Knowing how to thicken and bring a sauce to the right consistency is a basic skill necessary in the kitchen. There are many methods with which you can thicken a sauce and the choice of the most suitable one depends on the ingredients you are working on and the result you want to achieve. There are many preparations in the kitchen that may need to be thickened, such as sauces, soups, soups, pastry creams, yogurt, ice cream, jams, preserves and condiments. Most likely the method suitable for thickening a cream for dessert will not be the same as the one used to thicken the sauce accompanying an excellent roast, so it is important to learn to know and use correctly the different ingredients that can be used as thickeners in the kitchen.
Steps
Method 1 of 7: Using a Starch
Step 1. Choose the starch to use
In cooking, the starch most commonly used to thicken is corn; it is not the only one, however, you can in fact opt for potato starch and maranta, tapioca and rice flours. When a starch is added to a liquid and heated, it swells, creating a thickening gel.
- Since it does not have the same thickening power as other starches, plain flour is not recommended for this type of use. Unlike starches, which must first be dissolved in water, refined flour can be added directly to the preparation to be thickened, but its use as a thickener is however not recommended.
- Starch is often used to thicken soups, sauces, fruit-based sauces, and sweet or savory creams.
Step 2. Measure the required amount of starch into a bowl
The correct proportion is 1 tablespoon of starch for every 250 ml of liquid to be thickened.
Step 3. Dissolve the starch in an equal amount of cold water
For each tablespoon of starch, add the same amount of cold water. Stir the mixture with a whisk until the starch has completely dissolved, the result obtained should be smooth and free of lumps.
Step 4. Add the starch mixture to the preparation to be thickened
Pour the mixture of water and starch into the sauce you want to thicken, then mix continuously using a whisk, so that the starch is completely incorporated into the preparation.
Step 5. Bring to a boil
For the starch to perform its task, you will have to bring the preparation to be thickened to a light boil, otherwise the two elements will not bind together and will not allow you to achieve the desired result.
Step 6. Taste and, if necessary, correct the flavor
Having modified the preparation with the addition of water and starch, once it has reached the right consistency you will have to taste it again and salt or spice it to your taste.
Method 2 of 7: Use a Food Thicken
Step 1. Choose which thickener to use
Some of the gelling agents most used in normal cooking as thickeners are xanthan gum, agar, pectin and guar gum. The fame of these ingredients derives from the minimum quantity needed to thicken the preparations and from their ability to keep colors and flavors unaltered.
- Xanthan gum is a very versatile thickening agent that can be used to give texture to a variety of sauces and toppings. In addition, it also acts as a preservative.
- Agar (also known as "agar agar") is often used as a thickener in the industrial processing of dairy products. It can also be used as a gelling agent in the preparation of fruit preserves and sweets. It is commercially available in the form of powder or flakes.
- Pectin is often used in the preparation of fruit-based jams, jellies and desserts. It can also be used to thicken yogurt and dairy products.
- Guar gum naturally thickens when cold and can be added to baked goods to increase the amount of fiber. It is often used to give more body to sauces used as a dressing for salads.
Step 2. First combine guar gum or agar agar with liquid
Both ingredients need to be mixed with a liquid before being used as thickeners in preparations. Agar agar needs to first be mixed in water and heated. Guar gum, on the other hand, can be mixed directly in the amount of oil required by the recipe.
- In the case of flaked agar agar, use 1 tablespoon for every 250 ml of liquid, while for powder agar agar use 1 teaspoon for every 250 ml of liquid. Dissolve the agar agar in a small saucepan with 4 tablespoons of hot water. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook for 5-10 minutes. When finished, add it to the preparation you want to thicken.
- To thicken a sauce using guar gum, use only 1/2 teaspoon of product per 625ml of liquid. Before adding all the ingredients required by the preparation, mix the guar gum with the amount of oil indicated by the recipe using a whisk.
Step 3. Pectin and xanthan gum can be added directly to sauces
In the last 15 minutes of cooking the dish you can directly add the required amount of pectin or xanthan gum. For the gelling properties of pectin to be activated, it must be brought to a boil and cooked for at least one minute. On the contrary, xanthan gum will immediately thicken the recipe without the need to be heated to high temperatures.
- In the case of a savory preparation, add ¾ of a tablespoon of pectin for every 250 ml of liquid, while in a sweet preparation add 2 tablespoons of pectin for every 225 g of sugar. As soon as the pectin comes to a boil, stir it vigorously and non-stop using a whisk.
- In the case of xanthan gum, use the full amount of liquid to thicken as the basis for the proportion, then add 0.1 to 1 percent thickener, depending on the consistency you want to achieve. Mix the xanthan gum into the preparation by stirring vigorously with a whisk.
Method 3 of 7: Make the Creamed Butter
Step 1. Pour an equal amount of butter and flour into a bowl
Creamed butter among its origins from beurre manié, a French preparation that involves creating a dough based on butter and flour. You can use a fork or your hands to prepare the creamy butter. Knead the butter and flour until smooth or until the dough is ready.
- If you are making a large amount of creamy butter, you can help yourself with a food processor.
- This compound is ideal for thickening salty soups, brown stocks and sauces.
Step 2. Make balls using one teaspoon of dough
Thicken any preparation by adding only one portion of creamy butter at a time.
Step 3. Thicken a sauce as it cooks using the scoops of whipped butter
Add a single scoop of butter at a time and mix with a whisk. After each addition, let the preparation cook for at least one minute to allow it to thicken. Repeat the step with the desired number of balls, until the preparation reaches the desired consistency.
Leftover whipped butter can be stored in the freezer for future use. Before incorporating it into your recipes, however, it will be necessary to wait for it to reach room temperature
Method 4 of 7: Prepare the Roux
Step 1. Choose the fat to use in the preparation
Roux is another French recipe for making a dough consisting of equal parts of fat and flour. In this case, the recommended fats are oil, butter and meat cooking fat. Roux can be used to thicken brown stocks, salty sauces or soups.
Step 2. Pour the required amount of fat into a saucepan, then heat it over medium heat
Depending on the consistency you want to give your preparation, use 1 to 3 tablespoons of the chosen fat for every 250 ml of liquid and add the same amount of flour. If you want a rather liquid sauce, use only 1 tablespoon of fat and 1 tablespoon of flour. For a smooth and slow sauce, use 2 tablespoons of fat and 2 tablespoons of flour, while if you want a thick consistency, use 3 tablespoons of fat and 3 of flour.
Step 3. Add the same amount of flour to the pot
Depending on the amount of butter or oil used, add the equivalent in flour.
Step 4. While cooking, stir the mixture carefully
If you want to get a classic white roux to use as a thickener, cook the ingredients for only a few minutes, until they are completely amalgamated.
Step 5. Remove the pot from the heat
When the roux is cooked, set it aside for a few minutes to let it cool. If used while still hot, once added to the preparation to be thickened, the roux will separate.
Step 6. Add the roux to the sauce
Bring the preparation to a light boil, then cook it for at least 20 minutes, stirring it with a whisk. This way you won't run the risk of the sauce acquiring the flavor of raw flour.
Step 7. Taste and, if necessary, correct the final flavor
If the flavor or aroma of the preparation has weakened, before serving it to the table reinvigorate it by adding a small amount of the necessary herbs and spices.
Method 5 of 7: Thicken Using Egg Yolk
Step 1. Break an egg and separate the yolk from the white
Egg yolk is an excellent thickener, when used in the preparation of pastry creams, puddings and rich and creamy sauces.
Step 2. Beat the egg yolk in a bowl
As you beat the egg, very slowly incorporate a small amount of the slightly warm sauce. Technically, this process is defined as "diluting" the egg, or heating it slowly so that, once added to the hot preparation, it does not cook instantly, falling apart.
Step 3. Continue adding small amounts of liquid until you get an amount equal to 250ml
After adding enough liquid, continue to mix with the whisk for a few seconds, so that the egg can fully blend with the other ingredients.
Step 4. Add the egg mixture to the sauce while stirring with a whisk
Bring the sauce to a boil, then simmer it until it thickens.
Method 6 of 7: Reduce a Liquid Preparation
Step 1. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil
Do not allow it to come to a full boil. This method is applicable to most sauces, as when heated they allow the evaporation of their liquid part, generating a dense and concentrated compound.
The reduction of a sauce concentrates all the flavors (sweet, sour and savory), but risks reducing the aromas and aromas of the herbs and spices used. To avoid this, after the preparation has reached the right density, taste it and correct the taste according to your needs
Step 2. Stir regularly to prevent the preparation from burning
During cooking, the sauce will reduce and thicken as it will lose the liquid part. Depending on the preparation, some recipes may require a reduction of half, one third or even one quarter of the initial volume.
Step 3. Continue reducing the sauce until you get the desired consistency
Unless you are following a precise recipe, the general rule is that the mixture (most likely a sauce) is ready when it reaches a consistency capable of "napping", ie covering, the back of a spoon without slipping off.
Method 7 of 7: Use Instant Mashed Potatoes
Step 1. Measure one tablespoon of instant mashed potato mix for every 250ml of sauce
At the base of these preparations are pre-cooked potatoes reduced to puree and dehydrated, which can be used to thicken and enrich rustic sauces, brown bottoms, stews, stews and soups. Avoid using this method if you are making sauces with very delicate flavors or that need to be perfectly transparent.
This method allows you to thicken your preparations easily and very quickly and allows the proportions to be based more on personal taste than on precise measurement
Step 2. Gradually add the potato flakes to the sauce
As the preparation cooks slowly, add the potato flakes - a few at a time. Stir carefully to mix the ingredients and let the mixture cook to thicken. If the sauce does not reach the desired consistency, add more potato flakes.
If you want to thicken a rich, flavorful sauce with a more natural method, you can use a starchy food, such as raw potatoes, pasta, or oats
Step 3. Taste and make corrections if necessary
Before bringing your recipe to the table, do not forget to taste it and, if the potatoes have altered its flavor, correct it by adding salt, pepper, herbs and necessary spices.
