contribute the sensations of smoothness and
moistness to a sauce, and when used to
precook the flour in a roux, it coats the flour
particles, prevents them from clumping
together in the water, and so safeguards
against lumps.
Incorporating Starch into
Sauces
In order to thicken a sauce with starch, the
cook must get the starch into the sauce. Very
basic, but not so simple! If you add flour or
starch directly to a hot sauce, it lumps up and
never disperses evenly: the moment they hit
the hot liquid, the clumps of starch granules
develop a partly gelated, sticky surface that
seals the dry granules inside and prevents
them from dispersing.
Slurries, Beurre Manié, Floured Meat
Cooks use four methods for incorporating