The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Recipes => Topic started by: suziequeue on April 04, 2014, 10:10:31 pm

Title: Thickening sauce without flour
Post by: suziequeue on April 04, 2014, 10:10:31 pm

Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I might thicken a gravy-type sauce without using wheat-based products? I have corn flour and rice flour. Would these help?

Title: Re: Thickening sauce without flour
Post by: FiB on April 04, 2014, 10:19:02 pm

Oh yes - corn flour is the main man... Don't know what volume you have but try a heaped teaspoon mixed with a little cold water then quickly stired in... A bit of a gamble if boiling, but I like to live dangerously sometimes ;) . Works best if whisked in cold and warmed slowly

Title: Re: Thickening sauce without flour
Post by: shygirl on April 04, 2014, 10:39:16 pm

yes corn flour is best, jus remember to add it to water first to make a paste.
mashed potato works too to a certain extent.

Title: Re: Thickening sauce without flour
Post by: Ina on April 05, 2014, 08:28:41 am

If you make your sauce with the addition of some veg, that can be liquidised and gives good consistency without additional starch.

Title: Re: Thickening sauce without flour
Post by: Treud na Mara on April 05, 2014, 08:39:57 am

You can also use arrowroot in the same way as corn flour but it gives a clearer gravy/sauce. Ideal for sweet and sour sauce for example.

Title: Re: Thickening sauce without flour
Post by: suziequeue on April 05, 2014, 08:49:07 am

Cool. Thanks.

Title: Re: Thickening sauce without flour
Post by: Bionic on April 05, 2014, 08:53:41 am

I use cornflour the most. It makes a nice smooth sauce/gravy. You can also buy something called sauce flour which I have never used.
If I am making soup I often add pearl barley as that helps to thicken too.

Title: Re: Thickening sauce without flour
Post by: in the hills on April 05, 2014, 09:47:57 am

I use cornflour.  ;D

Title: Re: Thickening sauce without flour
Post by: suziequeue on April 05, 2014, 11:23:32 am

So corn flour OK for coeliacs?

Title: Re: Thickening sauce without flour
Post by: Lesley Silvester on April 05, 2014, 09:32:49 pm

Yes, it is. I'm gluten intolerant and I use it all the time for thickening stuff and for making sauces. NO need to use butter then so it's less fattening. (Unless you go mad on grated cheese like I do).


Pearl barley, which I love, is no good for people who can't tolerate gluten unless it's just wheat gluten that it the problem. Unfortunately, I have had to stop using it.  :( :(