skip to main content

What makes yogurt sauce curdle?

18 years ago

I made a sauce by adding some yogurt to a simmering pan of porcini, beef broth, and shallots. The yogurt immediately curdled (became grainy). What causes this, and how do you avoid it?

Also, is a sour cream sauce much the same as one made with yogurt?

RB

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

lindac
18 years ago
High heat....don't let the sauce come to a boil after you add the yogurt.
Linda C
Terri_PacNW
18 years ago
I'm thinking it's because yogurt doesn't have as much fat usually, so like milk it'll curdle once it goes to a bubble of any sort.
When I make a sour cream sauce, I just add a few big spoonfuls of sourcream to my barely simmering beef gravy. Instanly makes "stroganoff". LOL
Related Discussions
Sauces keep curdling or separating
Q
Comments (6)
The more fat in the dairy, the less prone to curdle. So try using more heavy cream and less half and half. The more heat, the more prone to curdle. Covering the pan was probably contributing. The more acid, the more prone to curdle. Use lemon zest instead of lemon juice. Finally, you can add flour or cornstarch to the sauce, this will mostly prevent curdling as well as thicken the sauce. I don't do a roux, just mix a bit of flour or cornstarch with some of the pan liquid in a little bowl, then whisk this slurry into the sauce, early on in the cooking process. It is normal to have to whisk pan sauce a bit to make it pretty and not lumpy or separated looking. That's different from the dairy curdling as you had.
...See More
Whole milk plain yogurt question
Q
Comments (5)
Dannon makes a whole-milk plain yogurt in quarts. It can be hard to find, though; sometimes it's hidden among the low-fat ones. Since it's a major brand, though, I bet you can find it somewhere near you. Greek yogurt is also increasingly available. I'd thin it with water for an Indian marinade. Whole milk yogurt is very different from low-fat, or worse, non-fat. They have (disgusting, IMO) thickeners added. But... for a marinade, low-fat should be okay. Add a little sour cream or plain cream or half-and half. Some of the spice flavors are carried in fats, so you want to get the fat content back up there somehow.
...See More
Wanted: Pizza sauce recipe (red sauce, but I'll also take a white!)
Q
Comments (23)
jerzeegirl, while I'm having some success with the cast iron, it's 10" on the bottom, and we need a wee bit bigger and I tend to mess up the dough getting it into the skillet - I still want a stone! Made another pie last night - way too much mushrooms, sausage, cheese, etc.! DH loved it, I found it far too filling! So you found 2 minutes to be the perfect parbaked crust too?! : - ) Hmmph, and I thought I was the queen of freezing - it had not occurred to me to freeze the crust after parbaking... I'll do that next time - what a time saver! Thank you! I do freeze my raw dough... I let it thaw in the fridge (cold fermentation) - anywhere from 2 to 6 days works well. I let it proof in an oiled bowl in a warm location for 2-4 hours. Then I use this method to stretch, but where he 'pounds' in the middle I don't, I like to just form my crust, then use my balled up fists to rotate it... we like a thin crust and bubbly thicker edge : ) I'll set the dough down 3-4 times to check it, and by then it keeps shape. This is the latest recipe I found that is a-mazing - ann_t'srecipe! I double the recipe, freezing all but one for a pie in a few days. At the bench cutting part is when I wrap to freeze. To all those who contributed to this thread, thank you so much! I used roasted plum tomatoes, added herbs (yes, plllog's marjoram too!), garlic, and just blended to a rough sauce - the sauce was far better! Next time I'll try ann_t's method of good canned tomatoes (must find!). Not cooking the sauce is the key for me - so thank you everyone!!! Lars, wish I had fresh herbs now to use, but next summer I will!
...See More
Hollandaise Sauce or Similar to make-ahead
Q
Comments (33)
Just in case this helps anyone else who wants to make Hollandaise, who wants to make it in advance, and doesn't own a blender (i gave mine away, it seemed duplicative with a big cuisinart, a mini food processor, a KA stand mixer and a hand held mixer. I might have one at my other house for mixed drinks IDK) . : ) So, i did another test run. I ordered an immersion blender, but then I noticed that the lid of my mini food processor has 2 small holes in it ... so i can add liquid while it is running. New to me! So, i used this recipe and my mini food Braun processor. https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/easy_blender_hollandaise_sauce/ When i was done, the sauce was 114 degrees. I put it in a glass measuring cup and put in my preheated warming oven, set at 100. This was at 6:30pm. I served it about 45 min later and it was perfect. PS I don't want to keep eating this very rich sauce every time I test it, so this time I made a wonderful lentil dish for myself and I had my halibut over that! https://minimalistbaker.com/coconut-curried-golden-lentils-20-minutes/
...See More
colleenoz
18 years ago
You can also stablise the yoghurt by stirring about a tablespoon of plain flour into it before adding it to the hot food.
grainlady_ks
18 years ago
As already mentioned, high heat is the cause.

1. Make sure your yogurt is warmed to room temperature - not cold from the refrigerator.

2. Don't add yogurt directly to a boiling or extremely hot mixture. Remove the cooked mixture from direct heat when adding yogurt.

3. Temper the yogurt by stirring a few tablespoons of the hot food into the yogurt, warming it gradually. Then stir the warmed yogurt into the hot mixture. Do this near the end of the cooking process so the yogurt won't heat too long. If you heat it too long, it will once again cause the curd and whey to separate and the sauce will curdle.

4. Be gentle anytime you are stirring yogurt. All that stirring activity breaks down the curd and reduces it to liquid.

5. Another alternative is to add cornstarch (as well as the flour method given by collenoz) to the mixture: allowing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch per cup of yogurt, dissolve the cornstarch in a small amount of cold water. Add this to your yogurt mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened.

6. If your warm cooking mixture thins out too much with the addition of yogurt, you can also try adding a little arrowroot or flour (1-2 tablespoons per cup of yogurt) mixed with cold water.

-Grainlady
Bob_B
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks all. Your advice is just what I'd hoped for.

I'm still interested in knowing the difference in using yogurt or sour cream, pluses or minuses of one over the other.

RB
lindac
18 years ago
In a word....fat! Even full fat yogurt doesn't have the same fat content as sour cream. Sour cream tastes different...not better or worse....just different.
Linda C

Related Stories

KITCHEN DESIGN 5 Mistakes We Make That Drive Kids Out of the Kitchen

By Aviva Goldfarb

To foster family time and culinary competence, here’s what we can do instead

HEALTHY HOME 12 Ways to Set Up Your Kitchen for Healthy Eating

By Becky Harris

Making smart food choices is easier when your kitchen is part of your support team

HEALTHY HOME 4 Ways to Create Healthy Habits at Home

By Tailorly, Professional Home Organizing

Do these things to your home to make it easier to get enough sleep, exercise regularly, eat right and relax

ENTERTAINING Best-Laid Plans: Designing Menus for Memorable Meals

Master the art of creating menus that make every occasion run like clockwork

KITCHEN DESIGN Back-to-School Action Plan: The Kitchen

By Laura Gaskill

Organize your meals with these steps to make sure your kids eat well at home and at school

EDIBLE GARDENS 12 Essential Herbs for Your Edible Garden

By Annie Thornton

Make home cooking and drinks even better with herbs plucked from your own backyard or windowsill pot

LIFE How to Stay Relaxed When Hosting Overnight Guests

Make sure their visit goes smoothly by following these simple steps

Working Ikea In

By Samantha Schoech

10 ideas for using pieces from the Swedish superstore to turn your room into a superstar

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: Be Your Own Artisanal Chef

By Mariko Jackson

You may never settle for prepared foods again with these cooking tools, gadgets and storage pieces

FALL AND THANKSGIVING Your Guide for a Simpler Thanksgiving

By Laura Gaskill

Ease the stress of hosting the big day with these tips

Sponsored

More Discussions

Thinking of Petalique--What's your top 5 quick take-out?

12

Bone broth help needed

3

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, Anyone?

11

Smile of the Day

6

10