What's a good thickener?

[Vygramul]

I like my stews to be thick, so you can eat it with a fork. My current recipie calls for browning the cubes of meat after rolling them in flour, but it doesn't seem to thicken the stew enough. I've tried smaller pieces of potato, but that, too, doesn't seem to do it. Usually, I add more flour after it has cooked for an hour or so, but it then starts to mute the flavours, especially of some of the veggetables.

Any advice?

[Blastiiid]

I found this site, which might help. (http://www.foodsubs.com/Thicken.html)

[Vygramul]

Ooooooooooh... thanks, Blastiid! You're good in my book, no matter what the rest of them say!

[SauerKraut]

Corn starch, fool!

mix it with cold water and slowly stir it in.

[Chalybos]

Blastiid, that's a very convenient site. Thanks.

[Angry Kid]

Corn starch is good but loses its 'thickening power' over time.

Flour is good, too, but has to be cooked first. It can also congeal if too much is used and doesn't re-heat well, regardless.

You need - - - arrowroot. :nod:

[LilPuppy]

You need - - - arrowroot. :nod:

very nice & my favourite

Vyg. depending on your quanity of stew for the amount of roux. a roux is what I use.

Take a fat , I prefer butter , melt it and stir in flour (cake flour is better than bread flour) equal parts fat & flour. Stir it over a low heat for 3-4 mins. It should be stiff. Take a little liquid from the stew and pour it over the roux and mix until all lumps are gone then bring your stew to a boil and add the mixture. Reduce the heat to a simmer after a min. or two. You as AK said have to cook out the flour taste.

If your interested this textbook is the same one they use in professional cooking schools. If you read this from cover to cover and understand it (trust me they explain and dummy it down well) you will know more about cooking than 90% of the cooks I've worked with..

Wayne Gisslen Professional Cooking

http://www.directtextbook.com/editions/professional-cooking-wayne-gisslen

[ignus]

dang, not one reference to male jelly yet :roll:

[SauerKraut]

First, that's damn disgusting, Ignus.


Second...ARROWROOT! OMG H4X I forgot about that. You're right, that is the schlitt!

[Angry Kid]

And not the cheap-knockoff-it's-really-tapioca crapola either. Get the real deal.

[ChickiDoodle]

what the crap is arrowroot???
:?