How can I thicken stews/casseroles?

[tinyshoes]

Hi everyone, I love making casseroles in my slow cooker, but struggle with thickening them up - I am a novice at the slow cooker thing - can anyone give me any advice please? I have used gravy granules (pre-SW), and smash granules but doesn't seem to work - how does anyone else thicken theirs up please?

 

[Circes]

I was going to suggest powdered mash! HOw much do you add and when?

But I wonder if it's because you are using too much liquid in the first place? You need to use about half the liquid you would use if making it on the hob as the liquid has nowhere to evaporate to.

Or what I also do is to take the lid off for the last bit of cooking, then some liquid will evaporate away.

 

[mylittlepony1]

I use pearl barley - its yummy and not too bad calorie wise x

 

[evethewitch]

1 oz flour is only 5 syns and if it serves 4 thats only just over 1 syn

 

[scottish lass]

if my stew is too wattery,i leave the lid off for a while and some of the liquid evaporates

 

[Shirleen]

I would say potato flakes

 

[tinyshoes]

I was going to suggest powdered mash! HOw much do you add and when?

But I wonder if it's because you are using too much liquid in the first place? You need to use about half the liquid you would use if making it on the hob as the liquid has nowhere to evaporate to.

Or what I also do is to take the lid off for the last bit of cooking, then some liquid will evaporate away.

I don't really know how much I add, I just put maybe a couple of tbsp in to start with then keep adding until I think I can't really keep adding it, usually about half an hour to an hour before serving!! I use enough liquid to cover all the ingredients in the slow cooker as I am out at work all day so can't keep an eye on it or stir it round at all. Maybe I need to ladle some of the liquid out once I get home, add some potato granules and then cook for half an hour without the lid on? I might try this tonight as I have got a chicken casserole cooking as we speak!

 

[tinyshoes]

I use pearl barley - its yummy and not too bad calorie wise x

Thanks, is this syn free or low syn on SW?

1 oz flour is only 5 syns and if it serves 4 thats only just over 1 syn

Thanks, that's not a bad idea I hadn't thought of that.

if my stew is too wattery,i leave the lid off for a while and some of the liquid evaporates

Thanks, will try this tonight when I get home!

I would say potato flakes

Thanks, is this the same as 'Smash'?

 

[julie19]

I thicken mine with cornflour - a tablespoon is 3 1/2 syns I think - about 30 mins before I serve it I mix a tbsp with some water to make a paste, stir it into the stew then leave it for 30 mins, depending on how much stew you have depends on the amount of cornflour you will need, if it is for 4 people then I would say use 2 tbsp's

 

[Donnie46]

I use lentils, make's the gravy really tasty.

 

[Laurie]

i also just take the lid off for the last couple of hours this does really help to thicken up

 

[Mel2]

I believe pearl barley is free on green/extra easy (at least I've been counting it as free anyway so hope so!!)

 

[WifeOfBath]

Hi

I would leave the lid off for a while to let some of the liquid evaporate and then I use McDougalls Thickening Granules. They are 1 syn for a level tea spoon on green & origional. You can find them with the Corn Flour in most major supermarkets.

 

[soccermom]

Hi

I would leave the lid off for a while to let some of the liquid evaporate and then I use McDougalls Thickening Granules. They are 1 syn for a level tea spoon on green & origional. You can find them with the Corn Flour in most major supermarkets.

Thanks for that I did wonder about these

I have been using instant mash stuff, it works great

 

[sammymac81]

pearl barley is good i use it all the time and its free

 

[MrsBabyCakes]

I cut up a few extra potatoes and cut them extra tiny and they disintergrate over the time the stew cooks, and that thickens the stew. I also used pearl barley as well.

 

[CamilleBates]

I use Sainbury's sauce flour, I can't remember how many syns in it but you don't need much, you just throw the flour in as is and give it a stir. it goes lumpy at first, but once it's been cooking a little while the lumps disappear and it's perfectly smooth. You can use it to make low fat white sauce too It's something to do with the way it's milled.

Just been on syns calc....

15g (roughly a TBSP) is 2.5 syns xxx

 

[tinyshoes]

Thanks for all your advice - I tried the pearl barley and it worked a treat, unfortunately DH decided he doesn't like it although I think I used too much haha! I will try something else next time....

 

[Becca Wecca]

I make all my stews with 2 cans of chopped toms, no other fluids, then to thicken I just bung in some gravy granules and syn them x

 

[weenic1984]

I use Sainbury's sauce flour, I can't remember how many syns in it but you don't need much, you just throw the flour in as is and give it a stir. it goes lumpy at first, but once it's been cooking a little while the lumps disappear and it's perfectly smooth. You can use it to make low fat white sauce too It's something to do with the way it's milled.


Just been on syns calc....

15g (roughly a TBSP) is 2.5 syns xxx

If you mix the flour in some water to disolve and then put it in your stew it stops the white lumps.

I either use cornflour or instant mash