# My homemade cheddar cheese sauce is grainy. Fix? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 18, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-homemade-cheddar-cheese-sauce-is-grainy-fix/500126 "2009-06-18T00:50:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-homemade-cheddar-cheese-sauce-is-grainy-fix/500126/21 "2009-06-20T21:42:45Z")
**dropzone** said was I was going to say (as he usually does. He’s way smarter than me. :D) I’ve never made cheese sauce without a bechemel - I wouldn’t even know how to go about it. 2 T butter, 2T flour - melt butter, whisk in flour, cook flour taste out. Whisk in 2C Milk. Simmer and continue whisking till thick. When it’s thickened, add the cheese. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-homemade-cheddar-cheese-sauce-is-grainy-fix/500126/22 "2009-06-20T22:29:42Z")
I use a bechemel sauce, and it’s always smooth. I always add dry mustard to give it a little “bite”. If I’m really feeling vicious, I add cayenne pepper and/or Worcestershire sauce. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-homemade-cheddar-cheese-sauce-is-grainy-fix/500126/23 "2009-06-20T22:44:14Z")
Vicious? Around here that’s just the way it’s normally made. Vicious is when you add horseradish. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-homemade-cheddar-cheese-sauce-is-grainy-fix/500126/24 "2009-06-20T23:00:01Z")
Mustard and Velveeta are excellent things to add to your sauce if you want things to go smoothly. Mustard oil is a pretty good emulsifier and Velveeta conatians yummy triglycerides which help in the melting process. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-homemade-cheddar-cheese-sauce-is-grainy-fix/500126/25 "2009-06-21T03:19:58Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Mustard and Velveeta are excellent things to add to your sauce if you want things to go smoothly. Mustard oil is a pretty good emulsifier and Velveeta conatians yummy triglycerides which help in the melting process. And I think there is Worchestersire sauce, a food group of its own. With extra anchovies. Okay, skip the latter, but the stuff is Cheddar sauce in a 3lb block. (Tossing a kiss on the cheek, and a regret that I’m married, to **Missy2U**!) ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2009, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-homemade-cheddar-cheese-sauce-is-grainy-fix/500126/26 "2009-06-21T04:52:47Z")
> [@parthenokinesis](#): > > Flour may be your missing piece. I misremember where I learned this (may have been a good eats ep though) but the flour molecules will slip between the cheese protein strands and make a smoother sauce. Not sure if that is what is causing your grittiness, but worth a shot. [Yep](http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season2/Cheese/CheeseTranscript.htm). But AB recommended corn starch. He also says that melting cheese too fast can cause problems. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-homemade-cheddar-cheese-sauce-is-grainy-fix/500126.md?page=1)