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consistency Thicker Sauces?

Hi there, I've long used this site as a resource but this is my first time posting. I just had a quick question.

I've made some sauces before, but with a standard re-hydrated dried peppers and vinegar type recipe and straining the resulting paste. I haven't done any of the fermenting ideas (yet).

In all the cases, the taste and color are both great, but the only problem is that the sauce itself is very watery, not in taste but in consistency. to explain better, when I put some sauce on some food, often the sauce will quite literally slide off the food instead of staying on like a normal commercial sauce.

So any ideas? Would Xantham Gum help? I know it helps suspend the particles more, but does it make the sauce a little thicker?
 
Couple of questions about Xantham gum, I've been kind of nervous about using it.

About how much would be adequate for a 5 oz woozy bottle, I understand a little goes a long way with this stuff.

Could I add it to an already made sauce or would it have to be cooked in?
 
Most thick sauce use something like carrots to give the sauce the consistency. I dont know hiw muce sauce your making at a time but I would try something like 1 or 2 shredded carrots per quart of sauce. Then you can add more till you grt it where you want it. Too thick add some water or juice. JMHO.

Cheers,
RM
 
Yeah, for thin sauces, adding thickening ingredients or xanthan gum will help. Add the gum slowly, mixing well each time or mix with water well and then add to sauce.

Don't fear! Go buy $5 worth of peppers from the supermarket and experiment! No other way to learn! :)
 
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