the vessel. It is easy to get caught up in this routine stirring motion, so be sure not to stir too hard. "If you stir too hard, you'll get air bubbles and that grainy texture nobody wants," says Krikorian.

Just as he shared advice about mistakes that are ruining your scrambled eggs, Krikorian has insights about the most common cheese sauce-making mistake: using too high a heat. The cheese sauce will take on a grainy texture when the heat is too high due to the proteins seizing up. "Cheese is delicate so treat it with respect," Krikorian explains, "Keep it low and slow."

It might not seem worth the effort, but grating your own cheese will do wonders for the cheese sauce. "Those pre-shredded bags have anti-caking stuff that messes with melting," explains Krikorian, "When we make our cheese sauces for events, we always start with blocks and grate them fresh." If grating your own cheese sounds intimidating, use a little cooking spray to make it easier than ever.