With most sauces and nearly all types of gravy you will need to use a thickening agent at some stage. This may be one of any number of things.
But it 's important to note that they are all different.
Arrowroot, for example, has an interesting property. It tends to clarify any liquid into which it is introduced.
This is great for fruit sauces but may not be quite so effective with a meat - based gravy. It gives it an artificial appearance in my view, although you may quite like it and if you do, use it.
They should be added to a cold liquid before being added to any cold liquid. They should be added a little at a time and allowed to cook for a while after each batch.
Kept on the heat, liquids thickened by starch tended to thin out again after a time.
Using flour
Do not worry that flour will make your gravy lumpy! Providing there is a fat present, flour will have them, and even if it does not it still will be whisk into the gravy or sauce.
The best way to use it is either as a roux, or as a beurre manié. These are basically the same thing but used in a slightly different way.
Both are a mixture of half flour and half butter (or other fat if you prefer) and both produce the same result - they thicken liquids.
To make a roux
Put an ounce of butter in a small saucepan and bring it cooking heat, then add an ounce of plain flour and cook it while stirring. The length of cooking time will depend on the color you wish to achieve.
The flour will darken with prolonged cooking, giving you a browner sauce as a result.
Once your mix is the color you wanted to be, take the pan off the heat and add half a pint of stock while whisking vigorously.
Just slosh it all in and whisk away. Then return the pan to the heat and bring it to the boil.
Just leave it on a low heat, but cover it to prevent a skin forming.
Even if one does form, you can not usually be whisk it back in and if not, strain it before serving.
Beurre Manié
Named for the chef who invented it, no one really knows how or why this works, but it to to thicken a large quantity of liquid, or one that has has food cooking in it.
You then drop little nuggets of this mixture into the liquid to be thick and bring it to the boil while stirring.
As the flour cooks, so it will be blend into the liquid and thicken it.
Sweet sauces
Much depends on the base of your sauce in the first place and cold. Fruit juices, for example, can be reduced while adding liquid glucose. This will produce a shiny sauce that is very stable when cold.
By stable, I mean that it will not separate and it will not move around the plate much, which is advantageous if you are trying to produce a particular effect.
Hot sauces are usually thickened with cornstarch or arrowroot. The latter will be clear while cornstarch produces a generally cloudy effect. Overdoing it can produce a sauce which is practically inedible.
The golden rule is to add a little at a time, and if the mixture becomes too thick some some liquid.
Egg yolks, gelatin and even cream can be used as thickening agents. Eggs, for example, are used as the base for all types of custard, including things like lemon meringue pie.
A sauce which is very runny when hot, may soonless become thick and clingy as it cools down.
Toffee sauce is a good example of this cream is done just as it starts to go brown. Left to cool it will look like, like like, and taste a lot better than bottled caramel topping.
Vanilla sauce is somewhat similar. I make mine from three egg yolks whisked with 2 ounces of sugar, via which I pour 250 milliliters of hot cream. This is then cooked to the required consistency, without boiling, and a few drops of vanilla essence added .
For special events I use a vanilla pod instead of the essence. A classic example of egg yolks being used as a thickening agent.
Be inventive
As time goes by and you become more experienced, you will find yourself developing your own techniques.
Try to think outside the box. For example, why not thicken a sauce for lamb with red currant jelly? Or even a mixture of mint sauce and gelatin (yes, that really does work).
Remember, whatever you are trying to have a good experience. Do not make yourself a must have as far as your guests are concerned. Do not make yourself feel a failure by apologizing for it.
If it looks good, tastes good and complements the food it served with you have done your job brilliantly. Who cares if it & # 39; sa bit thin, or you can cut it with a knife? and both ways.
The secret is not to let on. Cook it with flair - serve it with panache.
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