POLL: In the thick of it

[lorilei]

I don't know why I thought of this, but now that I started thinking about it I can't stop.

I know there's 50 ways to thicken a sauce (flour, cornstarch, arrowroot...)

I've always been a cornstarch girl. What kind of thickener do you prefer? Why?

(I'm thinking I might be missing out on some good options here)

[bijoux22]

I use flour to thicken a sauce if I can't reduce it by longer cooking, only because that is the way I have always done it. My husband and his family always use cornstarch. I think it is the tomato tomato thing.(I guess that doesn't work without saying it out loud). I am open to new suggestions.

[lindrusso]

I guess I grab whatever I think will fit the sauce best. I'd use cornstarch for a sauce that I didn't want to "cloud" too much and flour for cheesey sauces. I don't really have any rhyme or reason here, I just go by my mood - and maybe by whether I feel like climbing on a stool to reach the cornstarch or going over to the freezer. Very scientific and well-thought out as you can see.... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif.

[jd]

I'm a corn starch thickener as well. I learned it from my mom and haven't tried anything else. Perhaps I'll pick up a good tip here!

[Vanessa]

I use cornstarch. For soups I will throw in a few potatoes. To thicken beans (for rice & beans) I use pumpkin.....

[This message has been edited by Vanessa (edited 09-28-2000).]

[Gail]

It depends on what I'm cooking. Arrowroot gets used on "sweetish" things. Flour gets used in roux, cornstarch most anywhere else. In some cases, if I've got the time, I just boil things down and don't use anything...

[venus]

Oh, so many things. I use flour in most cream sauces. I rarely use cornstarch. I use arrowroot in sweet sauces and desserts and as an egg replacer. For anything tomato based I use tomato paste. Vanessa, I've also added potatoes to soups to thicken them. I even pureed some soup (chowder) and added it back to the pot once--the color wasn't so good but the taste--mmm mmm.

[LauraEllen]

I'm right there with lindrusso and Gail - it depends on the sauce, it depends on my mood. I use them all, but probably arrowroot least of all. Cooking it down to a reduction usually produces the best flavors, but sometimes there just isn't time.

[Vanessa]

Hi Shirley
Yes Puertorican beans have pumpkin. We also use pumpkinin chick peas, in stews (legume stews)in flans and desserts. Since the kind of pumpkin we use at home is not found often I use butternut squash.
Enclose a recipe of beans
WE serve beans with white rice (beans go on top)
Let me give you a quick version of beans. Either you can soak overnight a pound of dried small red beans (washed and picked over) or place beans in a large pot with some garlic cloves and a bit of olive oil and piece of ham (oil /ham prevents beans getting too dark)& water (@ 6 cups) Cook for 1/2 hr then add the 3/4 pound peeled diced (not too small ) pumpkin and cook until beans are almost tender.
Meantime chopped 1 onion, 1 green bell pepper (chopped) 2 cloves garlic, a bit of culantro (use cilantro as culantro is not available in USA @ 1/8 cup 1/4 tsp dried oregano
When your beans are almost ready in a skillet saute 2 ounces lean cured ham diced then add your onion, pepper, minced garlic, cilantro and oregano. Saute stirring occasionally. Put aside.
When your beans are ready you will notice they have thicken add the ing you sauteed plus 1/4 cup tomato sauce and @ 2 tsps salt.
You will then return the beans to cook until beans have thicken to taste. I like beans thick but if someone does not you can use 8 cups of water rather than 6. You need to adjust to your own taste.
This can be cooled and frozen .
Now since life is hectic let me give you a rush version of beans.
Get a can of Goya beans (red), place in a saucepan (do not drain), saute onion, bell pepper, ham, garlic, cilantro, oregano. Add this to the beans along with salt and pepper and diced pumpkin or butternut squashed (peeled). Add more water (about a can of water) then thicken. You can add tomato sauce
I cannot (allergy) so I have to use saffron for coloring. There are some cubes (knorr) called for pumpkin & beans and I add it to the beans (1 cube) but if you don't have it just add tomato sauce, adjust seasoning and voila done!

[This message has been edited by Vanessa (edited 09-29-2000).]

[Ohioan]

I generally use arrowroot to thicken Chinese dishes, cornmeal to thicken chili, and mashed beans to thicken bean soups. For a stew that has potatoes in it, I sometimes mash a bit of the potato, but it depends on the flavoring of the stew (again, Mexican gets cornmeal, etc.). Most other things I just cook down until they're thick enough.

Phoebe

[Jeanne G]

What in the HECK is arrowroot? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I feel like I'm a bit behind....

And what do you all think is best to thicken a homemade marinara/spaghetti sauce? I made one and it turned out good except it could use a little thickening. I did use tomato paste so I'm thinking I should add cornstarch? Help if you can!

Thanks, Jeanne

[This message has been edited by Jeanne G (edited 09-29-2000).]

[Gail]

Originally posted by Jeanne G:
What in the HECK is arrowroot? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ...
And what do you all think is best to thicken a homemade marinara/spaghetti sauce?
Thanks, Jeanne

[This message has been edited by Jeanne G (edited 09-29-2000).]

Have you met www.epicurious.com (http://www.epicurious.com) ? They have a great dictionary for questions like this:

arrowroot
The starchy product of a tropical tuber of the same name. The rootstalks are dried and ground into a very fine powder. Arrowroot is used as a thickening agent for puddings, sauces and other cooked foods, and is more easily digested than wheat flour. Its thickening power is about twice that of wheat flour. Arrowroot is absolutely tasteless and becomes clear when cooked. Unlike cornstarch, it doesn't impart a chalky taste when undercooked. It should be mixed with a cold liquid before being heated or added to hot mixtures. Some English and early American cookie recipes call for arrowroot flour , which is the same product. Arrowroot can be found in supermarkets, health-food stores and Asian markets.

As to thickening your tomato sauce, gee, can't say I've ever had that problem. Between sautéed veggies, tomatoes and tomato paste, usually it thickens just fine. Maybe you didn't use enough tomato paste or tomatoes... but I sure wouldn't go with cornstarch, flour or arrowroot in something like that.

Good luck!




[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 09-29-2000).]

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by Jeanne G:
And what do you all think is best to thicken a homemade marinara/spaghetti sauce? I made one and it turned out good except it could use a little thickening. I did use tomato paste so I'm thinking I should add cornstarch? Help if you can!

Thanks, Jeanne

Jeanne,

I made a CL tomato sauce (the sauce from the Fresh Tomato Lasagna from October 1999) and while it had way too many onions for me, it came out nice and thick. I seeded the tomatoes as suggested and I think this helped a bit (the old "to seed" or "not to seed" debate). A different recipe that I made recently did not call for seeding and it was much thinner. The CL recipe also called for 2 small cans of tomato paste with no diluting - this is much more than I'm used to putting in sauce, but it worked wonderfully - the sauce came out nice and thick and rich-looking. Another thing that can help is using a mix of diced and crushed tomoatoes. Keep experimenting!

[Shirley Panek]

Vanessa -

Did you say you use pumpkin to thicken beans? How did you think of that, and what kind of flavor does it add? I come from a very conservative family (where you don't cook sweet with savory (i.e. chicken and plums) so I've always kind of been reserved about cooking fruit. (Although, since I've moved out and gotten married I've been experimenting and getting over my "fear" of the unknown. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

As to the original question, I use whatever the recipe calls for. I've always had trouble making gravy (except at Thanksgiving for some reason).

Shirley

[kendra]

Lorilei,
You are the poser of many questions on this board - what an inquisitive mind you have! Keep 'em coming as these threads usually turn out to be interesting. KC

[Mandy]

I'm a flour and corn starch gal here! What ever I feel would work best. Nothing fancy.

Look I'm a member!!!! Yeah!

[This message has been edited by Mandy (edited 09-29-2000).]

[Gwenniver]

I usually find I don't need a thickener--maybe it's the type of sauces I'm using?

I make a sauce with 1% milk, reduced fat sour cream, and a dash of either parmesan pepper salad dressing (low fat if I can find it, for chicken) or horseradish and dijon mustard (for pork chops). It usually thickens all by itself if boiled over high heat for a very short time (and gets a great tannish color from browning the meat).

The other night I made pork chops with Thai Ginger marinade (Lawry's, not mine, although I have counterfeited it reasonably succesfully) and did the same--boiled the marinade over high heat for 1 minute (that also makes it safe to eat after being on the meat) and it thickened into a sauce.

If I'm having trouble, I reach for some flour (since I don't have any arrowroot or cornstarch more than out of any preference).

Sorry for the long-windedness. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Jeanne G]

Gail,
Thanks for the epicurious description. I visit epicurious often, but didn't realize they had this feature.
Lindrusso,
Thanks for your help. I made the sauce with my own canned tomatoes - whole. So seeds included! And it was just a very basic sauce, not a "veggie" marinara, although it did have onions & peppers. I think maybe the only thing to do is keep adding tomato paste and possible cook it down a bit.
Thanks again, just thought there might be a quick and easy solution.