How Long Does Evaporated Milk Last After Opening?

Evaporated milk is the key ingredient in many things, such as delicious soups, rich sauces, and unforgettable desserts. It is made by removing around 60% of water from regular milk, a process that naturally makes it slightly sweet. However, while it has a long shelf life in the can, it's best to use evaporated milk quickly once opened.

According to Carnation, evaporated milk can last five days in the fridge, though it is recommended to use it within 48 hours because a film can form on top of the milk unless it is kept in an airtight container. Now, if you're using evaporated milk to cook with, you might not have a lot left to store, but if you're using it for something like coffee, you'll probably have leftovers. (Unless you're making a ton of coffee.) Transferring the evaporated milk to an airtight container can keep it fresh longer, but you can also cover the top with plastic wrap and secure it with a rubber band or tie. Either way, you want to keep the milk covered during storage so it doesn't pick up any extra flavors from the fridge.

There are a few ways to tell when your evaporated milk has gone bad. For one, it should always be white in color; if it's darkened or picked up a yellow tint, you're best off tossing it. Likewise, there should never be lumps in it and it should never have a sour smell. If you happen to taste some and it's sour, rinse your mouth out and chuck the can in the bin. Like drinking spoiled milk, you're unlikely to get sick from a just a taste, but there's nothing you can do to save it once it's gone bad.

Once opened, evaporated milk might have a short shelf life, but it's really easy to use it up before it goes bad. For instance, try whipping up a tres leches cake if you're in the mood for something sweet. The name of this cake literally translates to "three milks," and it's meant to be made with evaporated, condensed, and whole milk. (And yes, evaporated milk and condensed milk are different!) Aside from this classic cake, evaporated milk can be added to almost any dessert recipe you can think of. You can even use it for breakfast in pancake mixes, oatmeal, smoothies, and as a coffee creamer.

However, evaporated milk isn't just for sweet dishes, and you'd be remiss to only use it for that. We will say that evaporated milk makes a killer mac and cheese, and its thickness makes the cheese sauce super creamy and delicious. Likewise, it can be used to give soups a rich, velvety texture, something that whole milk can match. In fact, it can be used in basically every way you can use regular milk. It can even be diluted if you need a thinner consistency.

The versatility of evaporated milk alone makes it something you should always keep in your pantry, and there is little you can't use it for. So, while it doesn't last very long once you open it, you might find yourself going through cans rather fast once you get in the habit of using it!