Technique: Thickening

A sauce is no good if it's running all over your plate and onto your table. What's a fella to do? You gotta thicken, thicken, thicken. Below are my four most useful thickening techniques.

Corn Starch

A corn starch slurry is my favorite way to thicken sauces. It provides reliable thickening power, and you can easily measure how much it will thicken. But what is a slurry, and why would I want to make it? Well, a slurry is a mixture of corn starch and water. You want to make it because if you put corn starch directly into hot liquid it would turn into a giant lump of cooked nasty. So, instead, you mix one part corn starch into about four parts water. Don't worry too much about exact measurements, just make sure all the starch is dissolved. Simply pour the slurry into the sauce, bring to a boil, and it will thicken!

Wondra

Wondra is a fine flour powder, and you can find it in the baking isle of any grocery store. Unlike regular flour, which both lumps and requires cooking, Wondra can go straight from the can into the sauce. It's the easiest way to thicken, and does a pretty good job, especially if you have just a little bit of sauce. Wondra claims it won't make lumps, but that's not entirely true. Put in only a little at a time, and whisk it in quickly. You'll be lump free that way.

Butter

Butter doesn't thicken much. It is, however, butter, so whatever you're making is naturally going to taste better! Perfect for adding a velvety texture and creamy flavor. A fine way to finish anything served over pasta.

Roux

A roux is a combination of equal parts butter and flour. It is the most labor-intensive and flavorful way to thicken a sauce. Combine butter & flour, then whisk continuously over medium heat. The flour must be cooked in order to avoid a raw flavor. The earliest stage of doneness is when the roux reaches a blonde color, and it can be cooked all the way to a deep brick red, nearly black. As it cooks flavor increases and thickening power decreases. I only make roux on special occasions, or when I'm making a dish that just isn't the same thickened in another way, such as my mac 'n cheese.