Demystifying Beef Broth Slurry: A Thickening and Flavor Boosting Secret Weapon

As home cooks, we’re always looking for ways to make our soups creamier, our stews heartier, and our gravies richer Enter beef broth slurry – an easy yet powerful trick for thickening and enriching sauces and braises But what exactly is this humble kitchen helper and how does it work its magic? Let’s find out!

What is Beef Broth Slurry?

A slurry is a mixture of liquid and starch used to thicken sauces, stews, and other dishes. Specifically, beef broth slurry is made by combining beef broth with a starch like cornstarch or flour.

When added to hot liquid, the starch particles swell and absorb moisture, increasing the viscosity and resulting in a thicker consistency. The beef broth provides concentrated beefy flavor in addition to the thickening power.

Slurries are great for

Thickening brothy dishes like stews, curries, and gravies
Stabilizing emulsified sauces like bearnaise or hollandaise
Giving texture to soups and chowders
Preventing leftovers from separating or getting watery

Compared to roux, slurries don’t require cooking the starch in fat first. You simply whisk them together cold and stir into hot liquid towards the end of cooking. Easy!

How to Make Beef Broth Slurry

Making beef broth slurry is a breeze. You just need two ingredients:

Beef broth – Use good quality broth for the most flavor. Homemade is best but store-bought works too.
Thickening starch – Cornstarch and all-purpose flour are most common. Other options include arrowroot, tapioca, or potato starch.

To prepare the slurry:

In a small bowl, whisk the starch with a bit of cold beef broth until smooth.
Gradually whisk in remaining beef broth until fully incorporated.
Add slurry to hot dish while stirring constantly. Bring back to a simmer to activate thickening power.
Let simmer 2-3 minutes until desired consistency is reached.

The starch-to-broth ratios can vary based on how much thickening you need:

Thin sauce: 1 tbsp starch : 1 cup broth
Medium sauce: 2 tbsp starch : 1 cup broth
Very thick sauce: 3-4 tbsp starch : 1 cup broth

And that’s it! Slurries come together in just a few minutes with minimal hands-on time.

Why Use Beef Broth Slurry?

Using beef broth slurry offers several advantages:

Thickening power – Slurries thicken dishes without needing extended simmering or reduction. The starch swells rapidly once heated.

Richer flavor – Beef broth adds meaty umami flavor and aroma to sauces. Enhances overall taste significantly.

Smoothing action – Starch molecules bind to proteins, creating a lush, velvety texture.

Stability – Thickened liquid is less likely to separate or curdle. Useful for finicky emulsions.

Control – Unlike roux, slurries are added at the end so you can tweak thickness as needed.

Convenience – No need to first cook starch in fat like a roux. Just whisk and stir in!

Slurries give you thick, luscious results without the fuss or constant vigilance of other methods.

Best Uses for Beef Broth Slurry

Beef broth slurry brings its magic to all kinds of dishes:

Stews and braises – Thickens broth into a rich, gravy-like sauce
Curries and chili – Balances out thinner curry dishes and chili
Gravies and pan sauces – Replaces roux for smooth, lump-free results
Soups and chowders – Adds body and luxurious mouthfeel
Casseroles and bakes – Prevents watery leftovers due to starch absorption
Sauces and glazes – Stabilizes and thickens ingredients like mustard or tomatoes
Stir fries – Thickens sauce to the perfect clingy texture

Any dish that could benefit from a flavor and viscosity boost is a prime beef broth slurry candidate!

Slurry Troubleshooting

While very simple, there are a few tips to ensure slurry success:

Use very hot, not boiling liquid so starch activates but doesn’t congeal
Whisk vigorously when adding slurry to prevent lumps
Add slurry in a steady stream, not all at once, while stirring
Simmer for a few minutes to eliminate any raw starch taste
Don’t boil or overcook the slurry or it can thin out or get gloppy
Make fresh each time instead of storing to avoid spoilage
For better dispersion, use cool or room temp broth to make slurry

Follow these best practices and you’ll have deliciously thickened dishes every time.

Alternatives to Beef Broth Slurry

Don’t have beef broth on hand? No problem! You can make slurries with:

Chicken, vegetable or mushroom broth – Use any broth appropriate for the dish flavor
Milk or non-dairy milk – For creamy slurries good in chowders or gravies
Wine or juice – Match the cooking liquid like white wine in a sauce
Water – Least flavorful but still provides thickening action

The basic technique remains the same no matter what liquid you use – just substitute an equal amount for the beef broth in the slurry recipes.

Final Thoughts on This Thickening Trick

Beef broth slurry is one of those unsung kitchen heroes that delivers impressive results for very little effort. With just two ingredients, you can transform thin, flat sauces into rich, voluptuous gravies in minutes.

Keep some broth and cornstarch on hand and you’ll be ready to quickly thicken and amplify flavors anytime the need arises. Master this simple technique and you’ll forever have better braises, sauces, soups and more!

Cornstarch Slurry

FAQ

What is broth slurry?

Find the most delicious recipes here flour and 1 cup warm beef broth into a jar. Step 6. Place the lid on the jar and begin shaking it. Shake the mixture until the flour has dissolved into the broth. This is mixture is called a slurry.

How do you make a slurry?

When preparing a cornstarch slurry, the standard ratio most cooks use is 1 part cornstarch to 2 parts cold liquid. To achieve the right consistency, always start with a 1:2 ratio and then adjust as necessary. The key is to mix it until smooth to avoid any lumps before adding it to your recipe.

What is beef slurry?

A reconstituted meat, meat slurry, or emulsified meat is a liquefied meat product that contains fewer fats, pigments and less myoglobin than unprocessed dark meats. Meat slurry is more malleable than dark meats and eases the process of meat distribution as pipelines may be used.

How do you make a beef broth slurry?

Put 2 tbsp. flour and 1 cup warm beef broth into a jar. Place the lid on the jar and begin shaking it. Shake the mixture until the flour has dissolved into the broth. This is mixture is called a slurry. Pour the slurry into to a saucepan filled with 2 cups warm beef broth. Stir the mixture the entire time you are combining the slurry and broth.

What is chicken broth?

Chicken broth is made by boiling chicken bones or meat in which other ingredients such as herbs, spices and seasonings are added to enrich the taste. As the meat and bones of the chicken are boiled, nutrients from the bones and meat leak out into the water and this makes the broth itself nutritious.

What is a soup slurry?

A slurry is a mixture of thickening agents and liquid to thicken soups and sauces. In Japan, we use potato starch (we call it katakuriko 片栗粉) to make a slurry. It is known to make a thicker texture than cornstarch can make.

What is slurry in cooking?

Slurry is your answer. What’s great about it, too, is that it’s such a super simple staple to cooking. It’s merely a starch added to cold water before you toss it into anything you want to thicken from chicken gravy to beef stew. What is Slurry? Most slurries are made with flour or cornstarch, but you can easily do your own rendition.