crockpot recipe- why did the milk curdle in this? (brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg)

[KittenSparkles]

I made this recipe recently: A Year of Slow Cooking: CrockPot Breakfast Risotto

--1/4 cup butter
--3 little apples (I had 2 greens, and 1 red in the house)
--1 1/2 t cinnamon
--1/8 t nutmeg
--1/8 t cloves
--1/4 t kosher salt
--1 1/2 cups arborio rice
--1/3 cup brown sugar
-- 4 cups of liquid. (the recipe in her book calls for 3 cups 2% milk and 1 cup apple juice)

anyway... it tasted good, but the milk curdled (and the milk I used was a freshly opened carton) ... I would make it again but need to do something different to prevent that - perhaps use soy or almond milk?

any idea why the milk would curdle? is it due to being mixed with apple juice? I can't figure it out.

[lubby]

Hmm I cook in the crock pot all the time but never use milk products in any recipes. what about adding everything but the milk and maybe the last 40 minutes or so add the milk???

[Opsimathia]

Originally Posted by E E

I made this recipe recently: A Year of Slow Cooking: CrockPot Breakfast Risotto

--1/4 cup butter
--3 little apples (I had 2 greens, and 1 red in the house)
--1 1/2 t cinnamon
--1/8 t nutmeg
--1/8 t cloves
--1/4 t kosher salt
--1 1/2 cups arborio rice
--1/3 cup brown sugar
-- 4 cups of liquid. (the recipe in her book calls for 3 cups 2% milk and 1 cup apple juice)

anyway... it tasted good, but the milk curdled (and the milk I used was a freshly opened carton) ... I would make it again but need to do something different to prevent that - perhaps use soy or almond milk?

any idea why the milk would curdle? is it due to being mixed with apple juice? I can't figure it out.

Too high a heat too maybe? If you added the acidic things to it while the milk was too hot it happens even faster. You may want to try cooking cream instead. But I would half the butter and add the cream 1 cup at a time to see whats best. Probably 2 cups. Put it on a lower heat too. If it need more liquid I would add just water.

[TabulaRasa]

Crock pot recipes nearly always recommend adding cream/milk/other dairy at the very end of cooking for this reason.

[Opsimathia]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

Crock pot recipes nearly always recommend adding cream/milk/other dairy at the very end of cooking for this reason.

Good to know...I just started using a crock pot and don't use dairy a lot...but..
Tips! Horray!

Thanks!

[Cliffie]

If you use fresh milk in a crockpot it is bound to curdle. That's why recipes for crockpots normally call for cream of whatever soup, which does not react the same way. If I were you I would replace all the milk with apple juice next time. If you must use milk, use almond milk. Let me add that this recipe sounds sooooo good I am going to make it tonight!

[gentlearts]

I can see the acid in the apple juice causing the milk to curdle (like when you put some vinegar in milk to sour it).