Does anyone know how to thicken up certain foods?

Question

I made a really good dill dip & made sure to keep it in a tightly sealed container. My only problem is that it turned to liquid after a short amount of time. Does anyone know a way for me to thicken it up (& keep it so) without having to add more sour cream (& the other ingredients)?

Also, does anyone know of good thickeners for other foods too?

By the way, the dip was kept cool, didn't sit out, & stirring doesn't do anything to help it. The only ingredients are sour cream, a little bit of mayo, dill weed, salt & some onion & garlic powder.

Answer 1

Cornstarch is a thickener and it is used in puddings and gravy, that I know of, so you should be able to use it in dip as well. Try a tablespoon at first, then a second one if necessary. Dip made with sour cream tends to do this, it's just settling. If you stir it up it should help as well. I'd try this before adding the cornstarch though.

Answer 2

Would need to know the ingredients first of all. Something else that comes to mind is eating it directly out of the containter and it coming into contact with saliva (either by utensil or chip). Small amounts of digestive enzymes cause the food to break down quickly. Baby food will do the same thing if fed directly from the jar. As for thickeners, there are many, such as cornstarch for liquids. You can use small amounts of cornmeal to thicken salsas (tastes great too!). Flour has always been a good thickener for sauses, soups and stews. Tapioca and even barley work.

Answer 3

for a quick fix on something that is runny like dip or pudding, try some instant potatoe flakes that aren't 'flavored' with anything (just buy a box of generic to keep handy. These used in moderation can be a quick fix if your dip is slightly runny even after stirring. Ultimately stirring will usually redistribute the water into the mixture. The salt and garlic powder are what pulls the moisture out of the other ingredients.

Answer 4

Arrowroot powder will thicken most things.

As for the dip, I'm not sure what could thicken it now, but when I make mine, I add a little cream cheese to it and that helps it to stay thick.

Answer 5

I have had this happen to me when I used the fat free or low fat ingredients when I make dips and puddings. Once I went back to the regular cream cheese, sour creams, milks etc. My recipes turned out okay and weren't running and/or thin anymore.

Answer 6

cornstarch, wondra, and flour

whats in your dill dip recipe? i couldn't tell you how to thicken it up since I don't know the ingredients in it...did you try stirring it? was it kept cool or left out? if it was left out I wouldn't waste my time trying to thicken it, I would just toss it

Answer 7

When I make gravy I use flour to thicken it. You could also use gelatin, tapioca and cornstarch. Depending on the food that needs to be thickened.

Answer 8

Add a tablespoon of cornstarch to 1/4 cup water stir till dissolved and add to your soup.

Answer 9

corn starch works with grave and soups the best way to do this is to take a little of the broth and mix it with the corn starch and then add the mixture in to what you are trying to thicken. I tsp to strart

Answer 10

If you use a utensil and put it back into a container of food, you introduce bacteria into that food. The liquid you see is from bacteria! Throw it away. It's not safe to eat.

Always use a serving spoon to take a portion of food out of a container, and don't let that utensil touch a plate that's been eaten off of. Never eat off a utensil and put it back into a container of food that you plan to save. It's not safe.