In fact, one of the most effective ways to thicken a gravy dish and enhance its taste is to cook it over low heat for a long time without needing to cover it. Well, for those of you who want to make thick and thick meat sauce, syrup, or broth, try reading the various tips summarized in this article!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Following the General Rules
Step 1. Determine the type of dish you want to thicken
Some types of sauce require only one ingredient, such as thickened red wine fermented. However, there are also dishes such as meat sauce which consists of several types of ingredients, such as salt, various spices, wheat flour, and milk or water.
- Basically, all types of liquids can be thickened, so there is no one best way to determine the type of food you want to thicken.
- If you're having trouble finding the dish you want thickened, wait until you find a recipe that calls for this technique and follow the directions.
- All types of foods that are high in water content can be thickened, including soups, alcohol, and beverages containing milk and their processed products.
Step 2. Remove excess liquid before thickening it
If you want to make 500 ml of sauce, for example, you don't need to use 2 liters of liquid! In general, the correct amount of liquid is 1.5 to 2 times the portion of the liquid you want to produce after the thickening process is complete.
- For example, if you want to make 500 ml of thick sauce, start cooking using 750 ml to 1 liter of liquid.
- Understand that the amount of liquid needed is very dependent on the ingredients used, as well as any conditions that affect the cooking process.
Step 3. Bring the liquid to a boil, then continue the cooking process over low heat
If the liquid continues to be heated over high heat, chances are that the ingredients will burn or stick to the sides of the pan. In addition, using a temperature that is too high can also cause the liquid to thicken too quickly and have a bitter taste.
Step 4. Do not cover the pan
Remember, the texture of the food will be thicker when the excess water content in it evaporates. That is why, pots or pans should not be closed so that the evaporation process can occur.
Place the pan or pan cover on the kitchen table so that it can be installed immediately after the consistency of the dish is to your liking
Step 5. Always monitor the cooking condition if the amount of liquid used is not too much
Some types of food have to be cooked long enough for the texture to really thicken so you don't need to be constantly watching. However, there are also dishes where the liquid content can decrease quickly, especially if the amount of liquid used at the beginning of the cooking process is less than 250 ml. In such cases, always monitor the condition of the dishes and do not leave the kitchen to do anything else.
- The length of time it takes to thicken each type of dish varies because it really depends on the type of liquid being thickened, the amount of liquid used at the beginning of the cooking process, and the conditions that affect the cooking process. However, most thickening processes will take 15-30 minutes.
- If you're sticking to a specific recipe, the recipe writer should include a length of thickening that you can follow.
Step 6. Monitor the amount of fluid that has decreased
Once the liquid content in the dish begins to decrease, you should see a line printed on the inside of the pan indicating the initial liquid volume. Use this line to monitor the amount of fluid that has decreased. The trick, simply subtract the initial liquid level limit with the remaining liquid level limit.
- If the recipe calls for you to reduce the liquid content by a quarter, thicken the dish until the final volume is 3/4 of the initial liquid volume.
- If you want to monitor the thickening process more accurately, try periodically pouring the food into the measuring cup, then returning it to the pot or pan if the volume is still too large.
Method 2 of 3: Speeding up the Thickening Process
Step 1. Remove the meat from the dish
In fact, cuts and slices of meat can hinder the thickening process and reduce the final quality. Therefore, if you are cooking a meaty, gravy dish, first transfer all the pieces of meat to another bowl. Once the consistency of the dish is to your liking, put the pieces of meat back into it.
Step 2. Use the widest skillet or pan you have
The wider the surface of the pot or pan used, the faster the cooking time will thicken. Therefore, try using a Dutch oven (a very thick-walled pot) or a skillet with a handle for best results. If you only have a small pan, feel free to use it but understand that the time you need to spend will increase.
Step 3. Divide the dish into two pans, then heat both at the same time to speed up the process
If you have limited time, or if your stomach is really hungry, try dividing the dish into two saucepans and heating both of them at the same time to the same temperature. As a result, your cooking time will be reduced by half!
Mix the contents of the two pans after the consistency of both is to your liking
Method 3 of 3: Perfecting the Taste of Cuisine
Step 1. Add 1-2 tablespoons of butter after the consistency of cooking is appropriate
Butter is able to thicken the texture of food and make it look more attractive. However, make sure to add butter only after the consistency of the dish is to your liking, especially since adding butter too quickly can separate the liquid and fat contents of the dish.
Step 2. Cook the alcohol over low heat separately
If you want to make a thick sauce, soup, or other soup dish, don't forget to cook the alcohol separately before mixing it with the other ingredients. Otherwise, the taste of the alcohol in the dish may stand out too much than you'd like.
Cooking fermented red wine will significantly reduce its acidity
Step 3. Cook the tomatoes in a can on low heat to make the taste more intense
In fact, canned tomatoes have been processed at high temperatures. Therefore, if you want to make a canned tomato-based sauce, you don't need to add the tomatoes early in the cooking process. However, if you want to use fresh tomatoes, don't forget to add the tomatoes early in the cooking process, heat them to a high temperature, then reduce the heat and continue cooking the tomatoes for a long time to maximize the taste.
Step 4. Strain the dish if you only want to take the gravy
Some people don't mind soupy dishes that still leave bits of tomatoes or other vegetables. However, if all you need is the gravy, pour the dish into another saucepan through a sieve once it's the right consistency.
Step 5. Use a thickener if you have trouble thickening the texture of the sauce naturally
If necessary, you can mix a little potato starch, arrowroot starch, or wheat flour into the dish to thicken the texture. To do this, pour the selected thickener into a fine sieve, then sift the thickener into a saucepan. Stir the food again and observe the texture. If it's still not thick enough, add more thickener to taste.
Do not add too much thickening agent so that the texture of the dish does not end up clumping or even leaving flour grains that are difficult to mix
Tips
- Stir the final result of cooking so that the color looks more glossy.
- The above method also works if you want to dissolve any browned, crusty food residue at the bottom of the pan or pot. However, after that the food needs to be cooked on low heat for a longer time so that the taste remains thick even though the liquid content is not reduced too much.
- The final result of a dish that does not contain sugar is known as a sauce, while the final product of a dish containing sugar is more commonly known as a syrup.
