Hot cheese is a sensual affair. Just consider the delight of watching soft, stretchy strands emerge from between the halves of a grilled cheese sandwich. Think of the anticipation of stirring a fresh egg and a pat of butter into the warm, cheese-filled center of a just-baked khachapuri…
There’s an allure to melted cheese that even the most discerning of cheese enthusiasts can’t deny, which is probably why fondue — a molten concoction of Alpine cheeses, wine, and spices served over a gentle flame with dippable accompaniments — is such an enduring favorite. While the version we know today likely differs from its earliest mentions in 800 BC[1], fondue’s beauty continues to lie in its suppleness.
But how does fondue — or any cheese sauce, for that matter — stay so fluid? On its own, melting cheese tends to rapidly morph into an oily, congealing blob. Though it may still taste good, cheese in this form certainly doesn’t hold the same visual appeal, nor (and perhaps more importantly) does it maintain the flowing viscosity necessary for use as a sauce or dip.
Recently struck with a longing to enjoy the pleasures of dipping salty tortilla chips into spicy cheese but wanting to go beyond the jars of mass-produced products that often fall short on flavor even if the ingredient list seems promising, I decided to learn more about the science of melted cheese. Specifically, I wanted to learn how to use sodium citrate. While béchamel is lovely and versatile and does politely welcome cheese into its velvety folds, isn’t the base I’m after when I’m craving a jalapeño-meets-sharp-cheddar flavor experience.
With a bag of sodium citrate in my cupboard and myriad cheeses in my refrigerator, I was ready to consult the experts and get to work.
Ingredients1 cup whole milk.2 teaspoons sodium citrate powder.1 8 oz bag of shredded cheese (preferably softer cheese like cheddar or Colby jack)
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1 cup whole milk.
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2 teaspoons sodium citrate powder.
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1 8 oz bag of shredded cheese (preferably softer cheese like cheddar or Colby jack)
Sodium citrate’s effect on cheese
Because sodium citrate is such a potent emulsifying salt, it’s a common ingredient in pasteurized process cheese products. Love it or hate it, process cheese is a carefully engineered food.
A 2006 study[4] by the American Dairy Science Association explored the effects of using sodium citrate in process cheese production. While considering variable factors like pH, moisture content, and temperature, the objectives of the study were to explore cooking times and differing concentrations of sodium citrate. The 14-page study concludes with a clear finding: “The concentration of [sodium citrate] used as an [emulsifying salt] in pasteurized process cheddar cheese manufacturing greatly affected the textural and melting properties, even when these process cheeses had a similar pH value.”
For those of us playing along at home, an especially useful tidbit is that researchers found that a small quantity of sodium citrate — in this case, a percentage of just 0.25 — proved insufficient in achieving the desired emulsification.
I found this helpful for my own endeavors because it’s not uncommon to see sodium citrate use referred to in terms of “a sprinkle” or “a pinch.” I’m all for trial and error in the kitchen, but quality cheese isn’t something I like to waste, and, unfortunately, my first few attempts at a sodium citrate cheese sauce were lackluster. I’ve turned out sauces that were too watery, too dense, or too grainy — though I blame my premature addition of pickled jalapeños on that last one.
After much reading and even more hands-on experimentation, I’ve arrived at what I find to be my ideal ratio of cheese to liquid to sodium citrate. It’s important to note that cheese sauce viscosity is a personal preference and I respect that some folks love an ultra-thin sauce while others prefer something closer to a loose paste. With this in mind, I offer you my technique. Please know that this recipe is extremely versatile, as you’ll read in the tips below.
First, a brief science lesson
To best appreciate sodium citrate’s function in a cheese sauce, we must first recognize the molecular structure of cheese and what happens to that structure as it melts.
It’s helpful to think of cheese as a three-part network consisting of fat, calcium, and casein protein. Calcium serves as an adhesive that binds together the proteins, but these proteins don’t otherwise interact with the fat.
“The fat globules in normal cheese are just embedded in a protein network,” says Pat Polowsky, the food scientist and dairy devotee behind the Cheese Science Toolkit[2]. The all-too-familiar oiliness when heating cheese is due to fat leaking out of the weakened protein structure. To avoid this, “We have to use some chemical trickery to keep the fat in the cheese.”
Polowsky notes that a good (read: non-oily) fondue is the result of a successful emulsion — a stable mixture of substances that normally do not like being combined. Just think, for example, about the behavior of oil and vinegar as you’re mixing up a vinaigrette, and how a nice dollop of Dijon mustard helps flavorfully bring the two together.
With fondue, that emulsifying trickery comes from the tartaric acid that is present in wine. A squeeze of lemon juice, often added anyway for its bright flavor, can further aid emulsion thanks to the citric acid. These acids function as emulsifying salts[3], which, as Polowsky explains, induce emulsification by disrupting the tightly knit protein structure and thus allowing for smoother, more cohesive melting.
The Most Powerful Ingredient NOBODY Uses
FAQ
How much sodium citrate for cheese sauce per pound?
How much sodium citrate to add to cheese?
How much sodium citrate do I need?
Why use sodium citrate in cheese sauce?
How much sodium citrate should I add to cheese sauce?
Add more liquid for a thinner cheese sauce. If your cheese is having a difficult time coming together add more sodium citrate to your mixture. (I would add 1/4 -1/2 tsp per pound of cheese that you used) We are Amazon Affiliates which means if you happen to buy something from Amazon after clicking one of our links we get a tiny percentage.
How many lemons will give me an appropriate amount of citrate daily?
In lemons, it contains around 1.44 g/oz. A half a cup of lemon juice can provide you with a daily amount of citrate. However, this is exceptional for people who have other health problems, including kidney and stomach issues. Please consult with your doctor before consuming lemons on a daily basis.
Do you need sodium citrate to melt cheese?
To yield the silkiest consistency possible, you’re going to need sodium citrate, a special type of salt coveted by many culinary professionals. According to Cheese Professor, sodium citrate acts as an emulsifier to help cheese melt evenly and to the eater’s preferred viscosity — all while maintaining the cheese’s flavor.
How much sodium citrate should I add to queso?
Using our example above, you would add between 2.7g to 4.1g of sodium citrate to your queso recipe. And between 3.7g to 5.6g of sodium citrate to your mac and cheese recipe. Since sodium citrate has a slightly sour taste, it’s also important to keep the flavour of your dish in mind.