Evaporated milk is a canned milk product made from unpasteurized milk which has had 50 to 60 percent of the water removed by an evaporation process. This canned milk product was heavily used during World War II when fresh milk was less available. The product became a household staple and is still used today. It can be chilled and whipped, used to replace half and half, cream or milk in recipes. Also see sweetened condensed milk
If you don't have evaporated milk, and you need a good alternative, use of these good substitutes for each 1 cup (250ml) of evaporated milk needed:
May I substitute almond milk for evaporated milk? Yes, but it is best to reduce it down to give it a thicker consistency and more depth to the flavor. For 1 cup evaporated milk needed, start with 2 1/4 cups almond milk and simmer it in a small pan until it is reduced down to 1 cup.
Which is the best substitute for evaporated milk when making Pumpkin Pie? It's best just to use the canned milk but if it's not an option, try substituting, per cup, equal amounts of whipping cream or a lighter option would be to use equal amounts of half and half.
Can I use evaporated milk to make gravy? Yes you can! It is particularly well suited for making a simple cream gravy but you can even use it when making gravy with your turkey drippings (or use broth) for your Thanksgiving dinner. Just use the same amount of evaporated milk as you would regular milk.
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You can purchase this product in most grocery stores. You can also purchase evaporated milk online at Amazon.com