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consistency How to thicken the sauce?

I´ve made a tropical sauce that i have strained so there are no bits in it. This made the sauce a bit to runny. I´ve tried to use flour from corn and i didnt like consistency when it was cold. It became a bit like pudding at the top :rolleyes:

Is there anything natural that will thicken it? Potato flour?!

Im looking for a smooth sauce that is thick enough so it can be used in a normal bottle. I just want i slight thickening!

Im using juice from Peach as base, fresh tamarind, fresh pinapple, carrot purré, fresh onion. And i dont want the nasty fruit meat in it that does help the consistency to get firmer.
 
uUu said:
That sounds good!

I had a go with arrow root yesterday and it totally failed. When arrow root boils for some time it goes from thick to thin. I didn´t realise it until it was to late :shocked: I ended up with a runny bitter-chemical taste that reminds of hairspray!

3 liters of sauce made out of handpicked lingonberries and rocotos was wasted! :(

The first time i used arrow root result was ok, but then on the other hand, i did take it of the stove shortly after it got thick.

Don´t know if i dare to use it again. I cant afford to lose another batch of my handpicked treasures!

Oh man sorry to hear that. I should have mentioned that part specifically cause it is kinda weird, most things get thicker with prolonged cooking, but I think one of those links I gave said that. Lingonberries sound good though, only tasted ligonberry jam once i think I got it at ikea and it was delicious.
 
Skydiver said:
oh wow, lingonberries. I never thought of adding them. There's a town in my state that has a big Swedish heritage.
http://www.visitanf.com/mt__jewett.html

Alas, though, I've tried korv. Bleargghhchhhgh. Must be an acquired taste.

Also directed to: Txclosetgrower


hehe, there are many types of "korv". problaby you have eaten some of cheap brands ;)

yeah, lingonberries rock. really sour, but then you make jam out of them, you add alot of sugar end the finished product is great. it´s very common to use it to meatballs and potatoes.

the plant survives atleast -40 degrees celcius and never drop their leafs. the berries get sweeter the colder the climate.

lingonberries are rich of (bensoeacid), wich means that you dont have to add anything else in order to preserver the sauce!

i wanted to make something with chili that truly stands for sweden and the north, so i came up with a sauce called "wolfblood". The debate about the Wolf is a very hot topic in sweden and there are divided opinions (if it should be killed or saved!) off course i love wolves!

the labels are ready to be labeled and the recipe is ready for the cooking. i only have to get the right consitency!

i use a base made out of lingonberries, blackcurrants and red grapejuice. the color looks like blood and i want the consitency a bit thicker than real blood.

i will start a thread with the making of "wolfblood", but here´s a sneakpeak at the label. dont know if i´ve misspelled something, so dont be afraid to criticize!

wolfbloodlabelaj0.jpg
 
Skydiver said:
One thing I noticed with putting an apple in my last good batch of sauce was that it seemed to brighten up the habanero taste.
I too noticed this in my most recent sauce. I had some on a burger today and it was just non-stop smile from the sauce.

I wonder if Wondra flour would be a good thickener for sauce? I used to use it to thicken stew and it also adds a nice sheen to the liquid too.
 
fineexampl said:
I too noticed this in my most recent sauce. I had some on a burger today and it was just non-stop smile from the sauce.

I wonder if Wondra flour would be a good thickener for sauce? I used to use it to thicken stew and it also adds a nice sheen to the liquid too.

what is "wondra flour" made of? never heard of it! natural?
 
chilliman64 said:
outstanding label uUu, one of the best I've seen even when compared to the commercial labels!

thanks alot! very nice of you to say that!

so "wolfblood" is an ok word? it shouldnt be "wolfs blood" or something? :)
 
uUu said:
thanks alot! very nice of you to say that!

so "wolfblood" is an ok word? it shouldnt be "wolfs blood" or something? :)

I like the way it sounds better as one word than as two words. Wolfblood sounds like it will kick your ass.
 
uUu said:
thanks alot! very nice of you to say that!

so "wolfblood" is an ok word? it shouldnt be "wolfs blood" or something? :)

the name is great! I recommend you don't change it. there are some other 'blood' sauces available - satan's blood, dragon's blood etc so wolfblood is unique in that it's a different take on the 'blood' sauces. wolfblood has a sort of medievil, dracula's castle type feel to it and the blood red label sets it off perfectly. maybe you could stick a fake wolf's tooth to the lid - j/k
 
Txclosetgrower said:
I like the way it sounds better as one word than as two words. Wolfblood sounds like it will kick your ass.

Ok, nice!

It´s hot, but not like an atomic bomb. the sauce will be perfect for example - glaze for pork, any kind of game; stuff that wolves eat! :)
 
chilliman64 said:
the name is great! I recommend you don't change it. there are some other 'blood' sauces available - satan's blood, dragon's blood etc so wolfblood is unique in that it's a different take on the 'blood' sauces. wolfblood has a sort of medievil, dracula's castle type feel to it and the blood red label sets it off perfectly. maybe you could stick a fake wolf's tooth to the lid - j/k

Yeah, i know about them and that made it feel kind of lame to name it something with blood. but wolf is somehow a little bit different approach and combined with that it stands for the north along with the unique lingonberries made it ok :)

Like you describes it, that is exactly how i want the sauce and label to be interpreted!
 
Thick as a Brick!

Hey U:), I have a couple of suggestions no one has mentioned. I discovered them myself and they're both excellent in soups, casseroles, or whatever needs thickening for that matter!

As far as fruity goes - not so sure, but if you use just enough (i.e. not too much) I think you'll be fine.

The real benifit is the low volume needed to high thickening effect ratio.

The first is Tahini (ground sesame seed paste) this is a powerful thickener but will add a smokey/roast flavour if you add too much. Start with 1/3 of teaspoon per 200ml bottle as a guestimate!

The second is Peanut Paste or Peanut Butter as it's also known. Use smooth not crunchy type and start with 1/2 teaspoonfull per 200ml. You will be able to add more of this one as the flavour is not at all sharp when mixed with chilli. I find it always works well with just about anything that involves chilli, garlic, onion, ginger etc. And it works well in the oven too like you want. Used it last night to coat a frozen-oven-bake-chicken-keiv-type-thingy with a mix of 1teaspoon garlic, 1tsp chilli, 1tsp ginger & 1/4tsp cumin and 3/4tsp peanut paste; smeared it on with about 15 min to go before finished cooking at 200degC and it only JUST started to get a shade darker when done... tasted great!

I usually add it to my noodles & soups & it works a treat!

Let me know how it goes. If it's a success, send me a bottle of the blood! :lol:

Hope this :) helps!
 
Those are great ideas rockman, thanks! Tahini you say....sounds really good I love using sesame oil in sauces/cooking, but tahini sounds like it would do the same thing (burnt/smokey flavor) as well thicken the sauce. Nice man, welcome aboard!
 
If you decide to use XCD (xanthanian gum; also known as xanthan gum), which is natural, (it is a bio-polymer made from bacteria) start with 1/4 gram per pint, besides the food industry it is used often in the oil industry as a viscosifier for water based drilling fluids, a typical treatment is 1/4 - 1/2 lb/bbl which is the equilivant to 1/4 - 1/2 gram/pint (pint jars are used for pilot testing). the trick is to mix very slowly with vig. stirring. I would put your sauce in a blender mixing as fast as can with out splashing all over the counter. and pour the XCD in very slowly (1-2min for the 1/4 gram) and it should thicken nicely with out clumps. if you mix too fast, it will clump; the clumps are difficult to break up. keep adding in 1/4 gram increments until desired thickness is achieved. note that it takes a few min for the thickening process to begin so let it stir for at least 15min before adding more, also note that XCD is sheer thinning; meaning it will be thinner when agitated and will thicken slightly when left to sit, good luck.
Jeremy
 
Thickener Thanks

Txclosetgrower said:
Those are great ideas rockman, thanks! Tahini you say....sounds really good I love using sesame oil in sauces/cooking, but tahini sounds like it would do the same thing (burnt/smokey flavor) as well thicken the sauce. Nice man, welcome aboard!
I too really Dig the range of flavour that Sesame adds Txclosetgrower.

By using it as a thickener it keeps the end product more natural (whole food)
while enhancing flavor and texture at the same time!


Thanks for the welcome note & your kind words too Txclosetgrower!

Looking forward to hearing from anyone who has experimented with either of those suggestions so...
Off to the Laboratory you Mad Chilli Scientists!!! :hell:
 
Good suggestions Rockman! Sesame sounds great, but its one of the few things im allergic to :/ I do eat it anyway with a swollen throat :D

The sauce is ready and im publishing a movie from wolfblood right now ;)
 
jtrux said:
If you decide to use XCD (xanthanian gum; also known as xanthan gum), which is natural, (it is a bio-polymer made from bacteria) start with 1/4 gram per pint, besides the food industry it is used often in the oil industry as a viscosifier for water based drilling fluids, a typical treatment is 1/4 - 1/2 lb/bbl which is the equilivant to 1/4 - 1/2 gram/pint (pint jars are used for pilot testing). the trick is to mix very slowly with vig. stirring. I would put your sauce in a blender mixing as fast as can with out splashing all over the counter. and pour the XCD in very slowly (1-2min for the 1/4 gram) and it should thicken nicely with out clumps. if you mix too fast, it will clump; the clumps are difficult to break up. keep adding in 1/4 gram increments until desired thickness is achieved. note that it takes a few min for the thickening process to begin so let it stir for at least 15min before adding more, also note that XCD is sheer thinning; meaning it will be thinner when agitated and will thicken slightly when left to sit, good luck.
Jeremy


XCD sounds complicated! :D I think ill stick to my cornstarch :)
 
I use xanthan gum.
use 1 to 2 tsp to 3 to 4 litres of product depending on original thickness.
whisk the gum in a half cup of water until it forms a thick foam like egg whites.
fold it into your sauce as you are heating it.
We use xanthan gum in our sauces because it keeps our product gluten free.
I would keep away from nut based thickeners. 1 because they will alter flavour and 2 so many people are allergic to them if your looking at going commercial you don't want to decrease your potential buyer market.
 
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