# Thickening sauce with gelatin



## brian1brian (Apr 15, 2019)

Anyone have a decent ratio for this? Does the sauce have to go through boiling—>cooling—>reheating for the gelatin to potentiate?
I feel like I’m adding a lot and not getting the final consistency I’m looking for. Inherited quite a bit of gelatin in my new dry storage situation, would rather use it than keep counting the same product every month vs throwing it out.


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## carltonb (May 11, 2013)

If you make stocks, use it to help clarify them.
I would not use gelatin as a thickener in a sauce. To many variables, especially if there is an acid added to the sauce it tends to break down quicker.

Here is a decent link on it's usage.

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-GelatinAgar-Filtration/


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

carltonb said:


> If you make stocks, use it to help clarify them.
> I would not use gelatin as a thickener in a sauce. To many variables, especially if there is an acid added to the sauce it tends to break down quicker.
> 
> Here is a decent link on it's usage.
> ...


How do you think a stock based sauce gets thickened? Reduction=concentration of gelatin=thicker.

If you have a properly made stock (I.e. one with a goodly amount of gelatin) then you don't need agar to clarify. You can simply freeze and thaw and let the natural gelatin do the clarification for you.

Anyways. Yes it is possible to thicken with gelatin. But you'd need a lot and it might end up tasting funny (some gelatin has a...distinct flavor if you use a lot of it)


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

I agree. Generally speaking, gelatin is a bad choice to use a thickening agent in sauces. Knowing what sort of sauce you are making would be helpful or are you asking about using gelatin in sauces in general? 

Cheers.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

brian1brian said:


> Does the sauce have to go through boiling->cooling->reheating for the gelatin to potentiate?


Have you ever made jello? Have you tried to reheat jello?

The sauces you making, are they hot or cold? Gelatin thickens when it cools and thins when it is heated.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

No, don't use gelatin to thicken sauces. 

Use it for cold food, strengthening aspics, glazing the cut sides of your pates and terrines.

If you cut it nicely you can use it for decorative purposes.

Use it with fruit juice to coat the bottom of your stainless trays.


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

Enough gelatin, dissolved in liquid and sufficiently reduced, will thicken to a sauce consistency. This is how we get things like demi glace (modern), jus, etc. Thickening through reduction rather than using a starch. 

Now, I'm not suggesting that dissolving leaf or powdered gelatin into a sauce and then reducing it is a good idea, but it would most likely work.


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## chef_matt (Mar 18, 2008)

cheflayne said:


> Have you ever made jello? Have you tried to reheat jello?
> 
> The sauces you making, are they hot or cold? Gelatin thickens when it cools and thins when it is heated.


I agree u can use egg whites to clarify the stock, and gelatin is made when using good bones from the stock u make.


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## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

I can't help but chuckle when I think about what KCMa would have posted here. RIP, buddy- you are missed.


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## thomas fontaine (Oct 2, 2016)

no gelatin in hot sauces
cornstarch or potato starch can give a shiny effect (like in Asian cuisine)


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