Best xanthan gum thickeners according to redditors
We found 65 Reddit comments discussing the best xanthan gum thickeners. We ranked the 14 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 65 Reddit comments discussing the best xanthan gum thickeners. We ranked the 14 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
The texture you are describing is a result of chemical processing, not something you can really replicate perfectly with normal household ingredients. That's just what cheese sauces do. If you want your cheese sauces to come out like Velveeta you need to delve into specialty ingredients. The ingredient you want is Sodium Citrate: https://www.amazon.com/Non-GMO-Citrate-Excellent-Creating-Spherification/dp/B00D393SVS
Here's a short video on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOLgLi5ZJOY
Check out sodium citrate: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PKHAQDY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KykczbCZG8B0E
This will prevent the cheese from separating.
I make all my own dressings, and they are so uniformly a billion times better than bottled. I have one hint that may or may not go over well, but if you want a nice stable dressing like how a lot of bottled dressings don't separate, the secret is xanthan gum. Get some on Amazon. A 16th of a teaspoon in the blender when you're mixing up your vinaigrette and it will stabilize for... ever.
Pillowy soft on the inside, delicious all the way through. Mmm....buns.....
Ninja edit: these are meant to be burger/sandwich buns, but if you want dinner rolls, feel free to cut them into 8 or 10 pieces instead. Also, if you prefer seeded buns, brush the tops with an egg wash right before baking and then sprinkle the seeds on top.
Ingredients:
14 g whey protein isolate (source)
57g carbalose (source) Also, this is the lowest carb version available. Do NOT use carbquick))
118g resistant wheat starch (source)
42g vital wheat gluten (source)
.5 tsp xanthan gum (source)
.75tsp salt
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
3 tbsp sour cream, at room temperature
.5c warm water
.5 tsp syrup (corn syrup, maple syrup, or honey will do)
2tsp instant yeast
Note: if you are new to keto breads, a high carb syrup is used to feed the yeast. Don’t panic! It gets eaten by the yeast and turned into tasty yeast farts. None of it remains.
The method:
Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl, except the yeast.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or other bowl), combine the water, syrup, and yeast. Use the paddle attachment, but keep the dough hook around, you’ll need it later. Turn on the mixer for a few seconds to dissolve the syrup, but don’t worry if there’s clumps in the yeast. Add in the eggs and sour cream, and turn on the mixer again to combine. Don’t worry again about clumps of yeast, clumps gonna clump.
Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl, then turn on the mixer again, medium speed. After about a minute things should be coming together. At this point, start adding in the butter, a piece at a time, letting each piece get mostly incorporated before adding the next (10-30 seconds between each addition). This goes much quicker when the butter is soft, so it’s important to not skip that step.
Let the mixer run for about a minute after the last bit of buttery goodness, then scrape down the sides. Switch to the hook, and run the mixer for about 6 minutes. The dough should be soft and not particularly sticky (it may stick to your hands, but will come free with little effort). If it’s too sticky, try kneading it with the hook for a bit longer before you try adding more flour.
Once the kneading has been done, place the dough into an oiled bowl, turning it to coat, cover the bowl, and let it rise until it’s nearly double. It happens quickly – for me it’s usually about 20-30 minutes. Dump the dough out on a work surface and divide into 6 portions. Shape those portions into flattish balls, tucking and pinching the dough on the bottom if needed.
Place the dough balls on a baking sheet covered with a silicone mat or parchment, setting them about ½” apart. Let them rise again until nearly double, again about 20-ish minutes for me (YMMV). Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375, and when they’re ready bake them for 20-25 minutes. Let them cool before cutting them open. Then do cut them open and stuff them with deliciousness!
Nutrition per bun: 212 cal/7.2g fat/14.5g protein/21.4g carbs/17.4g fiber/4g net carbs
Get some sodium citrate (which is an emusifier) and you can make amazing cheese sauce with just cheese and water.
They aren't that hard to obtain.
https://www.amazon.com/Alginate-Calcium-Lactate-Non-GMO-Certified/dp/B00JPHLIZA
Quickest cheese sauce I've made (like sub 30 minutes, closer to 15 and less if you can heat your liquids in a kettle) requires sodium citrate and while not super common, buy it once and it lasts over many dishes. I have read that you can pick this up in the kosher section of your grocery store, so maybe it'll be local.
This has become my husband's favorite Mac and cheese recipe because there's no watering down the cheese flavor with a roux, and also because it's super fast to make and like almost no effort. Basically three ingredients and you're good to go, plus pasta to slather it on, or chips for dipping. Also useful if you or someone else needs to be eating gluten free and can't do a flour-based roux.
The link above is for reference on the product. Everything else you can buy in a local grocery. Link below is for reference on a cheese sauce recipe.
The TL;DR of it is thus:
If it's still watery, add more cheese. If the cheese isn't breaking down the whole way, add more sodium citrate. It needs a liquid to get the whole thing going
You can replace the water for beer or chicken stock if you want some added flavor, and the cheese you pick definitely affects the final flavor. There's no subtle hint of cheddar; there's no roux to cover it, so it's like basically a liquid form of the cheese you had before hand, therefore if you use sharp cheddar it will still be as sharp in flavor when you're done. It's very scalable and effortlessly interchangable with any type of cheese you want to make into a sauce. The how and why of its ability to work is on the below link.
link for "recipe"
Edit: fixed some words and formatting.
If you're just asking about where to find it, I purchased mine through Amazon, but if you have a whole foods, a coop, or a high quality grocery store nearby I bet you'd be able to find Bob's Red Mill brand.
Both have been around for a couple decades and are both very high quality. My bottle of Xanthan from amazon has lasted me over 6 months, if not closer to 9.
Let me know if I misunderstood you.
Try Amazon?
I get mine from Amazon. It's a super strong dairy emulsifier. Basically, it's what makes Velveeta melt so smoothly. You can turn pretty much any cheese into creamy nacho liquid with it. Or just a pinch in a traditional cheese sauce keeps it from splitting.
There is. Xanthan gum, my friend. Super cheap and highly effective. It's used in a TON of products and you probably consume it already on a daily basis (used as a thickener and stabilizer). I add a tsp or two to my protein shakes (in a blender) in order to achieve a milkshake like consistency. It transform a drink from a frothy, watery consistency with ice chunks sinking to the bottom to a thick, milkshake like thickness and even, uniform body. Seriously, you'll never look back and a $5 container will last you months! I use this product specifically, though it can be found even cheaper; http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Xanthan-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B0014UH7J2
I use;
-1 scoop of Whey Protein
-8-10oz of Whole Milk
-1-2 tsp of Xanthan Gum
Then blend for 20-30 seconds
HIGHLY recommended. Enjoy!
Spiralizer
http://www.amazon.com/Spiral-Vegetable-Slicer-Cleaning-Zucchini/dp/B00GHA3S4C/ref=sr_1_9?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1426886578&sr=1-9&keywords=spiralizer
Silpat http://www.amazon.com/Silpat-AE420295-07-Premium-Non-Stick-Silicone/dp/B00008T960/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426886612&sr=8-2&keywords=silpat
Xanthan gum http://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Xanthan-8-Ounce/dp/B0013JJZWG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426886645&sr=8-2&keywords=xanthan+gum
Just Like Sugar, Brown http://www.amazon.com/Brown-Sweetener-Just-Like-Sugar/dp/B004307EL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426886738&sr=8-1&keywords=just+like+sugar+brown
Amazon also has the best prices on all Bob's Red Mill products versus any store I've been in, across the board. I get all of my Chia seeds, flaxseed meal, almond meal, etc from Amazon.
Dude I got a pok pok just do I could make khao soi as much as I want. It's heaven in a bowl. If you get it too hot and it splits, I recommend buying a big cheap bag of xanthan gum. It works miracles with broken emulsions. Just like 5-10mg for an entire pot suffices.
A mildly interesting tip for you: next time you make a latte, put in a pinch of xanthan gum. The xanthan gum keeps the ingredients from separating into layers. Unless, that's what you're going for, which is also pretty cool.
Are you aware you can cheaply manufacture lube? I was interested in experimenting with it (actually, it was kind of necessary when I got my fleshlight) and it's really easy to make. I think you can do it with cornstarch, however I used xanthan gum (edit: you can probably find it cheaper than that link, that's just the one I got, in fact, here it is for a lot cheaper). Here's one guide using corn starch. Here's a guide using xanthan gum. I found it was only necessary to use xanthan gum and the glycerin and GSE were unnecessary. The only downside to this is that it doesn't have quite the amazing shelf life of commercial lube. Also, make sure that if you're storing it, it is in an airtight container as it gets rather weird when it drys out.
Any available cheese + sodium citrate.
Good advice for solving tonight, but look into sodium citrate. It is cheap and fun.
Is this what you have? This is what I have, and my bag says 7g total carbs and 7g fiber like in the pic here. https://smile.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Xanthan-8-ounce/dp/B0013JJZWG
I do DIY soylent, not Joylent, but I started adding a 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of Xanthan Gum to my day's worth of powder to thicken it up and it works great. It's the same stuff that fast food joints use to thicken up milkshakes.
Edit: if you go this route, start with just a little and work your way up until you've dialed it in to the thickness you like. A little goes a long way and if you add too much, it takes on sort of a "mucus-y" consistency. Yuck!
Try CavemanKeto's Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole! It's just as good and low carb. Most importantly, it's less work (in my opinion at least).
If you're set on making the recipe you linked, you could use xanthan gum to thicken the sauce and just omit the flour in the spices. It's pretty expensive though compared to things like flour and cornstarch.
Xanthan gum. It's expensive, but a little goes a long way, and if you keep it sealed and refrigerated, it keeps for a long time. Xanthan gum is a stabilizer and thickening agent. A small amount will lend body to the beverage without making it seem thick, and it will suspend oil soluble compounds such as cannabinoids.
You'll want to try sodium citrate then. The American is added in the SE recipe because it already contains emulsifying salts.
I love the modernist cuisine recipe. I usually make it with about 70-80% cheddar and the rest smoked Gouda.
http://modernistcuisine.com/recipes/silky-smooth-macaroni-and-cheese/
I found it pretty much impossible to find sodium citrate locally so I got it on amazon.
Food Grade Non-GMO Sodium Citrate (8oz/227g) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PKHAQDY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_OBlRwbKAF9H83
https://smile.amazon.com/Sodium-Citrate-Non-GMO-Excellent-Creating/dp/B00PKHAQDY/
A pound is only $3 more but im not sure how long its going to take me to go through a pound half a teaspoon at a time.
Sure! I add about a quarter teaspoon of sodium citrate to a tiny bit of water, stir well to dissolve, add in usually 50 or 60g cheese and microwave for a few seconds, stir well, microwave some more till melted then pour over broccoli or whatever. This stuff is a miracle.
Cheat mode: Add sodium citrate @ 1% weight of cheese.
https://amzn.com/B00D393SVS
You might also want to try Xanthan gum. It acts as a gluten replacement that binds ingredients together. I’m about 4 wks in and just started playing with it, it’s kind of amazing. Just google it and do a little research and it’ll start making sense where it would work in recipes (thickens soups and gravies like a rue) smoothes out ice cream so it’s not icey, binds baked goods and stuff with flours. It can be pricey but I found this on amazon. Good luck https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0014UH7J2?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title
/u/throwdemawaaay is correct, but I just wanted to add a couple things and drop some more mac & cheese knowledge. I'm bored and full of energy tonight, so you get a lengthy response. I'm sorry/you're welcome, not sure which one is appropriate.
So, what you did in that recipe is pretty traditional; you start with a hot roux (equal parts flour & butter), and then added cold milk, which is then called a béchamel. That forms the liquid to which you add your cheese.
The choice of your cheese is critical for mac & cheese. You did nothing wrong, the recipe did everything wrong. They call for 8 oz of medium cheddar, and then 8 oz of extra sharp cheddar. Mild, medium, sharp, and extra sharp are in terms of the age of the cheese. Mild being the youngest, extra sharp being the oldest. Younger cheese melts smoother, while older cheeses don't melt well at all, or just break.
The major fault here is that it's half extra sharp cheddar. When cheese breaks, the fats separate from the water within the cheese, and you get something like this. This happens when you melt some cheeses at too high of temperatures, like in a 350F oven for too long. This is really common in baked mac & cheese with the wrong cheeses.
So, what are the right cheeses? Well, anything you want. With one small caveat: Sodium Citrate. SC is the key ingredient to making the creamiest cheese sauces and getting an almost batter-like consistency, if that's what you're after. SC acts like a binder and holds the fats and water together and prevents breaking. You can even reheat cheese sauces with added SC in a microwave and they won't break. This video explains this in more detail.
Now, where do you get Sodium Citrate? You have two choices:
For further reading, and if you want to redeem failed mac & cheese, I suggest this recipe from Serious Eats
Good luck!
I never reheated that soon, but I think at the point where it's cold and you need to again apply heat is where it would break. I've read that you can avoid this by using some processed cheese in it (which has emulsifiers in it) or adding an emulsifier like xanthan gum when you make the sauce but I've never tried it.
I got this one
https://www.amazon.com/Non-GMO-Citrate-Excellent-Creating-Spherification/dp/B00D393SVS
It's sodium citrate, not trisodium citrate, but I don't think it makes that much of a difference.
For anyone wanting a direct comparison of Xanthan Gum to Guar Gum see here.
Doubtful, and even if it does burn, it will most likely smell like its main ingredient, chick peas, which is probably not the smell you're going for.
If you're going to 'toast' (a better description, as 'brûlée' simply means burnt in French) the foam, better to use something like Sucro, which makes awesome foam and is based on sugar, so the foam should both burn/melt/ caramelize and smell good.
Btw, this is the stuff used to make the 'salt air foam' for margaritas.
Xanthan Gum
http://www.amazon.com/Xanthan-Gum-Powder-Food-Grade/dp/B0040DWCXG
https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Xanthan-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B0014UH7J2/ref=sr_1_5_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1468194961&sr=1-5&keywords=xanthan+gum
The stuff I got was off of amazon and had the amounts on the bottle. NOW real Food Xanthan Gum Powder,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014UH7J2?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I usually only use a teaspoon for a whole blender full and really stabilizes and holds the sauce together nicely even when it’s high texture/chunky sauce
It really varies on the size of the smoothie and if the fruit all started frozen or not. Probably between a tsp and a tbsp. You have to be careful not to over thicken, it can get a little weird if you do
I use this Namaste Foods Xanthan Gum because it’s cheap and only 15 cal per tbsp (which appears to be 1/2 the calories of most other brands)
Yup, and a big bag of it is pretty cheap on Amazon. I've had the same bag for over a year and have barely used half of it, and I make mac and cheese pretty often. Without it, the oil and solids in the cheese tend to separate and you get a gritty, oily texture instead of delicious smooth cheese sauce. I usually do mild/medium cheddar, smoked gouda and a bit of cream cheese in mine, then hit it with bacon and/or buffalo chicken with a dash of blue cheese dressing if you're looking to gain a few extra pounds quick.
It's a non-calories thickener. It's actually used in a lot of everyday products but for keto it's perfect as a sub for flour when thickening sauces and gravies.
Edit: http://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Xanthan-8-Ounce/dp/B0013JJZWG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1415643296&sr=8-3&keywords=xanthan+gum
I use both but I like a very vinegary sauce. If I am bottling for friends who dont like as much vinegar, I just use more brine with a splash of vinegar and remind them to keep refrigerated.
Also, if you havent already you should buy/order some xantham gum. It helps keep your sauce from separating, is super cheap and doesnt add any noticeable flavor. I've been using this same bag for about a year now
Amazon bags are like $14 for a pound from BulkSupplements. I use a tablespoon every day and it has lasted me a couple of months. I bought this last week via Subscribe and Save so I could save 20%: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002YR7AH8/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1412699745&sr=1&keywords=xanthan+gum
5 pounds came out to about $58 then.
Got mine on Amazon for like $8. You use it by the pinch so that should be a few year's worth.
Like this?
No problem. Pretty sure that same emulsifier is in Velveeta, which is why the combination of a cheese that doesn't melt well and Velveeta works.
Also, sodium citrate is the ingredient that you can use to make a cheese like cheddar melt smoothly:
Sodium Citrate Powder 16 Ounce - Food Grade, Non-GMO - 1 Pound Bag - Emulsifier for Cheese, Spherification, and Molecular Gastronomy Cooking https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NF4B3Y7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_u014Cb46F9HQJ
You should be able to forego the white American and Velveeta altogether and make cheddar and gruyere melt like Velveeta does. Might take some experimentation but hey, even the failures will be delicious so what do you have to lose, right?
This or similar. It's a cheat code.
https://www.amazon.com/Non-GMO-Citrate-Excellent-Creating-Spherification/dp/B00PKHAQDY
link?
True, I probably should have specified for use in sauces like a Mornay, etc..
For everything else:
Xantham Gum
Sodium Alginate
Guar Gum
You can make almond flour just from grinding up almonds, and xanthan gum can be bought off the shelf these days. Googling almond flour tortilla pulls up a bunch of recipes you can try. Not as convenient as pre-made, but probably a lot cheaper.
I admit I didn't look too closely at the grocery store. I am an Amazon Junkie. I bought it here.
​
Side note. The yeast will eat any of the sugar from the maple syrup or honey. I really do suggest visiting the website for a more detailed analysis https://www.gnom-gnom.com/gluten-free-paleo-keto-pizza-crust/ .
I see. Like.. what you are saying about the roux sounds familiar - like bechamel.
So..why sodium citrate? it's because of a pure cheese sauce without the dominant taste of flour and Nouveau Cuisine "doesn't want the taste of flour" or something (I read).
I tried the sodium citrate sauce. Like..it's weird..
ratios are 1 cup simmering water, 4 teaspoons sodium citrate, then 8 oz cheddar cheese.
it's like the cheese looks like milk..the cheese sauce looks like..milk almost..that's how smooth it is
the cheese is already salty..so don't add salt. I just found out...so it's too salty now. but it works
http://modernistcuisine.com/recipes/silky-smooth-macaroni-and-cheese/
https://www.amazon.com/Non-GMO-Citrate-Excellent-Creating-Spherification/dp/B00D393SVS/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1525393007&sr=8-1&keywords=sodium+citrate&dpID=51xSPHZK6RL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Actually - using sodium citrate will probably be easier than Kenji's multi-step many ingredient process. It emulsifies 'real' cheese into a pourable and moldable processed cheese like substance. Yum. Here's a simple recipe.
> Xanthan gum is also hugely expensive.
No it's not
http://www.amazon.com/Xanthan-Gum-Powder-6-Ounces/dp/B0014UH7J2
$9 for 6 ounces, and you only need a tiny amount to thicken a big pot. That container will last you a year.
Haha lol, I didn't double check! Here it is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NF4B3Y7/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_8zeADbCJMYCWG
Just mix sodium citrate and water and boil, then add cheese and stir. The first time I did it, I tried to make sure I had the average of the ratios I'd seen online... but now I just eyeball it. In the comments people say like 11g/.5lb cheese- so the stuff lasts. Here is exactly what I have: https://www.amazon.com/Food-Grade-Non-GMO-Sodium-Citrate/dp/B00PKHAQDY/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1467594954&sr=8-3&keywords=sodium+citrate
Two favorites: chipotle and bacon with cheddar and cheddar with pickled jalepeno for a classic nacho taste
http://www.amazon.com/Xanthan-Gum-Powder-Food-Grade/dp/B0040DWCXG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369855169&sr=8-1&keywords=xanthan+gum
I bought mine from Earth Fare, but I am sure that Whole Foods or those places would also carry it. If you want to buy online, amazon sells it too. http://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Xanthan-8-Ounce/dp/B0013JJZWG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1369398575&sr=8-2&keywords=xanthan+gum That is the brand I bought,but I am not sure if that is the best one or not.
Maybe add Xanthan Gum
It is an emulsifier. It will make your drink creamy and smooth. You will have to experiment to find the right dosage though.
If you have access to Amazon
Have you tried adding xantham gum? I always add it to my shakes. It adds basically no calories but it makes it much thicker, kinda like a milkshake. I got a bad like this for 10 bucks at whole foods and it's lasted me over a year:
http://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Xanthan-8-Ounce/dp/B0013JJZWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453225012&sr=8-1&keywords=xanthan+gum+bobs+red+mill
edit: If you try this, start with adding only 1/4 teaspoon. If you want more you can work up from there but it is VERY filling.
Nope its this one...how is it not the same product??? https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B078T45FYD/ref=mp_s_a_1_29_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1549416830&sr=8-29&keywords=xanthum+gum+for+baking&dpPl=1&dpID=41AJFFZyPQL&ref=plSrch