Simple question: how do I thicken a sauce? page

[Hilary]

I always used to thicken gravy or white sauce with wholewheat flour. What can I use instead?

[lizch]

Arrowroot works pretty well, as long as you don't keep boiling the sauce for too long--eventually, excessive heating will cause the sauce to thin out again.

Or you could just not thicken the sauce, use a spoon to eat most of it, and then resort to my new found gleeful activity: licking the plate.

[Lodini]

What kind of sauce? I'm just curious cause I haven't made any sauces in a really long time...

[Lightlystarched]

I make lots of sauces. Last week we had osso buco, tonight's dinner is beef bourguignon, so I get you about thickening the cooking liquid into a velvety sauce.

I use flour. (ducks and covers head). I only use about a tablespoon for the whole recipe and that usually means 4-6 servings so I don't feel guitly about it. I have stoppped serving these dishes with pasta/rice/bread so I allow the small amount of flour. I figure if I'm only using flour in seasoning-size amounts I'll be okay.

I know there are some other thickeners available out there that someone else may suggest for you and I'll watch this thread for ideas.

[Lightlystarched]

I wonder if a tablespoon of mashed potato flakes would be a better substitute? Egg yolk is also a possibilty. Okay, I'll have to experiment a little.

[naiadknight]

For most of my sauces, I just cook them down or add a touch (as in a Tbsp for half a stockpot) of cornstarch, masa, or coconut flour. I usually try to stick with the coconut flour unless I absolutely can't avoid it.

[Lodini]

I guess depending on the sauce, you could add a pureed vegetable in there to thicken it up.

[PrincessGrok]

I guess depending on the sauce, you could add a pureed vegetable in there to thicken it up.

+1.
If you can, throw some carrots, or parsnips and even a sweet tater with your cooking liquid. Then puree with some of the liquid and you have a great thickened sauce.....

[blank_faceplate]

I mostly just make reduction sauces, but arrowroot or cornstarch work pretty well. Neither will give you quite the same texture (and arrowroot doesn't harden up when chilled) but there ya go.

[Longtail4711]

I normally put in pureed squash or pumpkin, or I just add less liquid and let it cook down.