We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Béchamel sauce is something that every chef needs to master. A "mother sauce" in French cuisine with some pretty royal origins , on its surface it's a simple combination of butter, flour, and milk.
However, under the humble ingredients lies a strong need for solid technique to get this sauce right. Unfortunately, most of us have experience in our béchamel sauces ending up lumpy, chalky, and lacking in body. It's something that might even put you off making it, and relying on pretty unpleasant store-bought alternatives instead.
This is the thing, though: Béchamel sauce doesn't have to be scary. When you know what you're doing, the sauce is actually super easy to nail, time and time again. If you're making it, though, it only makes sense to learn from the best — and for a sauce as daunting as this one, it's a good idea to listen to folks with serious skill.
So, that's what we decided to do. We spoke with Scott Conant, restaurateur and chef at The Americano at InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta , and Renee Guilbault, chef and co-founder of The Open Food Company, the parent company of Harry's Famous , a collection of versatile, premium, restaurant quality sauces. Both chefs have years of experience making béchamel sauce, and they shared how the pros make it.
1. It's important to nail the ratios for your roux One of the most important aspects to any béchamel is starting with the right quantities. The sauce begins.