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xanthan gum question

My sauce has a nice consistency without it and only has a slight separation after days of sitting on the shelf. I want zero separation so i'm going to hit my next batch with some xanthan, the question is how much? I don't want to make it too thick since the consistency is already pretty ideal but i do want to use just enough so that the sauce stays uniform. TBSP/gallon Tsp/gallon???? help from the experienced xanthan users would be appreciated :party:
 
yo italian556,  diggin you youtube vids man!! keep rocking it. Yeah man it would be nice to not have to add Xanthan but if you want a beautiful sauce that has no separation over time it is pretty necessary i think.
 
FROG DOG said:
yo italian556,  diggin you youtube vids man!! keep rocking it. Yeah man it would be nice to not have to add Xanthan but if you want a beautiful sauce that has no separation over time it is pretty necessary i think.
Thank you, I appreciate that! ☺
 
natural gum info-
 
Bob's Red Mill has some gums, most natural food stores have some, I believe Bob's just came out with xanthan packets, I just saw packets at our local grocery store the other day.
 
Start with 1/4 tsp per gallon as Midwest~ suggested on a sauce with some decent consistency.  If starting with a sauce that has the consistency of water, then you'll need 1-2 Tbsp per gallon.
 
Good Luck and Have Fun!
SL
 
FROG DOG said:
thanks , midwestchilehead and salsalady!!
;)
 
PS- Tabasco separates when sitting on the shelf for days/weeks/months....  separation is not necessarily a bad thing, but if you are looking to keep a homogenized product, natural gums can help.  
 
so what is the best way to evenly diverse the xanthan in say a 2 gallon batch......i have an emulsion blender but just wondering from experienced xanthan users......thanks
 
if you have any other dry ingredients (salt, spices, sugar?), mix the xanthan powder with that and then add to sauce.  Won't help for the first few times while you're figuring out the amount to use~~~
Otherwise, sprinkle very lightly while boat motoring.

boat motor= immersion blender  ;)  :)
 
I read somewhere recently, probably on this forum, that it's best to NOT add your xantham gum while the sauce is still hot from the stove. I think it makes it even thicker or something like that. Maybe someone else can confirm but I've since begun adding it when necessary at the very end instead of during the main processing. 
 
Xanthan is pretty consistent over abroad range of temperatures. Unlike pectin which sets up when cool, xanthan exhibits its consistency when hot. There is probably an additional 20% additional thickness cool .v. hot, but a lot of that can be an effect of other sauce ingredients also
 
It really doesn't matter how you disperse but a little at a time is the way to go. I'll throw my mash in the blender, add vinegar, add xanthan, and then turn on the blender. It does thicken a little when it goes in the fridge so keep that in mind. Let's say 1 quart of liquid, I'd start with a 1/4 tsp of xanthan... And probably need to add a little more. I try to end with the consistency of good syrup... Not mrs buttersworth, which is probably thicker than I want.
 
I typically use 1/8th of a tablespoon per 1 cup of sauce.  To make it easy for me to get the correct measurement, I just multiply .125 times however many cups of sauce I have.  Then, I get my sauce up to somewhere between 180ºF and boiling, and like Salsalady said, I use an immersion blender as well and slowly add the xanthan gum.  The key I think is to keep the sauce moving as you add the gum. Hope this helps.
 
:welcome: to thp, Neches Pepper Co.! Thanks for posting.

SL
 
Honestly you hardly need anything for thickening up your sauces. I cant give you exact measurements but i used the amount that fits on the tip of a chef's knife after my sauce was done, blended it in a blender to get it nicely dispersed. (this was 500ml sauce) and it got nice and thick and doesnt seperate. U have to watch out for trapped airbubbles though if you use xhantangum
 
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