Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Boil milk on the stove
• Tips
• Warnings

Cooking raw milk kills microbes and makes the milk safe to drink. You can safely drink pasteurized milk cold, but boiling the milk will keep it good for longer. If you need milk for cooking or want to drink a warm cup of milk, heating the milk to just below boiling point is the quickest and easiest method.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Boil milk on the stove

1. See if the milk needs to be boiled. You can usually drink milk safely without heating it. Use the guidelines below to determine if you should boil milk:
   • Raw milk should always be boiled.
   • Pasteurized milk should be boiled when stored at room temperature. This milk does not need to be boiled if it is stored in the refrigerator or in a very cold room.
   • A carton of long-life milk that has been heated to extend its shelf life is safe to drink, even if kept at room temperature. This milk is heated with the UHT method, which stands for "Ultra High Temperature". This is a sterilization method that kills all harmful microbes.
2. Destroy the foam that forms. The creamy layer on top of the milk traps the steam while the milk boils. This steam turns the creamy layer into foam that quickly rises and spills over the edge of the pan. Respond quickly to avoid this:
   • Turn down the heat until the milk continues to bubble steadily.
   • Stir the milk constantly to break up the foam.
   • Leave the spoon in the pot (optional) so that the milk is not completely coated and there is a hole for the steam to escape. Just make sure to use a spoon or spatula that can withstand prolonged heat without burning.
3. Don't rely on this method to make raw milk safe. A microwave can only heat the milk for a short time until it boils over. Some of the microbes will be killed, but this is not enough to make raw and room temperature milk safe. Instead, heat these types of milk on the stove.
4. Heat the milk to just below boiling point to use the milk in cooking. By heating the milk to just below boiling point, it behaves differently in bread recipes. Some people heat pasteurized milk this way as an extra precaution against microbes, but this is not necessary if you keep the milk in the refrigerator.
   • If the milk is unpasteurized or stored at room temperature, boil it.
5. Keep the remaining milk. If you have leftover milk after drinking or cooking, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If that is not possible, put the milk in a cold place. When it is warm, the milk will keep for a maximum of four hours because bacteria can then grow.

Tips

• If you want to add spices or sugar, do this after boiling the milk and removing it from the stove.
• You can purchase a metal plate to place between the pan and the stove. With this, the pan heats the milk more evenly, so that it does not burn. However, it can then take a lot longer than usual for the milk to heat up.
• You can scoop the cream off the surface when the milk is simmering. Add the cream to pasta sauces or curries.

Warnings

• Acidic foods such as ginger and other herbs can cause the milk to clump.
• Before cooking, always check that the milk has not gone bad. Spoiled milk smells bad and should be thrown away instead of using. You can get food poisoning from it.
• Make sure to keep an eye on the milk while it is heating. Milk boils a lot faster than water.
• Grasp the hot pan with cloths, oven gloves, or tongs. Do not leave the pan unsupervised, especially when children and pets are around.