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Xanathan Gum

What is Xanathan Gum?

Xanathan gum is a food additive used as a thickening agent. It is produced through the fermentation of glucose with a bacteria found in cabbage, known as Xanthomonas campesteris. As a gluten free additive it can be used as a substitute in cooking and baking.

As a thickener, when used in low dosages, xanathan gum produces a weak gel with high viscosity that is shear reversible with a high pourability. It also displays excellent stabilizing abilities which allow for particle suspension.

Moreover, xanathan gum mixes well with other flavors without masking them, and provides an improved mouth feel to preparations. The presence of bubbles within the thickened liquids often makes way for light and creamy textures. It is used in the production of emulsions, suspensions, raviolis and foams.

Being a hydrocolloid, xanathan gum must be hydrated before use. High versatility allows it to be dissolved over a wide range of temperatures, acid and alcohol levels. A wide increase for viscosity allows this to be used with low concentrations ranging from 0.05% to 0.5% in most food preparations. In cases where too much xanathan gum is used, more liquid can be added to thin it out. Once set, xanathan gum may lose a certain amount of effectiveness when exposed to heat.



Related Xanathan Gum Articles

Xanthan Thickened Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe

Xanthan Thickened Roasted Tomato Salsa  Recipe image Salsas are a great way to add flavor to dishes. Roasting the vegetables first adds even more flavor to the salsa. Though if you're in a time crunch you can just use canned tomatoes and it will still turn out well. I love to serve this with a rich, heavy meat like lamb chops, chicken thighs, or braised beef. It can even work as a dip for chips!
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Pressure Cooker Brisket Peppered Beef Recipe

Pressure Cooker Brisket Peppered Beef Recipe image The other day I was up for some Chinese food but I didn't feel like ordering the greasy, starchy takeout from around the corner so I decided to make some myself. I had some extra brisket in the freezer that I wanted to use up so I went for a pressure cooked version of Chinese Peppered Beef.
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Chilled Cantaloupe Soup with Pea Shoots

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup with Pea Shoots image At this time of cantaloupe is just starting to come into season. They are tender and sweet and barely resemble the bland and watery winter versions. The local farmers market recently had some "Sugar Kiss" melons that I couldn't resist.
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Sous Vide Brisket Recipe with Cranberry BBQ Sauce

Sous Vide Brisket Recipe with Cranberry BBQ Sauce image Even though cranberries are a staple for Thanksgiving sauces they are often overlooked for more traditional sauces. Their combination of tartness and mild fruitiness is a great complement to many BBQ sauces. I like to serve this BBQ on a smoked and sous vided brisket.
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How to Keep Sauces from Separating - Ask Jason

How to Keep Sauces from Separating - Ask Jason image A big issue with purees, sauces, and emulsions is that they separate over time. With the addition of some modernist ingredients, especially xanthan gum, you can delay this process.
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Spinach-Garlic Dip Recipe

Spinach-Garlic Dip  Recipe image This recipe turns a popular spinach-garlic dip into a foam for dipping. It can be served with roasted pita squares or even just vegetables and chips. This dip also works great as a sauce to perk up the flavors of steak or chicken.
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Flank Steak with Chimichurri Recipe

Flank Steak with Chimichurri Recipe image Flank steak is full of beefy flavor and has a great bite to it. Serving it with chimichurri, a spicy garlic and parsley based sauce, is very popular in Argentina and other South American countries. This recipe makes an excellent choice for a party!
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Sous Vide Turkey Breast with Cranberry Chutney

Sous Vide Turkey Breast with Cranberry Chutney image This is a great meal anytime and pairs the sous vided moist and tender turkey with a sweet and sour cranberry chutney. Always a family favorite!
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Easy Aioli Dip Recipe

Easy Aioli Dip  Recipe image Aioli is simply a mayonnaise made with garlic and olive oil. This recipe uses an immersion blender to make the process super-easy and results in a light dip for vegetables or a spread on breads and toast. It's a popular addition to any party fare!
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Cranberry Chutney Crostini Recipe

Cranberry Chutney Crostini  Recipe image Cranberries are a great treat any time of the year. This recipe combines the tang from the cranberries with the smokiness from the ancho pepper. For a burst of flavor place on a crispy crostini and topped with with spices and mint. A great party treat!
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Pork and Roasted Strawberry Salad Recipe

Pork and Roasted Strawberry Salad  Recipe image For this recipe I roast the strawberries then puree them to form a sweet and tangy salad dressing. For a different flavor combination I serve it over a savory pulled pork and arugula salad.
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Shredded Beef with Spicy Tangerine Froth Recipe

Shredded Beef with Spicy Tangerine Froth  Recipe image This recipe uses the pressure cooker to turn an inexpensive chuck roast into a moist,flavor-packed beef entree and the whipping siphon to prepare a spicy tangerine froth topping. It's a fun and simple meal that will impress your family and dinner guests alike.
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Sous Vide Honey-Chipotle Glazed Country Style Ribs

Sous Vide Honey-Chipotle Glazed Country Style Ribs image This sous vide country style ribs recipe uses a honey-chipotle glazed to perk up the flavor of the dish. For a thicker, clingier sauce on your ribs, adding a tad of xanthan gum will make that happen!
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Mango Foam

Mango Foam image Versawhip and xanthan gum combine to make light foams that are a great way to add texture to dishes. It's a great topping for desserts and ice creams or can even be eaten as an amuse bouche between dishes.
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Sous Vide Bourbon-Maple Chutney

Sous Vide Bourbon-Maple Chutney image This apple chutney is a very flavorful topping that provides a savory punch to pork, fish or even on a dessert! This recipe sous vides the apples in a bourbon, maple syrup, chipotle and thyme mixture.
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Roasted Parsnips with Carrot Froth Recipe

Roasted Parsnips with Carrot Froth  Recipe image Roasting parsnips gives it an almost nutty taste, which holds up well to a topping of chipotle-carrot froth. The modernist ingredient of xanthan gum is used in the froth to help it retain the bubbles generated in the whipping siphon. This is a fun dish to serve as an appetizer or starter plate.
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Chocolate Covered Mint Marshmallows

Chocolate Covered Mint Marshmallows image This recipe takes classic homemade marshmallows and covers them in yummy chocolate. Mint and chocolate is a classic pairing and the soft marshmallows are a great way to hold them all together! A definite party favorite!
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Honey-Chipotle BBQ Sauce Recipe

Honey-Chipotle BBQ Sauce  Recipe image When I'm having wings I almost always reach for the honey-chipotle BBQ sauce. It's a delicate balance between the heat from the chipotles and the sweetness from the honey. Just be sure to make plenty, your guests will love it!
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Sous Vide Beer Brat Grinders with Guinness Mustard

Sous Vide Beer Brat Grinders with Guinness Mustard image Beer braised brats are a great summertime BBQ dish. I really like it served with a strongly flavored Guinness mustard on a toasted bun with grilled peppers and onions. Since the grill is already hot from the veggies, finish the brats with a quick sear to caramelize the outside and enjoy!
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Pea Pesto Recipe

Pea Pesto  Recipe image This recipe makes a clean and fresh tasting pea pesto dip that works great with just about everything, especially grilled sourdough bread, carrot and celery sticks, as well as roasted vegetable chips. This party favorite is quick and easy to put together and can be made with defrosted frozen peas - however, if you have access to fresh spring peas it'll be even better!
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Chicken with Teriyaki Froth Recipe

Chicken with Teriyaki Froth Recipe image This recipe tops sous vided chicken with a modernist froth to make a favorite dish that even pickier eaters tend to gobble up! By using xanthan gum in the teriyaki sauce you can turn it into a flavorful froth in a whipping siphon. Even a "basic" food can be the talk of the party!
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Sous Vide Shredded Duck Legs with Sesame Noodles

Sous Vide Shredded Duck Legs with Sesame Noodles image What to serve your guests something a little different but exceptional for dinner? In this dish I topped sesame noodles with shredded duck legs because they can hold up to the strong flavors of the pasta. You can serve this entree either hot or cold. It's sure to be a hit!
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Sous Vide Tarragon, Lemon, and Shallot Vinaigrette

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Blackberry-Peach Wrapped Pork Recipe

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White Bean Puree with Rosemary Oil Recipe

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Sous Vide Salmon Recipe with Apple and Jalapenos

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Sous Vide Asparagus Recipe with Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

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Sous Vide Tri-Tip Recipe with Roasted Fennel and Orange Salad

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Seared Tuna Squares Recipe

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Pulled Pork with Spicy Pineapple Chutney Recipe

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Watermelon Soup Recipe With Pickled Rind

Watermelon Soup Recipe With Pickled Rind image When watermelon is in season it's hard to resist. For some parties you need nothing more than to slice it and hand it out with paper towels for people to scarf down. However, sometimes you want something a little more refined and that's where this recipe comes in.
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Sparkling Grape Gazpacho Recipe

Sparkling Grape Gazpacho Recipe image Sweet green grapes are another favorite snack of mine and they're a great party food because most people really like them. For this more upscale dish I turn them into a sweet, fizzy soup. The xanthan gum helps hold the particles in suspension and the carbonation effect adds a pleasant tingle and tang to it.
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Lemonade Recipe with Blueberry Froth

Lemonade Recipe with Blueberry Froth  image This modernist recipe is a refreshing take on blueberry lemonade that changes the ubiquitous summer drink into a modernist creation your friends will love. It is a light blueberry froth dispensed on top of a glass of lemonade. The blueberry foam slowly filters into the drink, changing the flavor of the lemonade the longer you drink it. It is a quick recipe to make and is a great way to elevate a common drink.
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Aquarium Pump Grape Bubbles Recipe

Aquarium Pump Grape Bubbles Recipe image There are many different types of foams you can make using different modernist ingredients and foaming methods. This foam resembles bubbles and is made with xanthan gum and Versawhip that has been aerated with an aquarium pump. It's a pretty unique way to make bubbles and they are very interesting.
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Salmon Bites with Tomatillo Agar Fluid Gel Sauce Recipe

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Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Recipe

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Recipe image Not all dishes that use modernist ingredients have to be super fancy in-your-face dishes that look like they came from Alinea. This red pepper pesto crustini is a great example. It is a simple, hearty snack that is great when served as an appetizer or set out as hors d'oeuvres.
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Xanthan Strengthened Maple Vinaigrette Recipe

Xanthan Strengthened Maple Vinaigrette Recipe image This is a simple modernist vinaigrette to make and utilizes both xanthan gum and lecithin to strengthen and thicken it. I really like the sweet maple syrup with the tangy balsamic vinegar. This goes well on salads, especially ones with berries. You can also add a little more xanthan gum and use the vinaigrette as a sauce on fish or chicken.
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Cherry Whipped Methocel Foam Recipe

Cherry Whipped Methocel Foam Recipe image Modernist foams come in many varieties. They can be made by blending, in a whipping siphon, or even using an aquarium bubbler. This recipe focuses on a different type: whipped foams, specifically whipped Methocel foams.
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Xanthan Gum

Xanthan Gum image Xanthan gum, or just xanthan, is one of the easiest ingredients to work with. It is used extensively to thicken liquids; a great ingredient used to turn thin liquids into savory sauces. It quickly hydrates or disperses at any temperature, making it one of the few ingredients you can add slowly and instantly see the result. Also, xanthan gum does not lose its properties when microwaved.
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Xanthan Gum Banana Milkshake Recipe

Xanthan Gum Banana Milkshake Recipe image Xanthan gum is a great thickener and can be used with a variety of foods. Making low fat milk shakes is a great way to use it. Here we make a low fat banana milk shake.
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Xanthan Gum Balsamic Vinegar Syrup Recipe

Xanthan Gum Balsamic Vinegar Syrup  Recipe image One of the nice things about modernist cuisine is being able to thicken liquids without significantly diluting the flavor of them. There are several ingredients that can do this and here I use xanthan gum to make a balsamic vinegar syrup.
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