Can you use potato flour to thicken a stew?

[KatyMac]

I used to use ordinary flour with a bit of cold water made into a paste stirred into the gravy/juices to make a lovely thick gravy

But I'm gluten free now & cornflour sort of makes it gloopy and it doesn't reheat like it should

Would potato flour work & if so how?

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

SMASH is excellent for thickening soups and gravys.

[KatyMac]

I am very bad at trying new things - it's often the smell that stops me; with gluten free bread the smell is awful

I blend for soup & I love the mushy veg of a slow cook: I rarely brown meat & almost never in flour (so that's one thing I don't need to replace )

I'm a bit of a wuss really

[Giraffeski]

Katymac, I always add a finely chopped sweet potato to my stews- it thickens the sauce nicely without needing to add flour. I know what you mean about cornflour going a bit gloopy but I do think it tends to be when I've used too much. Have you also tried tossing the meat lightly in gluten free flour ( eg doves farm) before browning? That works, I always do it when making a pork casserole ( never for anything else, don't ask me why as it does work!)

[PigletJohn]

If you have a stick blender, you can also whiz up cooked veg in the juices or gravy to thicken and also add flavour. Typically carrots, onions, parsnips. When doing a pot roast I often do that with the roots done round the meat, as they are too soft by the time the meat is ready.

[antimatter]

are you OK with trying new things?
more suggestions here:
chowhound.chow.com/topics/812184

[KatyMac]

It's not a great taste

& unfortunately I have some anxiety/stress around food which really isn't helping

[antimatter]

when changing stle of cooking we are unlikely to recreate old taste
if you are gluten free - have you tried using gluten free flour for this purpose?

[KatyMac]

No FODMAP; with some intolerances

[antimatter]

are you following paleo diet OP?

[starfishmummy]

Mcdougalls thickener is potato flour and I have used that.
If you want a clear liquid then use arrowroot


Or just mash a potato into it.

[KatyMac]

Potatoes (& sweet potatoes) - Chips, roast, mash (with olive oil), baked (with ikky spread), potato cakes (with gluten free soy sauce), hash browns,

Meat - Lamb, chicken, beef, sausages (if I can find any I like), bacon, gammon, ham,

Fish - Plaice, smoked salmon, salmon, smoked haddock, haddock,

Carrots, (swede, parsnip, turnip - but I'm not a massive fan)

A tiny bit of: Banana, onion, leek, beans (baked or heavily processed), peppers, tomato

Fry's chocolate cream, jelly tots, jelly babies


I'll add to the list as I think of it

[KatyMac]

There is a significant conflict between what I don't eat (rice, pasta, Liver, seafood) & foods I can't eat (Pulses, onions, garlic, egg, dairy, coconut, almond, green veg, raw fruit, gluten - this is the newest)

& one of my biggest issues is that dairy free & gluten free seem to mean packed with chemicals & I've always tried to eat a bit naturally

[KatyMac]

I used potato flour & I've just eaten Lamb Shank - & it was lovely

I'm being a bit pathetic over this but I am struggling with this newest dietary restriction - I was never an adventurous eater & I am really out of my comfort zone

[KatyMac]

Are Lentils pulses? If so I can't have them either

[antimatter]

I remember adding mustart powder to add savoury flavour
I would fry it first on some oli

[KatyMac]

I guess I just am used to a thickness & taste that maybe I can't have anymore

[antimatter]

Maybe stop at 1/2 tbsp for say 2 pints of liquid?

[KatyMac]

With ordinary flour I use a couple of tablespoons
With cornflour I use half a tablespoon & then use more if after cooking it isn't thick enough

[antimatter]

How much of flour do you use at a time?
Maybe start with 1/2 tbsp?

[KatyMac]

Oh so it might be not better than cornflour

Oh poo!

[KatyMac]

If I use less cornflour it isn't very thick & when I microwave it the next day the gravy is never 'fluid' it's a bit jelly & the 'taste' is a bit off the second day