DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, I receive a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Milk is a significant component of the average everyday diet. It has a wide range of uses in the kitchen. Historically, milk was a luxury product rather than a necessity, but today milk is as common a household item as anything else.
It has endless uses in cooking and offers a delicious flavor to most. Many people do not know milk is available in different types of nutritional strengths and basic formulations/treatment types. It is available in countless varieties.
Some people only recognize it according to the brand, as once you’ve found a reputable brand, the flavor and longevity are pretty much always the same. Liquid milk comes in cans, tetra packs, and sachets.
Evaporated milk is the most common type of milk people typically use in both savory and sweet dishes. Sweetened milk is also available in the markets, but it hasn’t quite grabbed the taste preferences and attention of everyone yet.
Which one to choose between evaporated milk and evaporated filled milk is a matter of preference. We’ll be taking you through all the defining characteristics of both types so that you can make an informed decision over which to pick.
Evaporated Filled Milk Vs. Evaporated Milk Comparison
| Evaporated Milk | Evaporated Filled Milk | |
|---|---|---|
| Names | Evaporated Milk, Unsweetened Condensed Milk | Filled Milk, Reconstituted Milk |
| Definition | Whole Milk With 60% Water Evaporated | Milk/Skim Milk Condensed And Combined With Fat Concentration Made Up Of Reconstituted Oils & Fats |
| Texture | Thick, Dense & Creamy | Thick, Viscous & Oily |
| Flavor | Similar To Regular Milk But With Subtle Roasty Flavor And Lingering Sweetness | Similar To Evaporated Milk But With Off-Sweet Tang And Baked Goods Sweetness |
| Nutrition | 90 Calories, 15.2 Grams Carbs, 2.4 Grams Fat, 2.2 Grams Protein, 8% DV Calcium, 10% DV Phosphorus, 7% RDI Selenium, 7% RDI Riboflavin | Variable - Nutrients Conventionally Added According To Manufacturer Specifications |
| Uses | Beverages, Baking, Desserts, Toppings, Sweets, Salad Dressing, Sauces | Baking, Desserts, Toppings, Sweets |
| Affordability | $2/Tin - $22/Gallon | $5-6/Tin - $44/Gallon |
| Availability | Widespread Availability, Online And Regular Small & Large Supermarkets | Limited Availability, Online & Speciality Foods Stores |
Evaporated Filled Milk Vs. Evaporated Milk
Don’t let the names fool you. Evaporated filled milk is a very different product from evaporated milk. We’ve got all the similarities and differences coming up in our comparison.
Evaporated Milk
The go-to choice for bakers on countless occasions, evaporated milk, is tasty sweet milk that can also be enjoyed in coffee and other beverages. Here’s a close look at what makes evaporated milk a long-standing favorite for so many people.
Names
While evaporated milk is the standard name for this sweet-tasting milk, you’ll also find it known as unsweetened condensed milk. It is condensed because almost 60% of the water content that’s present in regular milk is condensed out, giving it a concentrated nature.
Definition
Evaporated milk is milk that has had 60% of its water evaporated before processing and packaging into tins. Following evaporation, the milk is then homogenized, canned, and heat-sterilized.
Even though most of the water has been removed and the flavor has been altered, the nutritional composition is almost the same as whole milk. It actually has more nutrients and fewer calories.
Texture
Removing the water makes evaporated milk dense, thick, and creamy. Imagine the density as a midway point between drinking yogurt and mayonnaise but with more creaminess to its consistency.
Flavor
The taste of evaporated milk and regular milk is similar other than the roasted notes left after heating the milk. Due to the Maillard Reaction taking place, evaporated milk does have a slightly sweeter, almost toasty flavor.
There’s a sweetness that it brings out that conventional milk simply does not have. A close comparison would be the taste of whole milk fortified by the subdued light flavor of caramel.
Nutrition
Evaporated milk is a nutrient-rich product as compared to regular milk. The use of evaporated milk is beneficial for health as it can help you to gain weight and increase your mineral intake, making it a good choice for a healthier diet.
It is a good source of nutrients such as proteins, calcium, vitamin A, Vitamin D, and these nutrients are essential for healthy bones.
Every cup of evaporated milk contains 90 calories, 15.2 grams of carbs, 2.4 grams fat, 2.2 grams protein, 8% of the DV (daily value) of calcium, 10% of the DV phosphorus, 7% RDI (recommended daily intake) of selenium and 7% of the RDI of riboflavin.
Uses
Most evaporated milk is consumed in tea, coffee, and other beverages, however, it is equally as widely used in creating dessert toppings. Many baked goods call for evaporated milk.
Fudge and various sweet/dessert pies are two examples of where you’ll commonly use unsweetened condensed milk. Due to the mildly sweet, toasty flavor profile, one can even use it in salad dressings and sauces.
Affordability
The price of evaporated milk depends largely on the brand that you’re buying. However, one typically finds evaporated milk selling for an average of $2 per 17-ounce tin, or around $22 per gallon.
Whole milk can be found as low as $4 per gallon online and even cheaper in a local store.
Availability
Although less commonly used than whole milk, you’ll generally find evaporated milk sold everywhere that its regular counterpart is found. There is also a huge variety to pick from both online and in-store, thanks to the canned nature of condensed milk.
Evaporated Filled Milk
For the right application, evaporated filled milk offers texture and taste that rings out clear in whatever you may be making. Here’s a breakdown of this less common type of milk that’s a popular choice for certain baked goods.
Names
While not commonly found in the United States, evaporated filled milk is known around the world as simply filled milk, reconstituted milk, or reconstituted filled milk. Product descriptions will depict the fact that the milk has nutrition filled in from other sources.
Definition
Filled milk is a catch-all term that classifies all varieties of milk that have been reconstituted with fats. This means that non-dairy oils or fats have been added to the milk to raise it to adhere to the minimum fat content level of other milk varieties such as whole milk’s 3.5% fat average.
Most filled milk is skim milk that’s had almost all of its water evaporated, and evaporated filled milk is a combination of evaporated skim milk, water, and fats at the manufacturer’s discretion.
Corn oil, canola, olive oil, or blended vegetable oil are then added to the milk to raise its fat content or animal fat. It is essentially a blend of skim milk, vitamins, stabilizers, and vegetable oil.
Texture
Filled milk is more textured than other varieties. It’s slightly silkier than whole milk, carrying an oiliness from the fortified fats that mimic the creaminess of cream to a degree. Expect a denser consistency than whole milk but not quite as thick as evaporated milk.
Flavor
Filled milk has a flavor unique to the type of filler used to boost the fat content. In general, one can expect a boldly neutral taste that’s mildly reminiscent of baked goods.
There’s a sweetness that’s simply not there with other milk, which is a quality that is better described as an off-sweet lingering slightly similar to the sweetness of evaporated milk.
Nutrition
With less cholesterol due to containing less animal fat, evaporated filled milk should be a top consideration for anyone looking to cut cholesterol out of their diet.
There is such a vastly variable nutrition range supplied by filled milk that depends almost entirely upon the degree of dilution of the skim milk in use and the type of fat or oil added to ramp up fat levels.
It typically offers such unpredictable nutrition that filled milk is typically only consumed by those who either specifically like the taste or bake with it.
In fact, filled milk was banned in the United States because of being seen as an “imitation or semblance of milk, cream, or skimmed milk.” Over time, the nationwide ban on filled milk has slowly started to lift across America.
Uses
Evaporated filled milk is used almost exclusively used for commercial cooking and baking. The vast majority of those sampling evaporated filled milk find the taste to be off-putting in coffee, tea, and other hot beverages.
You’ll find filled milk incorporated into ice cream, dairy-product substitutes trading fat for filled milk, and both whipping and sour cream. Evaporated filled milk can be consumed as is, but most find the taste unsuitable for drinking purposes.
You can use evaporated filled milk primarily in cooking and baking.
Affordability
Gourmet evaporated filled milk costs on average around $5-$6 per 12-fluid ounce can in the United States.
Availability
There are only 30 states in America where it is legal to trade filled milk. Evaporated filled milk is generally available all around the world, but there are certain countries where it’s found in abundance.
West Africa has a massive amount of filled milk, so much that it is beginning to impact the dairy industry.
Evaporated Filled Milk Vs. Evaporated Milk, Conclusion
Evaporated milk has a wide range of culinary uses. Its thicker consistency makes it a suitable ingredient for desserts and sauces.
You can also substitute it for heavy cream. However, keep in mind that evaporated milk contains lactose and milk proteins that make it unsuitable for lactose-intolerant people. Opt for evaporated filled milk for baking and desserts.
Most won’t really like the taste in beverages, but it does add a unique creaminess. The right choice between evaporated filled milk vs. filled milk largely depends on what you want to use it for but in most cases, evaporated milk is the product that most will be wanting.
It’s far more widely used.
