What causes Sauce separation?

[-Pablo-]

Many of my sauces tend to separate in the bottle. It appears solids sink to the bottom, and liquids float to the top. It's not a huge deal, give it quick a shake and it's back to looking "correct". I understand many hot sauce makers add Xanthan Gum to help w/ homogenization and prevent separation as well. If there's a technique I can employ to prevent this, I'd prefer that to using an additive.

I have some sauces that don't separate at all though, and I need to figure out what I'm doing "right" to make sauces that don't separate, and what I'm doing "wrong" that causes some sauces to separate.

For reference, all my sauces are puree'd heavily and strained, typically just using pepper mash, vinegar, garlic, onion, and sometimes fruit/spices as flavoring agents. Perhaps its sugars and/or other thickening agents in the fruits? Are some peppers more prone to separation than others?

 

[work3fish4]

I do not get offended by a little separation in a sauce. I am going to shake the bottle before I pour it unconsciously anyway.

 

[Lucky Dog Hot Sauce]

The best thing to do is to limit the volume of water/juice you use; a good example is the vinegar. It is basically all water so it is a lot better to use crystalline acetic acid to lower the PH. That will eliminate a large percentage of the water in a sauce and make it a lot thicker all by it's self.

I've used acetic acid - it was recommended to me by a chef who said it would help to preserve color in the sauce as well. I had a few early experiment sauces turn gray-ish. I've also bought sauces that have done the same. Not spoiled - just discolored. It's not pretty.

My sauce pH all came in fine but I was worried about the color turning. I find I get the same stability using lime juice. I bring my sauce to 190 degrees, so it rarely separates - after several months in ambient temperature it'll start to pool a little though for sure. I'm debating whether to include "refrigerate after opening" on my label, but I'll likely put "shake well" - I assume the more the user agitates the sauce, the less separation will occur?

 

[RocketMan]

I have little to no issues with separation in my sauces and as was mentioned by RedtailForester (Like) earlier in the thread the longer that the ingredients are processed, cooked and run through a blender, the less separation occurs. When I make my sauces I follow a process of:

Boil 15 minutes and simmer for 45 minutes
First run through the blender
Boil 15 to 30 minutes.
Second run through the blender
Heat to 195 Degrees F for 15 minutes
Bottle

I also think there is something to be said for using some ingredients that add some consistency to the sauce such as carrots, sweet potatoes, taro etc… Their use could contribute to the stabilization of the suspension.

RM

 

[-Pablo-]

I have little to no issues with separation in my sauces and as was mentioned by RedtailForester (Like) earlier in the thread the longer that the ingredients are processed, cooked and run through a blender, the less separation occurs. When I make my sauces I follow a process of:

Boil 15 minutes and simmer for 45 minutes
First run through the blender
Boil 15 to 30 minutes.
Second run through the blender
Heat to 195 Degrees F for 15 minutes
Bottle

I also think there is something to be said for using some ingredients that add some consistency to the sauce such as carrots, sweet potatoes, taro etc… Their use could contribute to the stabilization of the suspension.

RM

What sort of consistency do you have to begin your sauces with that you can boil and simmer them for almost 2 hours total without reducing it to a chili paste? Also, doesn't much of the capsaicin escape with the water vapor from the boil? I seem to recall having this problem a while back when I had the pot on the burner for what felt like too long.

 

[Lucky Dog Hot Sauce]

I wondered the same - and boiling is usually considered wildly unpredictable.

I'd recommend 190 degrees for 3-5 mins and that's it. After that you're reducing.

Each to their own, but I don't think boiling is necessary?

 

[RocketMan]

Boiling time total is really not that long and no I dont really notice a reduction in heat. That said though I use about 3 pounds of peppers in a 1 gallon batch so maybe there's some over kill. Most of the cooking time is on simmer. The initial cooking is to cook the ingredients and the second cooking time is to get the thickness I want. If the sauce is already thick then it's not very long. If I need to thicken it I'll reduce to a simmer and let it go as long as needed. Sorry if the above was misleading.

 

[salsalady]

I wondered the same - and boiling is usually considered wildly unpredictable.

I'd recommend 190 degrees for 3-5 mins and that's it. After that you're reducing.

Each to their own, but I don't think boiling is necessary?

I may have missed a step in your description, but some ingredients require more than 3-5 minutes of boiling to cook. And "boiling" is a critical point for safe food processing.

"Reduction" is common, although hard to replicate on a consistent basis on a large scale without some specialized equipment.

jmho

 

[Lucky Dog Hot Sauce]

I may have missed a step in your description, but some ingredients require more than 3-5 minutes of boiling to cook. And "boiling" is a critical point for safe food processing.

"Reduction" is common, although hard to replicate on a consistent basis on a large scale without some specialized equipment.

jmho

I suppose it depends on the ingredients for sure, but I was advised not to boil. It is too difficult to maintain consistent product batch to batch. And boiling changes the flavor dramatically. I tossed out 3-5 mins somewhat casually - I assumed a small batch like I've seen posted here. I keep sauce between 190-195 degrees for about 10 mins, then let sit. Obviously it's still cooking for some time after I remove it from the heat - usually about 45 mins while It cools. But cooling takes hours. I also bottle it hot (~150 at that point) this replicates my manufacturer's process. This is partly for cost too - while you're right that reduction is common, in a 60 gallon commercial vat it's also quite expensive. The longer it cooks, the more money it costs to make. IIRC they charged by the 1/2 hour after the 1st hour in their superheated vat. I spent a month tweaking my recipes to do a 10 min peak cooking time and still achieve the same taste.

All told it's plenty long to pasturize. I apologize if I implied that the sauce is only hot or cooking for 3-5 mins total. It takes some time to get it there (+/- 45 mins) & it'll take a lot longer to cool (hours ). Raw onions turn glassy & translucent - clearly cooked longer than 5 mins.

there's this too:

Unlike sterilization, pasteurization is not intended to kill all micro-organisms in the food. Instead pasteurization aims to reduce the number of viable pathogens so they are unlikely to cause disease (assuming the pasteurized product is stored as indicated and consumed before its expiration date). Commercial-scale sterilization of food is not common because it adversely affects the taste and quality of the product. Certain food products, like dairy products, are superheated to ensure pathogenic microbes are destroyed.[1]

 

[salsalady]

never heard of bottliing at 150F, Too Low) but follow your process authority's specifications. They are the ones who have the final say-so on what ever process it it for what ever sauce it is. Every sauce is different and needs a PA review to make sure it's being processed correctly.

 

[Lucky Dog Hot Sauce]

never heard of bottliing at 150F, Too Low) but follow your process authority's specifications. They are the ones who have the final say-so on what ever process it it for what ever sauce it is. Every sauce is different and needs a PA review to make sure it's being processed correctly.

I'm guesstimating on the 150 - however much it cools between blending & bottling so it's possible it's hotter. It's still steaming when I bottle it.

When the co-packer does it I'm certain it'll be CA compliant - they make some successful products. I have faith.


I'll keep you posted on the process - scheduled to do our 1st test batch on Feb 3rd do I'll learn lots more then.

 

[Lucky Dog Hot Sauce]

xanthan does not alter the taste at all, and does not need to be cooked.

This post has me curious...Do you add xanthan gum to your sauces? If so it as a binding agent as described in this topic or as a thickening agent?

In the past I considered experimenting with these, but had concerns. I've been using carrots for thickness instead - I find I get a little natural sweetness from them too. My fear is that if I used xanthan or guar gum in my sauces I'd need a hammer to get 'em to pour.