xantham gum

[jimenitayo]

has anyone used it?
i just got some, and im not quite sure how/when to use it
any ideas or tips?

[Binsk]

Xanthum gum is great, it can thicken soups, gravies and sauces. You have to add xanthum gum to the hot liquid NOT COLD, and you lightly dust the surface of the liquid while stirring all the time. I use a small sive (sp) and just tap it to allow just a light dusting as I'm stirring. If you follow this method, you won't get lumps. As to how much to use, start with 1/4 tsp. and wait a minute and see if it's thick enough, if not keep adding 1/4 tsp. until desired thickness(a little goes a long way). It's kind of fiddly until you get used to working with it.

When you've cooked meat in the frying pan, deglaze the pan with water or broth and thicken with xanthum gum. If you add mushrooms it makes a yummy mushroom gravy.

Hope this helps.

[jimenitayo]

that's great! thanks!

that gravy sounds yummy... does anyone else have ideas?

[seeking_susan]

Where do you get this?

[Elizellen]

You have to add xanthum gum to the hot liquid NOT COLD, and you lightly dust the surface of the liquid while stirring all the time.

Wow no wonder I always got lumps :yikes
Thank you for posting that, Binsk :hug

[Binsk]

I get my xanthan gum at the grocery store, (the health food section). You could probably find it in a health food store or a baking goods store. It is almost pure fiber, so it has very little carb impact. Read the ingredients list on some of the foods you have in the house, and you will see it listed. It's in my hot sauce, my ketchup. my teryaki sauce.

Last night I made spicey asian beef roll ups. I thickened the sauce for the beef with xanthan gum, and rolled in chinese lettuce. The sauce was nice and thick so it stuck to the beef and didn't make a mess with the roll ups.

Good luck.

[spirittalker]

You guys do not want to know what xantham gum really is.

[jimenitayo]

that's OK, I'm not squeamish at all...

I'm not tyhe kind of person who gets grossed out because gelatin is made with bones and hooves...

I figure, if it's good, I don't care :yes

the brand for mine is "bob's red mill, and it was a small bag for $11. i think it goes a lomg way, so that's ok. im looking forward to getting the hang of it to make gravies and soups.

thanks y'all!!

[soliwit]

Nothing really scary about xanthan gum actually
It's a stuff that grows with some kind of bacteria to make the bacteria sticky from origin so now they grow it by fermentation.
In that way gelatin is weirder I think.

[Binsk]

It's interesting that the Jello commercials don't say that their product is made from bones and hooves(I'm sure sales would drop drastically). Or I wonder how many vegetarians eat Jello not knowing it is an animal product.

There's always room for the by-product of hooves and bones LOL.