Best way to thicken broth?

[mommyrhino]

Hey gals!

I'm looking for the best way to thicken beef stew or chicken stew type recipes. So many call for the flour/water mixture...but I'm not sure of proportions...and I could have SWORN my mother did it another way back in the day?

Let me know!

[veveland]

You can use cornstarch and water (mix them up-about 1 tbsp of cornstarch and enough water to make a milky white liquid). I have trouble using plain flour-it lumps up on me.

[ariannasmommy22]

I thicken everything with Arrowroot...broth, ice cream, yogurt, casseroles, etc. It's all natural.

[classysassyme]

I have trouble with flour too. Cornstarch added to water first then stir it in. I am kinda one of those cooks who adds stuff til it is the way I want it so I cannot tell you how much, but mix the cornstarch into cold water really well and add it to your boiling liquid, wait a few minutes while you stir. If it isn't as thick as you want, add more the same way, if it is too thick add more water little at a time, otherwise if you don't want to add more water, maybe you would be happier setting some of your broth aside to add back in. Either was do not dump the cornstarch in dry same with flour, you will have lumps and probably will not be happy with the outcome. Hope this help?

[mommieofpees]

You could make a rue. Equal parts of flour and either oil or butter cook until it is a tan color stirring constantly then add it. you are cooking it to cook out the flour flavor.

[mommyof2texans]

Originally Posted by veveland You can use cornstarch and water (mix them up-about 1 tbsp of cornstarch and enough water to make a milky white liquid). I have trouble using plain flour-it lumps up on me.

This is what I do

[Janine]

We either use arrowroot powder or make a roux. Arrowroot is the easy way (and as such it is what we often do), but a roux is the more standard and reliable way to thicken sauces in my opinion.

[natesgirl]

flour is easiest
corn starch too
mix in a tiny bit of cold water to make a paste then add more water and pour it into the hot pot


pureed COOKED beans (navy etc)
pureed potato

you could use a roux but that's usually done at the start of cooking and stews are thickened after I thought. or I thicken mine after only if it needs it.

if you brown/sear the meats AFTER you coat them in flour the flour bits at the bottom of the pot will also still be in there to thicken the sauce. that will help.(just toss the stew meat in seasoned flour then sear in the same pot, remove the meat do the veggies if you brown those also then remove them. Deglaze the pan with stock, or wine to get the stuff off the bottom and add everything back in)

[mommyrhino]

Thanks girls! These are perfect! I think it must have been the cornstarch route that mom used to do...I'm gonna give it a try tomorrow when I do beef stew in my crock pot!

[rohirette]

Kneaded butter:

Knead a tsp of flour into a tbls of butter. Drop butter bits into the broth.