Starches: The Topic

[Franci]

Hello!

Does anybody have a nice chart that summarize the thickening power of the different starches vs flour?

In particular I'd like to know wheat starch, corn starch, potato starch (or flour), rice flour, arrowroot or any other that you might consider interesting.

I have saved a piece from understanding baking by Amendola. There, if I remember correctly, he says double flour than cornstarch, and even greater thinckening power of potato starch vs corn starch (double).

Can anybody be more precise?

Thanks!

[JeanneCake]

I have a vague memory of RLB discussing the merits of different thickeners and how they perform as glazes/gels for pies and fruit tarts in her Pie and Pastry Bible book; the book is on loan to a friend so I can't get to it to check. I don't know whether this is helpful to you or not, but maybe if your local bookstore has a copy, you could browse through it and see.

[Franci]

Tomorrow I should go to the bookstore, I'll check if they have a copy.

Thanks for the suggestion

[Shel_B]

I've always used corn starch as a thickener. Over the last number of months, potato starch has shown up with greater frequency in recipes to use as a thickener.

 

Is potato starch gaining in popularity, or am I just becoming more aware of its use? More to the point, what are the advantages/disadvantages of these two thickeners?  When do you use one or the other?

[AlaMoi]

I find corn starch more apt to produce a shiny / glistening sauce - I use it most for stir fry.

another:  velveting beef strips for various Asian inspired dishes.

 

for most other 'thicker needs' I use a roux.

however, when things go sideways and I need a quick fix thicken I'll use potato starch, potato flakes or corn starch slurry.

 

corn starch seems to thicken at lower temps, i.e. a roux is not up to full thickening power until the 'sauce/gravy/whatever' actually boils a bit.

[rotuts]

consider :

 

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-potato-starch

 

and

 

https://www.bobsredmill.com/blog/healthy-living/cornstarch-vs-potato-starch-which-ones-better/

 

and

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk9LwD4PYyY

 

 

there are a lot more to consider

 

from Google.

[KennethT]

I use potato starch and corn starch interchangeably - mostly for coatings to be fried or for thickening stir fries or mapo tofu.

[liuzhou]

As noted in this post about starches used in China, I exclusively use potato when starch is required and have been doing so for decades. It is the choice of most cooks, professional or amateur in Sichuan cooking as well as here in Guangxi, although other starches are used more in other provinces and areas.

 

I don't see much difference, if any, between them.

 

 

Edited April 12 by liuzhou (log)

[TdeV]

When younger, I used to make a lot of things destined for the freezer. Somewhere I read that corn starch survived being frozen better than roux. But this theory didn't consider potato starch and I know very little about potato starch.

[gfweb]

Sweet potato starch  appears in lots of asian fried recipes.  I've used it and it makes for a sturdy fried coating...kind of like trisol

[liuzhou]

14 minutes ago, gfweb said:

Sweet potato starch  appears in lots of asian fried recipes.  I've used it and it makes for a sturdy fried coating...kind of like trisol

 

Yes. That's also used a lot round here.

 

S: 红薯淀粉; T: 紅薯澱粉 (hóng shǔ fěn), sweet potato starch.

 

 

 

[Duvel]

GreenVC2017-Abdullah (iop.org)

 

tl;dr: 

 

Potato starch has a lower gelatization temperature than corn starch, meaning it thickens faster, and - depending on cooking time - more complete (i.e. leaves less to no starchy residue that may impact the mouthfell). It also has a higher bulk density, so all in all you need less potato starch than corn starch for the same effect (think 2/3).

[Shel_B]

Thanks to everyone for their input. Very helpful ... 👍

[weinoo]

Don't forget tapioca starch!

[liuzhou]

Or cassave starch!

 

 

[Shel_B]

20 hours ago, weinoo said:

Don't forget tapioca starch!

I always carry a small package of tapioca starch in my Go-Bag for those unexpected thickening emergencies that happen when on the road.

Edited April 12 by Shel_B
Rhythm (log)

[paulraphael]

I like arrowroot the best for sauces. My final thickening touch up for most sauces is 1 : 10 xanthan and arrowroot. Makes a slurry easily and just needs a low simmer to activate the starch. 

 

I'm experimenting with replacing the xanthan with tara gum.

 

Arrowroot isn't good for things that will freeze, or for dairy. It's terrible in ice cream stabilizers. Tapioca is much better in these cases. 

 

I only like corn starch for where it's traditional. Chinese sauces etc. It has a very assertive texture and look.