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Can You Drink Evaporated Milk By Itself

Norah Clark
Glass of evaporated milk.

Norah Clark

Norah Clark, Editor of Boyd Hampers! Norah is a food writer with over a decade of experience in hospitality as a pastry chef, sous chef, and barista; former chef at the Savoy Hotel, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Plaza Hotel.

You can drink evaporated milk by itself, many people prefer to drink evaporated milk due to its taste, and it doesn’t contain extra ingredients you will find in pasteurized fresh milk. It is rare to drink straight out of the bottle, but most people drink it once they’ve added water.

There are various reasons why many consumers are interested in evaporated milk. However, not all people have an understanding of what it is.

Many recipes advise using evaporated milk. It’s a great method to save money through bulk buying, and it’s suitable for storage in an emergency kit, and many people prefer it over the taste of normal pasteurized milk.

I will guide you through what exactly evaporated milk is and the numerous ways to use it, including drinking it. We’ll also address many of the most frequently asked concerns about evaporated milk so that you are confident in using it in any baking or cooking recipes.

What Is Evaporated Milk?

Evaporated milk is cow’s milk with around 60% of its moisture evaporated.

The remainder of the milk is sold in shelf-stable containers or tetra packs, which give it a super long shelf time. Perfect for doomsday or the pantry in your nuclear bunker…

Like traditional milk, you can also find different types of evaporated milk, such as organic, lactose-free milk, or even low fat. It is made of skim and whole-milk dairy products, making the milk fat content variable based on the producer and brand techniques.

The milk that evaporates can be homogenized, which means it has been subjected to a specific treatment procedure to keep the fat in the milk together so that it does not split into water and cream.

It is cleaned to stop the growth of bacteria. The process of packaging ensures the product’s safety without refrigeration until the box is opened by breaking the seal.

What Does Evaporated Milk Taste Like?

It tastes pretty unnatural to me, but if the baking recipe says to add, you must listen!

It may require a few attempts to become accustomed to the distinctive taste of the evaporated milk. However, many people consider it delicious and extremely useful in different dishes.

Evaporated milk tastes like conventional milk but is much denser and less liquid. The taste is more creamy and heavier.

Because of the process of heating required to promote evaporation, the sugars in the milk become slightly caramelized, giving it a little color and hint of sweetness compared to traditional milk.

What Can You Use Evaporated Milk For?

Evaporated milk can be extremely flexible and can be utilized in tonnes of baking recipes. Here are a few of the most commonly used methods to make use of evaporated milk:

  • Drinking
  • Drinks that can be enriched, such as smoothies and coffee
  • Making thicker, more creamy, and hot dishes
  • Baking with creaminess, without excessive water content or the high-fat content of heavy cream
  • Making ice cream which makes production far more cost effective

It’s not difficult to see that evaporated milk can be utilized in various ways.

In the remaining portion of this guide, I will give you other information on how to utilize evaporated milk in different ways and any downsides or limitations that it might have.

Can You Drink Evaporated Milk By Itself From The Bottle?

One of the first concerns about evaporated milk is whether it’s safe to drink straight from the bottle.

Although you definitely can, and it is entirely safe to do it, you could find it dense and less enjoyable than drinking the traditional milk you’re familiar with.

Opening a bottle of evaporated milk is ideal for making an air-tight hole, wrapping it around your finger or a piece of cloth, and giving the container a shake for 2 minutes or until smooth.

Even though the evaporated milk has been homogenized to ensure that its solid and liquid is evenly spread, shaking the can before using it can help break down the more dense cream that settles at the bottom over time.

If you’re interested in giving it a go, then go for it! Some people like thick drinks – think of them as a thick shake.

If it’s not perfect straight out of the bottle, you might want to create a creamy hot chocolate or add it to other drinks like hot coffee.

How Can You Make Evaporated Milk Into Regular Milk?

It is pretty thick in the carton and may be unpleasant to drink straight from the bottle, so can it be made the same as regular milk?

Yep! An easy and fast way to do it is to add water, making the evaporated milk appear more similar to regular milk.

As evaporated milk is simply regular milk with water removed, it is possible to use water to restore it to a consistent taste with traditional milk.

The majority of brands have instructions on dissolving their evaporated milk to serve as a replacement for fresh milk. This applies to cooking with it and drinking the product.

In most instances, mixing equal parts liquid and evaporated milk can end up a similar beverage to whole milk.

We recommend starting with a small amount of water, which will allow you to determine the ideal consistency. If it’s too heavy for you, You can always thin it up.

Many people drink watered-down evaporated milk, similar to traditional milk. However, it could also substitute fresh milk for cooking recipes.

Can You Drink Evaporated Milk With My Cereal?

The use of evaporated milk alongside cereal is among the most popular methods to drink or consume it, particularly for those new to the canned drink. The consistency and flavor of evaporated milk are disguised little by the texture and flavor of the cereal.

If you’re not sure you have the proportion of evaporated milk to water well set, then experimenting by eating cereal can aid in creating the dairy. It will also aid in convincing your brain that it’s an excellent alternative to regular milk!

If you want to use evaporated milk in your breakfast cereals, suggest mixing it with water using a glass or pitcher and then pouring it on your cereal.

If you combine evaporated milk with water into a bowl of cereal already filled, it is more difficult to mix the thicker milk with the water uniformly.

To make cereals, a great ratio, to begin with, will be to use equal portions of water and evaporated milk. If you prefer thicker milk or a more creamy taste, you can include more evaporated milk as you like. If it’s too thick, you can dilute it by adding a little cold water.

Yes, you can drink evaporated milk in coffee. It’s a well-known alternative to cream.

Many people store an empty can of evaporated milk in the refrigerator and open it by tapping an opening at the top of the container instead of removing the lid completely. This way, the milk that has evaporated can be put into the cup of coffee in a single, controlled way. You can also freeze evaporated milk if you wish to prolong its life if it is near to its best before the date.

If you’re looking to test this method, There are two useful tools:

  • Can Opener that comes with a Tapper to create holes at the sides of the container to allow for simple pouring
  • Food Can Covers to help keep your milk fresh even after opening the can.

Naturally, putting a milk can into a bottle using an airtight seal to ensure it stays fresh is possible.

We love these vintage-style 1L glass bottles by The Dairy Shoppe, which include a lid and a pour spout. They can be used to keep evaporated milk fresh and ready to be used for cream or mix a milk can with water to make it in a ready-to-drink state to make into milk when you want it.

Can You Drink Evaporated Milk If You’re Lactose-Intolerant?

Evaporated milk is just conventional dairy products that have had the water removed by evaporating. This method does not eliminate the milk’s lactose or other milk proteins.

Drinking evaporated milk isn’t recommended for anyone who has lactose intolerant. Additionally, those with reactions or sensitivities to milk or dairy should be wary of evaporated milk.

However, particular kinds of evaporated milk have had lactose removed. It is possible to search for a lactose-free bottle of evaporated milk.

Carnation, a brand of Nestle, provides the Tetra package of lactose-free evaporated milk that is a convenient staple to keep in your pantry if you cook or bake, or make food for people who suffer from lactose intolerance.

Disadvantages of Evaporated Milk

Evaporated milk can be a problem for those with lactose intolerance or dairy allergies (CMA) because it has more lactose and milk proteins per volume than standard milk.

Lactose is the most common carb found in dairy products, including milk. Evaporated milk has cow’s milk protein and lactose in super high quantities, making it a poor choice for people suffering from cow’s milk allergy or lactose intolerance.

If you are lactose intolerant and drink evaporated milk, you will find it most pleasurable once you visit the bathroom.

Individuals with lactose intolerance are deficient in the enzyme lactase, which is necessary to digest lactose and can cause constipation, abdominal discomfort, or diarrhea when consuming a small amount of lactose.

If you are lactose intolerant and drink evaporated milk, you will find it most pleasurable once you visit the bathroom.

Certain researchers suggest that those who suffer from lactose intolerance can tolerate fifteen grams of lactose each day, roughly the amount contained in two cups (240-480 milliliters) of milk.

However, evaporated milk could contain twice the amount of lactose as fresh milk due to its higher amount of carbs.

CMA it’s an immune-mediated reaction to proteins found in cow’s milk. That means that your body’s defense mechanism attacks milk proteins in just a few minutes or as long as two hours after drinking the milk.

It’s among the most prevalent food allergies among children, affecting as many as 3% of children in developed countries. The symptoms can vary from mild to extreme.

Because the milk proteins stay in their original form when it is produced, and it contains greater protein content per cup (240 milliliters) than regular fresh milk, evaporated milk would cause enormous problems for individuals suffering from CMA.

Is Evaporated Milk The Same As Condensed Milk?

Evaporated milk isn’t the same as condensed dairy (a.k.a. sweetened/condensed milk).

Evaporated milk is essentially concentrated milk that has 60 percent water removed. Condensed milk is evaporated and has around 60 percent of the water removed. However, it is sweetened with sugar added.

Condensed milk has 21,5 grams of sugar per 1 ounce on average. Contrast this with whole evaporated milk containing around 25 grams of sugar per cup.

As you might imagine, this incredibly sweet type of concentrated milk isn’t often used as a replacement for milk. Instead, it is a distinct sweetener in recipes such as this decadent chocolaty cake.

Is Evaporated Milk The Same As Heavy Cream?

It is not evaporated milk. It is made of a fat-rich portion of milk that is fresh.

Heavy cream contains between 36 and 40 percent fat, equating to over 85 grams of fat in one cup of heavy cream. The same quantity of evaporated whole milk contains more than 17g of fat.

But the two types of evaporated milk share similar tastes and consistencies. Even though the fat content gives heavy cream that rich, smooth texture, the less water content of evaporated milk makes it appear thicker.

In some recipes, evaporated milk can be an excellent lower-fat and low-calorie alternative to heavy cream. However, the lower fat content can’t whip or hold its whipped form well.

Can You Drink Evaporated Milk When Pregnant?

Yes, it is perfectly safe to drink evaporated milk while you are pregnant.

A friend of mine once mentioned she only drinks powdered milk after her pregnancy. She doesn’t drink fresh milk because the liquid milk is pasteurized with added ingredients to preserve the milk longer. In contrast, powdered milk is preserved through processing without the necessity of adding any extra ingredients.

However, you should be careful as condensed milk contains a higher sugar level.

Is Evaporated Milk Vegan?

Traditional evaporated milk is derived from cow’s milk. It is not vegan. However, there are milk varieties made from plants that have been evaporated.

Nature’s Charm offers a bottle of evaporated coconut milk. It’s a dairy-free, vegan substitute for evaporated milk that can be used for cooking or drinking. While it can be an excellent comparison of texture or consistency, it is significantly sweeter than traditional evaporated milk.

It’s not just coconut milk that’s had water evaporated. It is made up consisting of coconut cream, coconut milk, and thickening agents, as well as sugar. It’s delicious and plant-based; however, you should test the product before applying it to any recipe, especially in savory food items.

Nestle’s Carnation also makes the Almond Cooking Milk thicker and creamier than standard almond milk, yet not exactly as thick as standard evaporated milk.

If you intend to dilute the almond cooking milk with water to make drinkable milk, starting at 2/3 almond cooking dairy to 1/3 water is recommended. You can adjust it to meet your requirements and personal preferences.

Does Evaporated Milk Taste Sweet?

Evaporated milk is whole milk that has some or all of it removed. It tastes like thick milk.

It goes through the process of heating to evaporate the water. As a result, certain naturally occurring sugars in milk may become caramelized to a small degree, giving the appearance of a slight increase in sweetness. However, there isn’t any sugar added.

Evaporated milk may be similar in taste to milk that has been steamed or warmed.

Condensed milk is often confused with evaporated milk. However, they’re not identical, as we have discussed earlier. While it might appear similar and even be sold in the same aisle in your local grocery store, condensed milk contains a significant amount of sugar and is extremely sweet.

Double-check that you’re using evaporated milk when buying or opening a can. It could be condensed milk. The results could be very different if you select the wrong product!

Can You Drink Evaporated Milk After The Expiration Date?

Evaporated milk is produced to be shelf-stable and packaged in cans or, more often, in Tetra packs.

Each container will be marked with a recommended ‘Use by” or “Best Before date. This is the period that the manufacturer believes the milk that evaporates will be of the highest quality.

The majority of canned goods are high-quality and safe long after the best-before date has passed. If you can, we recommend using it within six months of the expiration date. If you’re preparing for an emergency, rotate your items whenever possible.

Once a bottle of evaporated milk is opened, it can spoil just like every milk product. It should always be stored refrigerated and inside a container with an airtight seal to ensure flavor and security.

Utilize an open can filled with evaporated milk within a week at the latest. If the milk evaporated has been stored in the open air for longer than two hours, you must think about throwing it away because it is at risk of becoming affected.

Where Can I Find Evaporated Milk At The Grocery Store?

If you’re searching for evaporated milk at the local supermarket, you’ll usually find it on the shelves located in the baking section.

One of the main reasons evaporated milk is so popular and practical is that it can be stored over a long time and does not require refrigeration before opening.

Evaporated milk is useful in kits for emergency preparation and camping supplies and big-ticket shopping in extremely hot areas or in regions in which power outages are common.

You can also buy evaporated milk on the internet, making it easy to locate the specific choices you’re looking for.

Reliable Sources & Citations

This guide has used the following sources to fact-check and research correctly.

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