Marianne Martinez
Creating a thick, glossy pan sauce can elevate a dish, but achieving the perfect consistency can be challenging. One of the simplest ways to thicken a pan sauce is to reduce the liquid content by simmering the sauce until the water evaporates. This method is suitable for sauces with a lot of natural body, like tomato sauce, but it may not be ideal for salty or spicy sauces as the reduction intensifies the flavour. Another option is to add starches like flour or cornstarch, which provide gelatinizing agents that help trap water molecules in the sauce. A classic thickening agent is a roux, made by combining equal parts of fat, like butter, and flour by weight. Alternatively, you can create a slurry by mixing cornstarch or arrowroot powder with water and whisking it into the sauce over high heat. These gluten-free alternatives produce a clear, smooth, and cloud-free sauce. For a richer consistency, you can also swirl in cold butter at the end of cooking to add gloss and extra flavour.
How to thicken pan sauce
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Testing the thickness | Dip a spoon into the sauce and see how thoroughly it coats the back. |
| Thickening with flour | For every 2 tablespoons of flour, add 1/4 cup of cold water. Whisk the slurry into the pot and simmer until the sauce has thickened. |
| Thickening with cornstarch | Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water to create a slurry. Pour the slurry into the pot and whisk until the sauce starts to thicken. |
| Thickening with arrowroot | Arrowroot is similar to cornstarch but smoother, clearer, and thickens at a lower temperature. Create a slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of arrowroot with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Whisk the slurry into the sauce over medium heat and bring it to a boil for 1 minute. |
| Thickening with butter | Slice a stick of butter into small pats (about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons) and refrigerate until ready to use. Stir or whisk the butter into the sauce over low heat until it reaches the desired consistency. |
| Thickening with roux | Heat equal parts butter and flour over medium heat. When the flour starts to bubble, add the rest of the flour and whisk until a thick paste forms. Add the roux to the sauce and whisk to combine. |
| Thickening by reducing liquid | Place the sauce on the stove and adjust the heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring every few minutes, until the sauce has thickened. |
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What You'll Learn
Cornstarch
To thicken a pan sauce with cornstarch, you must first create a slurry. A slurry is made by mixing equal parts cornstarch and cold liquid. The liquid used is usually water, stock, or wine. For every cup of liquid in the recipe, use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. It is important to mix the cornstarch and water thoroughly to avoid lumps in your sauce. One way to do this is to shake the cornstarch and water in a jar.
Once the slurry is made, add it to your sauce. Start by adding a small amount of the slurry to your simmering sauce and stir. Allow the sauce to cook for a few minutes so you can judge the texture, and add more slurry if desired. Continue to cook the sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.
Be careful not to overcook cornstarch-thickened sauces, as cornstarch can lose its thickening power if cooked for too long. Once your sauce has reached the desired thickness, remove it from the heat.
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Flour
A classic thickening agent is a roux, which consists of equal parts fat and flour by weight. To make a roux, heat butter over medium heat. When a sprinkle of flour causes it to bubble, add the rest of the flour and whisk until a thick paste forms and it turns golden brown. Then, add the roux to your sauce and whisk to combine. For every 1/4 cup of liquid in your sauce, use 2 tablespoons of flour. You can also add the flour to your sauce directly by sprinkling in a small amount of flour—no more than the amount of butter you've added. Whisk this well for about a minute until it thins out slightly. This creates a quick roux that will help thicken the final mixture.
If you are making a pan sauce with wine, you will need to add another thickening agent like cornstarch, as wine and water have very little thickening power. For every cup of wine/water mix, add a teaspoon or two of cornstarch, shake well, and then mix it into your sauce.
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Arrowroot powder
To thicken a pan sauce with arrowroot powder, start by mixing about 1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder with 1 cup of water to create a slurry. It is important to note that the amount of arrowroot powder may vary depending on how thick you want your sauce to be. Next, pour the slurry into your pan sauce and whisk continuously over high heat until the arrowroot powder is well incorporated and the sauce starts to thicken.
Keep in mind that arrowroot powder is not ideal for sauces with high acidity, as it may cause the sauce to separate. If you are looking to thicken a tomato-based sauce, for example, you may want to consider a different thickening agent, such as flour or cornstarch.
Additionally, arrowroot powder may not work well with low-fat sauces. In such cases, you may need to add more fat to the sauce or consider using a different thickening agent, such as xanthan gum.
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Butter
To thicken a pan sauce with butter, start by slicing a stick of butter into small pats (about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons). Place them on a plate and refrigerate until you're ready to use them. Next, have your sauce in a wide pan like a skillet on very low heat—just under a simmer. Add one pat of cold butter and stir or whisk constantly until it completely melts. Continue adding butter one pat at a time until your sauce reaches the desired consistency. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, or more acid, to taste.
You can also use butter to make a roux, which is a classic thickening agent. To do this, heat butter over medium heat. When a sprinkle of flour causes it to bubble, add the rest of your flour and whisk until your mixture forms a thick paste and is golden brown. Then, add the roux to your sauce and whisk to combine.
Another option is to make a beurre manié (kneaded butter) by mixing butter with flour to form a paste. About 2 tablespoons of flour per cup of simmering liquid is usually recommended, but the exact amount will depend on the initial thinness of your sauce and how thick you want it to be.
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Evaporation
To thicken a pan sauce through evaporation, first bring the sauce to a simmer. Adjust the heat so that small bubbles burst steadily on the surface. Cook the sauce uncovered, stirring every few minutes with a rubber spatula to ensure that the bottom and sides of the pan do not scorch.
As the sauce heats, it will begin to thicken. Watch the sauce closely and do not let the bubbles become too large, as they will creep up the side of the pan and boil over. When the bubbles begin to enlarge, reduce the heat to low to allow the sauce to continue cooking and developing its flavour.
To test the thickness of the sauce, dip a spoon into the mixture and observe how thoroughly it coats the back. This will help you judge when the sauce has evaporated enough to coat your food. Note that this method works by concentrating the sauce, so flavours will intensify. If the sauce is already very salty or spicy, you may want to opt for another method.
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Frequently asked questions
You can test the thickness of your sauce by using a spoon. Dip the spoon into the sauce and see how thoroughly it coats the back. This will help you judge when it has evaporated enough to coat your food.
To thicken your sauce with flour, you can make a roux, which is a mixture of equal parts melted butter and flour. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook until it’s golden brown. You can then add the roux to your sauce and whisk to combine.
Cornstarch is a widely available, inexpensive, flavourless, and highly effective thickening agent. To use it, mix equal parts cornstarch and water to create a slurry, then pour it into your sauce and whisk continuously over high heat until it is well incorporated and your sauce starts to thicken.
You can thicken your sauce by reducing the liquid content, either by simmering your sauce on a stove or by adding a knob of butter at the end of cooking. You can also use arrowroot powder, which is similar to cornstarch but smoother, clearer, and gluten-free.
