How to Heat Milk Without Scalding

Co-authored by Jennifer Levasseur

Last Updated: January 2, 2024

Warm milk is useful in recipes, to coax yourself to sleep, and as food for an infant. Don't let impatience ruin a whole pot of milk, heat it properly and carefully.

Steps

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There are proper milk saucepans that you can purchase if you wish.
If milk gets too hot, it bubbles over before you even know it has happened. Use a high heat and keep your eye on it.

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Exercise patience. Ignore the temptation to raise the heat to cook it faster. Stir it continuously to avoid solids sticking to the bottom and burning.
Make sure it's warm, but not so hot it will burn your mouth. Use a teaspoon to collect some milk from the pot, hold your wrist over the spoon to check the temperature, and if it isn't ridiculously hot, give it a taste.
Heat the bottle in a pot of water, the microwave (if the bottle is microwave safe), or in a bottle warmer.

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What is the name of the skin that forms on heated milk?

Community Answer

Lactoderm or milk skin. It is denatured milk proteins that coagulates with the milk's fat. You can eat it if you want.

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Can I store milk that is heated by steaming?

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Yes, just be careful while handling the milk while hot.

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Tips

If you let the milk cool for a moment, often a film or "skin" will develop on the surface. Just skim it with a utensil and dispose of it in the sink. Run water over the skin to make it run down the drain.

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When heating milk, pay attention to it and stir constantly. Milk boils over quickly, which means burning and a big mess to clean up on the stove (not to mention possible burns if you or someone else are too close by).

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If the milk scalds, dispose of it. Scalded milk tastes burnt all the way through, not just the bit that's at the bottom of the pot. It is not suitable to bake with either, as the taste permeates the baked item. Wash the pot in warm water and start again.

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Warnings

Keep a long-handled metal spoon near the stove and add it to the pot if the milk starts to boil. This will immediately transfer some of the heat to the metal spoon, a heat conductor, and help lower the heat in the pot.

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Use extreme caution when heating milk for a baby in the microwave oven. Microwave ovens tend to heat unevenly and the milk could burn the baby's mouth or lips if the milk is too hot. Also, the uneven heating may cause some of the milk to get too hot, reducing its nutritional content, even while the average temperature of the milk remains below cooking temperatures.

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If the milk does bubble and boil over, do not grab the pot. Turn off the stove, and let it simmer down. Then remove it from the heat and when it is cool enough, dispose of it in the sink.

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Be careful not to burn yourself on the stove or with the hot milk.

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