How to keep seasonings from separating in soup

I’m cooking soup that consists of chicken broth, water, creme, butter, and puréed vegetables.

When we add the seasonings (sage, creole, etc), after a while the seasonings all float to the top.

I was wondering if there was anything I could add that would keep the seasonings from separating, but not drastically alter the flavor?

soup seasoning

Best Answer

You could use a bouquet garni.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Bouquet-Garni

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouquet_garni

The bouquet garni... is a bundle of herbs usually tied together with string and mainly used to prepare soup, stock, casseroles and various stews.The bouquet is cooked with the other ingredients, but is removed prior to consumption...

There is no generic recipe for bouquet garni, but most French recipes include thyme, bay leaf and parsley.[2] Depending on the recipe, the bouquet garni may also include basil, burnet, chervil, rosemary, peppercorns,[5] savory and tarragon.. Sometimes, the bouquet is not bound with string, and its ingredients are filled into a small sachet, a piece of celery stalk,[3] a net, or even a tea strainer, instead.

I have usually done this with cheesecloth. If your herbs are dried as in this picture that would be how you do it too. Make a bag of cheesecloth, fill it with herbs and tie it with string. Remove from the finished soup and throw it away, so you do not eat it by accident.

Pictures about "How to keep seasonings from separating in soup"

How to keep seasonings from separating in soup - From above composition of traditional Asian spicy soup with vegetables and corn placed on wooden board near edible sachets with spices served with salad and slices tomato

How to keep seasonings from separating in soup - From above of delicious miso soup with funchosa shrimps and mushrooms served with tofu cheese and sliced vegetables decorated with chopped parsley and chili peppers

How to keep seasonings from separating in soup - From above of collection of colorful aromatic dry condiments with titles in street market

Quick Answer about "How to keep seasonings from separating in soup"

If you boil them in a bit of water and pour it in the soup, that should get enough of the oxygen out. leaves are like little sponges, they either hold air or water. ...

As the herbs cook, they'll absorb water, so most will stop floating.

How do you keep seasonings from clumping?

Always store spices away from sources of heat, light and moisture. A great way to keep your spices from clumping is to simply add some dried beans into the spice shaker, assuring that the spice will shake out onto foods when requested. The beans will absorb any extra moisture in the jar.

How do you keep soup from separating?

Temper the milk before adding it to the soup by gradually adding small amounts of the hot liquid, warming the milk slowly; then add it to the soup. Add a little heavy cream to the soup to help prevent curdling. In milk-based soups, add acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes and lemon juice, to the milk mixture.

Why does my soup separate?

Separation in Cooking When making soup, recipes encourage cooks to begin with cold water that is brought to a long, slow simmer. This process allows fats to stay separate from the broth, rising to the top for skimming throughout the cooking. If the water comes to a boil, the fat will melt, becoming inseparable.

How do you keep butter from separating in soup?

Add an ice cube and lower the heat, whisking constantly; the shock can help bring it back together. Add a few additional tablespoons of cream warmed ahead of time to the soup mixture, whisking constantly. If the above do not work, whir the soup in a blender until smooth.

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More answers regarding how to keep seasonings from separating in soup

Answer 2

They're mostly “wood”, so unless they're particularly dense (like peppercorns), they want to float on water. But their flavors will have been mostly extracted by that time, so they've done their job.

A more viscous soup will slow their rise. A finer grind will improve wetting, and solvation by other molecules in the mixture, will slow aggregation and the resulting additive buoyancy that helps to overcome the viscosity. Just think of them like bubbles in a drink. The smaller they are, the slower they rise, and the better they stick to the glass.

Sorry I don't have a source right now, but I believe this would be explained by fluid dynamics.

Answer 3

My preferred method is to use a thickener or emulsifier to bind the seasonings to the liquid and prevent them from moving freely. This also makes the soup feel more filling. Depending on what kind of flavor or texture you'd prefer, you can use finely chopped/shredded potatoes or carrots(any starchy vegetable will work), cornstarch or potato flakes, or some combination thereof. Add the finely chopped or shredded starchy vegetables at the beginning of cooking to ensure that they fully dissolve into the stock by the time you're done.

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