How to Use Thickeners
There are numerous ingredients that can be used as thickeners in cooking. Wheat flour and cornstarch are among the most common. When used as thickeners, these two ingredients act in much the same manner and can be substituted for one another in most recipes as long as you take into account that cornstarch has twice the thickening capabilities of flour, so you will need to adjust the amount accordingly. Arrowroot powder, potato starch or rice starch may be substituted in equal amounts to cornstarch. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Thickening Sauces & Gravies--Traditional Method
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1
Melt butter in a saucepan. Depending on how thick and rich you want the sauce to be, use anywhere from 1 to 4 tbsp. for each cup of liquid you will be using. Meat drippings may be substituted for the butter.
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2
Add flour in equal proportion to the butter. Stir until smooth. Seasonings may also be added at this point.
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3
Add the liquid a little at a time, stirring constantly. To bring out the full thickening potential of the flour, simmer the sauce for a moment after each addition. Once the desired consistency has been reached, your sauce is ready to serve.
Thickening Soups, Sauces & Gravies--Low-Fat Method
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4
Pour whatever liquid you are using into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. If you are following a recipe, prepare the other ingredients and add them as directed. The thickening agent will be added at the end.
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5
Measure cornstarch into a small bowl. How much you use will depend on the quantity of liquid you are working with and how thick you want it. One tablespoon of cornstarch for each cup of liquid is good for a fairly thick sauce. For soup, you will likely want to use less.
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6
Add to the cornstarch twice the amount of cool water (for instance, 2 tbsp. of water to 1 tbsp. of cornstarch). Any liquid appropriate for the dish you are thickening can be substituted for water. For instance, milk or broth could be used if you are thickening gravy. Just be certain not to use a warm liquid or the cornstarch will become lumpy.
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7
Blend the cornstarch and water until they are completely smooth.
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8
Pour the cornstarch into your boiling pot, stirring constantly. Your liquid will begin to thicken almost instantly, but continue to simmer and stir for a minute or two, allowing the cornstarch to fully cook. If you have substituted flour for the cornstarch, it will take several extra minutes. If you are unsure of the amount of thickener you want to use, add it a little at time until the desired consistency has been reached.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The low-fat method of thickening can also be used if you have made sauce the traditional method and it has not turned out quite as thick as you wanted.
Turn the burner down once you add the thickener to a dish. If a thick sauce is allowed to boil it can "spit" and scald you.
Once a sauce has been thickened, it burns to the bottom of the pan easily, so do not leave it on the stove unattended.
References
- Photo Credit beef steak image by green308 from Fotolia.com
