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Xanthan Gum

Could someone please clear things up for me on Xanthan Gum. What exactly does it do ? And any ideas of how much you use? And to keep it simple for me , lets say you're making a quart or two of hot sauce.

Thanks & Peace,
P. Dreadie
 
I think it is a thickener...never used it...

I use arrowroot instead...
 
Xantham gum is used as a thickener to add viscosity to products. It's easy to apply if you have a blender, as it will clunk up immediately and very hard to "declunk".


Usage should not exceed .10%
 
Yes, it is a thickener and an emulsifier, which means if you have a sauce that is thin and the pepper particles settle to the bottom it will keep them suspended in the liquid fairly evenly.

You do not need very much and it would depend on how your sauce is without it. It would be best to try without it and if you need it, experiment with it. You should be able to find it at a health food store or maybe the organic section of the grocery store (that would be more expensive).
 
As AJ and Bradh728 have already said it is a thickener used in food products.

  • It works as a binder to keep the product uniform.
  • It is gluten-free which makes sauces available to a wider audience
  • AFAIK it helps stop separation in your product
  • It will 'unbind' when shaken making the sauce pour easily

I use it in some of my sauces and am still learning how much to add. So far I've stuffed one batch of sauce by mixing it wrong. Trial and error seems to be the best way to work out how much to add. Start with a small amount in a container with a small portion of water to see how it binds (Ol' Man Stillmanz gave me that hint).

rshortt said:
Yes, it is a thickener and an emulsifier, which means if you have a sauce that is thin and the pepper particles settle to the bottom it will keep them suspended in the liquid fairly evenly.

Definitely another good thing it does.
 
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