slow cooker help! need to thicken

AussieLass

Well to me, a casserole is done in the oven in a pyrex dish etc & a stew is simmered on top of the stove (hob) in a saucepan. They taste similar. I often put dumplings on top of my stew. That extra layer on the hips. You need it in winter.

hathor

Another good thickener, which is often forgotten these days, is arrowroot powder. You can buy it in the home baking section. You mix a little with cold water to make a thin cream, then stir in, just like cornflour.

The difference is, it doesn't need to boil to thicken or be "cooked out" to avoid that "raw flour" flavour you sometimes get with thickened sauces.

Altogether easier to manage for a slow cooker, and no need to remove & return the liquid, or dirty a saucepan/use any extra fuel for the hob.

Zoelikesjam

hey everyone! playing with my new slow cooker and got a delish beef and ale stew in, however its ready but ive obviously put in far to much water and its to thin, what do i do/add to thicken it up?! i can take some of the 'gravy' off and freeze it as its lovely and full of flavours but id still need to thicken the actual stew! help!!! xxx

newlywed

Some suggestions (most of which I haven't tried) are:

Put the SC onto high and take the lid off to cook off some of the liquid.

Put in some cornflour and stir through and cook a bit longer till thickened.

Stir in some instant mash (though I have tried this one and wasn't too impressed )

Pink.

Hi zoelikesjam,

I usually stir in a little cornflour mixed in cold water and let it cook for a while longer but there are lots more ideas on this thread that may help:

slow cooker help! need to thicken

Pink

ivyleaf

i would try stirring in some cornflour (a couple of teaspoonsful to start with), mixed to a paste with some cold water - it will look runny, but will thicken the stew as it heats up. You could do this on the stove if time's getting short (transferring the stew to a saucepan first of course:o). If you haven't any cornflour, plain flour should do it - this is what I'd do anyway. If it's still too runny, you can add more cornflour/water mix.

(I was going to say "add some cut-up potatoes" and then realised that was for when a stew's too salty )

Edited to add - Thanks, Pink! You beat me to it!

ariba10

You could use Gravy Granules. It would darken it a little as well.

skiTTish

Yup ,cornflour or even normal flour if you dont have corn flour
Mix to a paste with a little bit of the gravy taken from the slow cooker ,then add back to the stew and cook on high until the flour taste cooks out .
I once added instant gravy granuals to a steak and ale casserole to thicken it and the tastes didnt go well together and it tasted really odd

dizzybuff

Make a roux , melt some butter in a pan , add flour and cook for a minute , keep stiring all the time , them add this to the slowcooker again stiring .. if ur gonna have beef n ale stew a little butter with glaze it and the roux thicken it .. itl be rich and indulgent .. by the way do you have anther chair for the table for me :P

KittyBoo_2

What do you use to thicken your gravy in your slow cooker.
I used onion gravy granules last week but needed quite alot to thicken it to how we like it.
It was too salty in the end.
Have you used cornflour and does it cook properly?