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Fluid Gel
What is Fluid Gel?
A fluid gel is a cross between a sauce, gel and a puree. This is a controlled liquid which has properties of all three preparations. A fluid gel displays viscosity and fluidity at the same time, being thick yet still spreadable.
Fluid gels behave as solids when undisturbed, and flow when exposed to sufficient outside forces. It is used in many culinary dishes, where fluids need to be controlled and provides a rich, creamy texture.
A fluid gel is created with the use of a base liquid that can come from many different sources. It is commonly extracted from fruits and vegetables, taken from stocks or even pureed from certain ingredients.
A thixotropic gelling agent such as agar or gellan is then introduced to the liquid to create a gel. Once set, the gel is then exposed to shear stress, such as blending to break it down.
The longer the substance is exposed to stress and the more intense the outside stress, the more fluidity is gained. This will likewise create a finer consistency in the fluid gel. These can be served either hot or cold since many gelling agents used for such preparations can be stable under high temperatures.
Related Fluid Gel Articles
Duck is one of my favorite meats to eat. I love the combination of tender meat with rich, creamy fat. In this recipe I pair it with some grilled asparagus and a blackberry-port pudding made from an agar fluid gel.
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I turn the sous vided brisket or chuck roast into shredded beef for flavorful carnitas covered in a sweet and spicy tangerine-chipotle sauce. I serve them with corn tortillas and avocado so they are easy to pick up and eat.
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I really like how the halibut goes with the sweet and tart citrus pudding. This is a simple dish but one that is full of subtle flavors. The orange and lemon help complement the halibut and the basil adds just a hint of spice to it.
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Looking to take your guests by surprise visually but still deliver that familiar and well-loved taste of peas and carrots? This recipe tops a roasted carrot plank with pea pudding and some pancetta for added flavor and texture. Zip it up with a modernist twist!
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Bacon and bourbon are two of my favorite foods and this recipe combines them in a smokey, spicy BBQ sauce that is great on wings, pulled pork, brisket, or about anything
else you can think of. The sauce itself is really tasty but the bacon chunks add great bursts of flavor.
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This great party snack use a crispy bacon base topped with a creamy corn custard and a spicy poblano chile fluid gel to make a rich and complex one-bite snack.
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This dip recipe combines the spicy heat of habanero peppers with the sweet taste of fresh ripe peaches. The resulting tangy dip is great on vegetables or even meat. By altering the amount of peppers used, you can raise or lower the heat to suit your guests.
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These Mexican inspired salmon bites pack a lot of flavor in a little package. The acidity from the tomatillos compliments the salmon perfectly and the crunch from the fried tortillas adds great texture.
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The use of gels in cooking is not a completely modern innovation. As a matter of fact, it dates back in history as far as early as the 1600's in Europe where it was derived from the bones of animals. In Asia, it is part of many traditional dishes which use plant extracts. This classic cooking component and technique has taken on a new life in the form of fluid gels in modern cuisine.
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The modernist technique of gelling or gelification is used very often to add texture and to create unique presentations in molecular gastronomy.
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A fluid gel is a cross between a sauce, gel and a puree. This is a controlled liquid which has properties of all three preparations. A fluid gel displays viscosity and fluidity at the same time, being thick yet still spreadable.
