How To Store Sweetened Condensed Milk

1. How To Store Sweetened Condensed Milk After Opening

Cover and refrigerate it. The high sugar content is there to preserve it, so if you can keep insects and dirt out of it, it should be fine for a day or two. By which time, someone in the house will have eaten it.

Instructions. Mix sugar and milk together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stirring often, bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat.

As soon as steam starts lifting off the milk, lower the heat even further, and when the sugar is entirely dissolved, put the heat as low as it can go. A simmer burner is great for this.

The goal is to reduce the quantity in the pot (which is now about 1 3/4 cups) by approximately half. It takes about 2 hours at very low heat to reduce to one cup of liquid. You could speed it up a bit if you watch carefully and stir often. I preferred the freedom to wander the house doing other tasks, and thus allowed my process to take quite some time. Once reduced to your satisfaction, whisk in the butter and vanilla.

The recipe is equivalent to just less than one whole can of brand name sweetened condensed milk. (One can = 14 ounces, which is 2 ounces shy of 2 cups. By weight, oops! The can is equal to 1 1/4 cups liquid. Substitute tables for homemade condensed milk vary from 1 1/4 cups all the way to 2 cups. Use your judgment!).

Notes. Depending on what final product your sweetened condensed milk will be used in, you will probably need to allow the mixture to cool considerably before using. One other option for a homemade sweetened condensed milk is to add 1/2 or 2/3 cup unrefined sugar to a can of evaporated milk ( or ). You may need to heat to fully dissolve. However, you still have to deal with the unhealthy can lining and whatever over-processing makes the milk shelf stable. Plus the whole point is using real ingredients, yeah?

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Ok, I know this is a post about making your own condensed milkbut sometimes you want to have a can on hand for short notice. Nothing wrong with that, just check your ingredients.

Katie,You are doing such a great job with educating us on so many topics! I agree with you about the dangers of powdered milk. As an owner of an organic market, one product I have found is low-heat processed dry milk by Organic Valley. I purchase it in bulk (by the case) and it is not cheap, being organic. I would check with your local health food store and inquire as to whether or not they can get this for you. If they do not carry it, perhaps they can special order it and you can split up the case with friends.

I repackage mine and double-bag it to store in the freezer long-term. One thing that I do is make mine in the crock pot with the lid slightly off to the side so that is will thicken slowly, check and stir I use a wire whip. I put it on in the morning and let it slow cook over the rest of the day. I put it in an air tight container and keep it in the refrigerator until I need it, then just measure it out and use it. I have had it keep for up to 4 months that way. I make 1 gal when it is finished reducing.

I also use sugar substitute to cut the sugar down. Just whip in the vanilla and butter at the very last. I let get up to room temp before using and shake or stir well before using. I have also measured out single servings in vacuum bags and frozen it.

I use it at X-mass for baking and candy making. I think it’s possible to pressure can milk, but it seems like a somewhat taboo practice in some circles and you should probably proceed at your own risk. Jackie Clay writes about it in her book, “Growing and Canning Your Own Food,” and I think I would be up for trying to pressure can some condensed milk, although since it’s so thick I would probably treat it like pressure canning cheese instead of milk. I think I will pressure can 1/2 pint jars at 60 minutes at 15 pounds pressure (we live at 5000ft altitude). Jackie seems fine with using the water bath method, but I don’t know if I am comfortable with that. I say pressure can the heck out of itthey do commerically anyway, and at least you know your own ingredients AND can do it in a BPA free container.

So I just tried making this with raw milk and raw local honey, and at first it was doing great, but I made the mistake of turning the stove up slightly (I was impatient) and not attending, and when I came back, the milk had formed into soft curds. At that point, my hopes of condensed milk were no longer a reality, but since I make my own cheese, I decided to treat it like regular curds and go for some sort of ricotta type. After draining the curds and squeezing them a bit, I tasted them and they were delish! Sort of like honey-infused cottage cheese, but that doesn’t do justice. Not sure how I am going to use them, or what I might have created, but I thought I’d pass it along. Now for try #2 on that condensed milk! If anyone out there has any ideas on what I made or how it could be used, I’d love to hear them!!!

Ok, so I tried making the condensed milk again and used some raw sugar this time, and it turned out perfect, although it took freaking FOREVER to finally thicken up. We live @ 5000ft, not sure if that effected things or not.

I simmered it for 3 hours in the evening (we have a gas stove and a thick bottomed pan) but it hadn’t condensed down, so I put it in the crock pot on “warm” overnight, woke up, still not condensed enough, so I put it back in the pan and simmered it while I put together my Thanksgiving stuffing, and FINALLY it thickened after a few more hours. I did turn it up slightly since I was already at the stove and could stir it frequently. I then refridgerated it for a few hours to cool it, and when I pulled it out, it was great.

I actually made two pumpkin pies today, and I only had enough homemade concentrated milk for one, so I was able to open a can and compare the two. The consistancy, taste and smell were identical, but the color of my homemade was darker. So the good news is, it’s nice to know I can make it homemade, but the bad news is it takes a long time.

How To Store Sweetened Condensed Milk After Opening

(At least for me) I think this may be one of those rare occasions that I still will use canned since I rarely use it and its difficult to make. (Kind of like tomato paste) I appreciate the recipe though, and I love to know that I CAN make it. (Having raw milk and organic sweetner is a bonus, too!!!!). Also, I didn’t put in the butter or vanilla at the end, because it didn’t want those to dink with my pumpkin pie recipe.

After finding another blog that said she freezes her condensed sweetened homemade milk, I think I’ll make some again and do that. I REALLY hate having to buy any type of store canned/ultrapastuerized dairy, especially when I have my own ingredients at home that are way better. (Note: the blog I found that suggested freezing it didn’t have a good recipe like this blog- suggested using nonfat milk powder like everyone else!). Hi,I don’t mean to be rude, but I noticed what I think might be a mistake. You mentioned that a 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk is 2 oz. Short of 2 cups. All the containers of sweetened condensed milk I have seen are measured by weight rather than liquid.

The liquid measurement is actually 1 1/4 cup of liquid. On the nutrition facts it states one serving is 2 tablespoons with 20 servings. I just noticed that and wanted to mention it so there wasn’t any confusion for people’s recipes. I think it’s silly and confusing that they label it that way!But thanks so much for posting this recipe! I just made it and so far it looks perfect.

It is cooling as I write and I can’t wait to try it when I make caramel chews! Please remember that I’m just a gal who reads a lot and spends way too much time in her kitchen. I’m not a doctor, nurse, scientist, or even a real chef, and certainly the FDA hasn't evaluated anything on this blog. Any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please talk to your health professional (or at least your spouse) before doing anything you might think is questionable. Trust your own judgmentI can’t be liable for problems that occur from bad decisions you make based on content found here.Some posts on this blog contain affiliate links which generate commission if you purchase anything starting with those links.

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Condensed milk started as a way for sailors to preserve the unstable dairy product for days at sea, but now finds itself as a staple ingredient in many delicious baking recipes. While that fudge recipe may be out of this world, it does only use half a can of condensed milk. So, what do you do with the rest?

Can condensed milk go bad? What Exactly is Condensed Milk?Condensed milk is simply cow鈥檚 milk that has been reduced on high heat, which not only eliminates pathogens, but also helps to stabilize the milk. Condensed milk is almost always found in its sweetened form, in which sugar has been adding during the heating process, leaving a very thick, sweet syrup that is often used in desserts.Condensed milk is most often packaged in a can, but can be found in a tube as well. Most condensed milk available today is sweetened, and unsweetened condensed milk is actually incredibly difficult to find. Can Condensed Milk Go Bad?Like all dairy products, condensed milk (sweetened and unsweetened) can go bad.

Because of the sugar, the shelf life of sweetened condensed milk is a bit longer than that of its unsweetened counterpart.While still in the can, condensed milk will have a shelf life of about a year past the printed expiration date. Once opened, the shelf life is drastically reduced. Sweetened condensed milk will last for about two to three weeks in the refrigerator, while unsweetened condensed milk will only last for about two weeks. How to Tell Condensed Milk Has Gone Bad?To tell if condensed milk has gone bad, the easiest way is to check for any visual changes. Condensed milk is typically a pale creamy color, but will darken and become more yellow over time. The milk will also become quite thick. Condensed milk is typically thick, but can still be poured.

If you can no longer pour the condensed milk, it has likely spoiled and should not be consumed.Smell is another indicator of spoilage. Condensed milk typically has a sweet, creamy smell. If the milk begins to smell sour or unpleasant, this is a sure sign of spoilage. Another sure sign is mold growth. This is likely to happen if the condensed milk is not properly stored. As soon as there are any signs of mold, the condensed milk should not be consumed.If there is any sign of bulging or swelling of the can, or if rust or large dents are present, you will want to discard the can and should not eat the condensed milk.

How to Store Condensed MilkUnopened condensed milk can simply be stored in your pantry, or in another cool, dry location. Like with all canned products, keeping the can out of heat, light and wet environments will ensure that the condensed milk lasts as long as possible.Once the container has been opened, refrigeration is necessary. Be sure to transfer the condensed milk to an airtight container, as an open container is likely to start molding. Storing an opened can of condensed milk at room temperature is not at all recommended, as this is a sure way to grow mold.Because the shelf life of opened condensed milk is only three weeks in refrigeration, freezing is actually quite a good option. Condensed milk should be frozen in an airtight container, and will not actually freeze solid because of the sugar content.

You can thaw frozen condensed milk overnight in the refrigerator, and then use as directed. Alternatively, warming the condensed milk in a water bath will help to thaw it. Condensed milk can be frozen for up to three months without any noticeable flavor or texture changes, so long as the container is tightly sealed. Whisk the milk if there is any separation, and note that thawed condensed milk should not be re-frozen.