Xanthan Gum in sauce/gravy

Question

I'm making Salisbury Steak (https://www.skinnytaste.com/skinny-salisbury-steak-) but would like to substitute xanthan gum for flour to reduce carbs AND use coconut or almond flour (and / or psyllium husk powder) instead of bread crumbs. Instead of 2 T. Flour how much xanthan gum should I use? Can I use coconut/almond/psyllium husk powder instead of bread crumbs to hold the patty together?

Answer 1

The flour in this recipe is for thickening the sauce. You can use xanthan for this purpose, but in very small amounts...0.25 to 0.75% for a thin to medium running sauce. As you increase the amount, xanthan will make your sauce take on an unpleasant, mucous-like texture.

This is most easily calculated in weight (and metric). I'll have a go, and convert it back:

You have 2 cups of broth = about 480 grams + some other liquid. I would suggest 500 grams is a reasonable estimate. .25% of 500 grams = 1.25 grams of xanthan (start on the low end. You can always add more). There are about 4 grams in a teaspoon. I would suggest 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan as a reasonable starting point.