# Using Xanthan Gum?



## AnxiousCowboy (Jan 14, 2012)

Anyone have any experience using xanthan gum to thicken sauces and purees? I'm looking for a proper ratio and method. Any help would be great!


----------



## bieniek (Jan 14, 2012)

Where did you got yours? Sosa? You should get some info on the package. 

The result is astonishing, you could never do such a puree out of cherries with that amount of shine and consistence, but any given fruit can be used, just be carefull, im always using it when mixing puree in hotmix, and waiting around minute after adding it. It like to thicken things after little while, so dont add too much 

Remember also every produce will have different starting consistence, some may need more rubber then other.

Do you need it and like to use magic powders, thats just another question


----------



## bieniek (Jan 14, 2012)

- sauce consistency obtained starting from 6g per litre

- stabilizes solids within liquids starting from 9g per
litre

- very viscous texture starting from 15g per litre


----------



## eshua (Jan 14, 2012)

Its friction activated, not heat....so just add little at a time and immersion blend the hell out of it as you go. 

Terrible advice but how I learned how much to use. 

Definitely has a strange texture that I don't really care for...but butter covers all that up lol.


----------



## BraisedorStewed (Jan 14, 2012)

It also has to be hydrated, so sprinkle it on top and wait a minute like bienek mentioned, then immersion blend it, if you start off with the blender you can seriously aerate your product, also some products tend to thicken over a very long period, say a few days to a week. I have noticed this effect mainly with highly acidic product like balsamic glaze.

Drew


----------



## K-Fed (Jan 14, 2012)

I don't have any experiences with xanthan gum powder, but one of the chefs that I work for loves to use Minor's Culinary cream in his cream and butter sauces because of it's xanthan and guar gum content.


----------



## Chef Niloc (Jan 14, 2012)

As a guideline I work off of this, all are by weight:

Xanthan:
.25% thin sauce
.7-1.7% thick sauce
.5%-.8% foam
.2% to stabilize ice cream or whip cream
If a recipe calls for corn starch and i want to sub Xanthan I will cut the recipe 8x
If it calls for roux I'll cut the recipeb16x


----------



## Chef Niloc (Jan 14, 2012)

O
If the recipe calls for sugar mix it with it, that helps mixing. Salt works to but not as well.


----------



## ThEoRy (Jan 14, 2012)

We've had success with a 1.5% ratio. It sort of has the body of say our demi glace like this. We had a workshop with Alexander Talbot from Ideas in Food where we picked up a few tips. http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ He's got a helpful book as well. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307717402/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


----------



## ecchef (Jan 14, 2012)

ThEoRy said:


> We've had success with a 1.5% ratio. It sort of has the body of say our demi glace like this. We had a workshop with Alexander Talbot from Ideas in Food where we picked up a few tips. http://blog.ideasinfood.com/ He's got a helpful book as well. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307717402/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20



I did an early workshop with Aki & Alex when they were still in Queens. Kinda blew my mind. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the practical application of food technology.


----------



## AnxiousCowboy (Jan 14, 2012)

Chef Niloc said:


> As a guideline I work off of this, all are by weight:
> 
> Xanthan:
> .25% thin sauce
> ...



Nice chart, thanks. Is this starting with a liquid that is at water consistency?


----------

