Xanthan Gum as a thickening agent

[Kayelle]

Steve, besides online, where should I look locally for Konjac flour? It sounds promising as I'm getting tired of thin sauces instead of a nice gravy.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Steve, besides online, where should I look locally for Konjac flour? It sounds promising as I'm getting tired of thin sauces instead of a nice gravy.

Hi Kayelle,

The only place I've found it is online. The least expensive source is nuts.com, but even there it's still $8.99 for a half pound bag. That's the bad news. The good news is that a half pound bag lasts forever. It takes such a small amount to thicken things, that I've barely put a dent in that bag.

For gravies, another good thickener I've found is cream cheese. Yes, I'll admit it does sound kind of weird, but a couple tablespoons of CC whisked into a cup of gravy gives it the right amount of viscosity without adding any noticeable flavor. I used this trick for a couple of holiday dinners and no one was the wiser.

 

[Kayelle]

I found it for $4.00 for 1 oz. to try.. I'll pop for 8 oz. at nuts.com. Thank you for the help.
Tell me, can you use it like you would flour in say a mushroom or sausage gravy like you would flour?

 

[Steve Kroll]

I found it for $4.00 for 1 oz. to try.. I'll pop for 8 oz. at nuts.com. Thank you for the help.
Tell me, can you use it like you would flour in say a mushroom or sausage gravy like you would flour?

It works more like cornstarch but is a lot more powerful. What I generally do is first make a thickener base. To do this, whisk a teaspoon or two into about a cup of liquid off the stove (cold is better, but hot works ok, too), and let it set for 5 minutes until it thickens. Then you whisk this mixture as needed into whatever you're cooking. You'll get much more control this way, and a smoother end result.

A couple of tips I've found through trial and error:

• Mix it quickly and mix it well. It isn't as forgiving as cornstarch, so you won't get a second opportunity if it's lumpy. I usually just use an immersion blender because it's easy.
• A little goes a long way. To thicken a cup of liquid, start with a teaspoon of konjac. For something like cream soups, I've used maybe a tablespoon for 4 quarts. This is why I prefer to make a base first. I can make the base as thick as I want, and then just add it a little at a time to my soup or sauce to get the desired viscosity.
• You can use flavored liquids, such as stock, or even white wine, to make your thickener base.
• Once you start making the thickener, don't get distracted. I learned this lesson the hard way. I walked away for a minute to stir something on the stove and when I turned back around it had already started to gel up.

I haven't tried it specifically for sausage gravy (what a great idea) but I'm sure it would work. I thickened my oyster stew with it this year.

 

[Kayelle]

You're detailed ideas are so appreciated Steve. Thank you.