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xanthan gum

I'm getting ready to order some xanthan gum and i'm curious as to the average amount that would be needed to thicken a sauce. Lets pretend it's a dozen bottle recipe and it would typically take 1/2 cup of cornstarch to reach the desired thickness. 
 
how much xanthan gum would that translate to, similar amount to cornstarch or does it require much less?
 
lol alright, xanthan gum and coke spoon on order
 
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I find that although xanthan will thicken sauce, it's a much better emulsifier than it is a thickener. If your sauce is like water, you'll need a large amount to thicken and then you do end up with slime. If your sauce has some body to start with, a small amount of xanthan will prevent it from separating, plus it'll thicken it up, so be careful. I agree with SnF's amounts as long as it's got some good "pulp" to start with. It will also thicken a bit more as it sits, and definitely once it's in the fridge.
 
our local grocery chain carries it
 
 
start with less than 1/4 tsp, you can always add more.......
 
 
i do stock pot sized batches......and i start with a pinch and mix......you'll know when you have plenty added (and, as others have said, you'll know when it is too much)
 
 
add carefully and whisk/blend well.....it clumps even worse than corn starch
 
Agree with Genetikz that you should use it as an emulsifier not thickener. If your sauce is too thin you need to cook it more or add more ingredients. Using this to turn Tabasco into ketchup is not it's purpose, it will taste awful. Although it does inherently thicken, so just a tad should work to emulsify where you won't notice much thickening. 
 
would mixing it with the vinegar prior to addition be beneficial. Help break it down so you don't end up with clumps? Kind of what I do when I use cornstarch. .
 
Back to our previous Conversation about it making sauce slimy. that explains a few commercial sauces i've had that had a gross snot texture. 
 
I bought some at one of those "upscale/healthy" grocery stores, and a small bag came out to like $13. The poor lady checking me out goes "mmmMMM that stuff must be pretty good for you!"
 
Its funny how many people thing expensive = healthy
 
You're right about the price at health food stores, I think I paid $12 a small bag. I had to buy more because I used just a little then decided to put it in a container and I still haven't found it so I bought some when I saw it at WW and it was about $5.
 
WW has it for $10 online, HMMMM. But I found this while looking, almost makes me wanna rethink using it now. Good thing we don't use much.
 
Xanthan gum is a sugar-like compound made by mixing aged (fermented) sugars with a certain kind of bacteria. It is used to make medicine.

Xanthan gum is used for lowering blood sugar and total cholesterol in people with diabetes. It is also used as a laxative.

Xanthan gum is sometimes used as a saliva substitute in people with dry mouth(Sjogren's syndrome).

In manufacturing, xanthan gum is used as a thickening and stabilizing agent in foods, toothpastes, and medicines. Xanthan gum is also an ingredient in some sustained-release pills.
 

How does it work?
Xanthan gum swells in the intestine, which stimulates the digestive tract to push stool through. It also might slow the absorption of sugar from the digestive tract and work like saliva to lubricate and wet the mouth in people who don't produce enough saliva.
 
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-340-xanthan%20gum.aspx?activeingredientid=340
 
Rajun Gardener said:
Xanthan gum is a sugar-like compound made by mixing aged (fermented) sugars with a certain kind of bacteria. It is used to make medicine.
 
Specifically Xanthamonas campestris, which cause a lot of plant diseases. For example, the pathovar formerly called vesicatoria (I'm not very current on what it has been divided into now. no use learning it, it will change again) which causes a bacterial spot infection on peppers.
 
There are pathovars that infect all kind of plants: turfgrass, cannabis, cabbage just to name a few.
 
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