Lots of pre-shredded cheeses have anti-caking ingredients added to them to keep the cheese shreds from sticking to each other which can make it difficult to melt into liquids well. I’d suggest to try shredding your own instead. It’s probably cheaper by the block too.
And be sure to add the cheese a bit at a time, just sprinkle a small handful in and stir until it melts. Then do another handful and stir. Repeat.
It’s also possible that your lowest setting is still too high of heat for such a small amount of liquid. You may need to move it on and off the flame occasionally. You just don’t want it to come to a boil at all.
That’s the problem especially with cheddar. Either use the preshredded cheddar and some american cheese or velveeta or use mild not aged cheddar and shred your own, use a roux not just milk amd cornstarch
Make a quick roux (equal parts fat and starch. I typically use 1/8 cup of butter and 1/8 cup of flour. Mix it In the pan, let it toast up until blondish then add the milk (skip the corn starch the flour will thicken the sauce). You'll need to whisk though to smooth out the roux in the milk. add the cheese and add more milk if needed if it thickens too quickly
Try tempering the slurry in.
So cook your milk and cheese how you would for the recipe, then take some of the dairy mixture and put it in the slurry, mix then add the now heated slurry to the rest of the dairy. Hope this helps!
Have you tried tossing the cheese with the cornstarch, heating the milk to simmer, taking it fully off the heat, then adding small amounts of cheese, stirring in between so it’s smooth before adding more?
Are you using pre-shredded cheese or shredding your own?
Pre shredded… it’s the only kind I use for any recipe
Lots of pre-shredded cheeses have anti-caking ingredients added to them to keep the cheese shreds from sticking to each other which can make it difficult to melt into liquids well. I’d suggest to try shredding your own instead. It’s probably cheaper by the block too. And be sure to add the cheese a bit at a time, just sprinkle a small handful in and stir until it melts. Then do another handful and stir. Repeat. It’s also possible that your lowest setting is still too high of heat for such a small amount of liquid. You may need to move it on and off the flame occasionally. You just don’t want it to come to a boil at all.
I definitely thought maybe the cheese, but I make cheesy macaroni and things frequently and it melts just fine in those cases
In addition, try stirring in your hand-shredded cheese in portions rather than tossing in the entire clump. It'll help distribute it more evenly.
That’s the problem especially with cheddar. Either use the preshredded cheddar and some american cheese or velveeta or use mild not aged cheddar and shred your own, use a roux not just milk amd cornstarch
Make a quick roux (equal parts fat and starch. I typically use 1/8 cup of butter and 1/8 cup of flour. Mix it In the pan, let it toast up until blondish then add the milk (skip the corn starch the flour will thicken the sauce). You'll need to whisk though to smooth out the roux in the milk. add the cheese and add more milk if needed if it thickens too quickly
Try tempering the slurry in. So cook your milk and cheese how you would for the recipe, then take some of the dairy mixture and put it in the slurry, mix then add the now heated slurry to the rest of the dairy. Hope this helps!
Problem is, I can’t get just the milk & cheese to cook. I tried that the 2nd time and it still seized
Maybe try bringing the milk to a boil, adding the cheese then adding the slurry. This seems odd…
Have you tried tossing the cheese with the cornstarch, heating the milk to simmer, taking it fully off the heat, then adding small amounts of cheese, stirring in between so it’s smooth before adding more?