I was experimenting yesterday in my laboratory (i.e. the kitchen) and made a quick sauce with some of the leftover habaneros and fruits that I had frozen from last season. Since everything was vacuum sealed and frozen fresh, I did not add any additional water. In order to reach the proper acidity, I added some lime juice and white vinegar. The sauce ended up being pretty nice but is far too thin. I cooked it down about 50% and it still made little difference. Does anyone have any sauce thickening tricks out there???
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consistency Sauce too thin
- Thread starter RedtailForester
- Start date
Were you happy with the flavors? If not this is the first thing you should look at because you can kill two birds with one stone.
I was happy with the flavor overall. But I was shooting for a thicker sauce.
Well then you may want to look at some thickeners that will not alter the flavor. Xanthan gum and guar gum could work for you. They are also stabilizers/emulsifiers so it won't separate.
Where would one such as I get his grubby little hands on some thickening agents. Also, I'd like to try to keep it organic / all-natural. Are there natural thickening agents?
Xanthan gum is derived from natural sources and fermented. As natural as beer. Guar gum is two different saps. Natural.
Whole Foods maybe. Health food stores.
Whole Foods maybe. Health food stores.
salsalady
Business Member
Check health food/natural food stores. Xanthan is often used in wheat/gluten free baking. Even in our dead-end, miles from nowhere town, the health food store carries it.
+1 to wayright, a little goes a LOOOONG way~
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oh, yea, you could try corn starch and boiling it like gravy, but that's only as a last ditch effort. Why not just keep reducing it? Put it in a tall narrow jar overnight so most of the solids are at the bottom, pour off the top liquid and reduce to like 25%, then add the rest of the sauce to check the consistency before packing.
+1 to wayright, a little goes a LOOOONG way~
edit-
oh, yea, you could try corn starch and boiling it like gravy, but that's only as a last ditch effort. Why not just keep reducing it? Put it in a tall narrow jar overnight so most of the solids are at the bottom, pour off the top liquid and reduce to like 25%, then add the rest of the sauce to check the consistency before packing.
+1 on Xanthum Gum. Check out hot sauce labels; many if not most have it listed as an ingredient. Got mine at a local health food store, 6 oz. for $13.00. I use 1/8 teaspoon per pot (pot = appx. 6 half pint jars) to obtain the desired consistency. I fooled around with corn starch for a year; it did just ok, not nearly as good as xanthum.
Trust us, just do it imho!
Trust us, just do it imho!
AlabamaJack
Extreme Member
I have used arrow root powder and it does a good job IMO...
http://www.suttonsbayspices.com/Flavored_Powders/20071.html
http://www.suttonsbayspices.com/Flavored_Powders/20071.html
Ah, Suttons Bay Trading Company! Excellent purveyors of spices and herbs, etc. Really like their smoked hot paprika and seafood seasoning.
Downriver
Extreme Member
I use carrot. It could alter the color and taste a little, but I've found it to be either invisible or at least complimentary to most sauces I've made. You don't need alot either.
When making a "light' color sauce, I use arrowroot, per AJ's suggestion. Works nicely as well. Both can be found in your local grocery store.
When making a "light' color sauce, I use arrowroot, per AJ's suggestion. Works nicely as well. Both can be found in your local grocery store.
I'd be a little afraid to use carrots with a fruit based sauce. However, I did make a tomato based one earlier with some frozen goat horns I had. I was able to use corn starch but carrot probably would have worked. That time, the consistency was good but it was a little chunky. I just can't win this week. But at least my experiments are tasty!!!I use carrot. It could alter the color and taste a little, but I've found it to be either invisible or at least complimentary to most sauces I've made. You don't need alot either.
When making a "light' color sauce, I use arrowroot, per AJ's suggestion. Works nicely as well. Both can be found in your local grocery store.
Awwww man, what to do, what to do!?!?! This is still an experimental sauce but I don't want to waste it either. Maybe the addition of carrots would have dulled down the citrus overtone of this one. Hmmmmm... lots to think about.
If you add carrots to your sauce, it will turn that color obviously. I save carrots for straight red pepper sauce or tomato based sauce. If your sauce is to “citrusy”, try adding a little honey to counter act the acidity. Add a little and taste. I often add a little sweetener to my sauce to balance out the heat. Describe what type of sauce you are making and the ingredients so far.
Dude, you will definitely have to ruin a few sauces before you get things right. Never be afraid to experiment or you will always have average products.
+1
I have a dozen different half pint jars of disasters. They are getting a final puree then spread around my garden this coming season for rabbit control.
If you don't want the color I have been thinking about using parsnips for the added body instead of carrots. If you do use them let me know how it works out.
The honey idea was already used prior to posting this. Think I'm going to give the Xanthan gum route a try. Thanks for all the input! 