Tapioca Starch

An extremely useful thickener, tapioca starch comes in numerous forms. Each one of these exhibits its own special characteristics. Tapioca starch can be cooked sous vide with water for an hour or more to create a translucent colloid that itself can be used as a thickener or emulsifier. Brands such as Ultra-Tex 3 or 8 or Ultra-Sperse 3 are tapioca starches that have been hydrated or gelatinized to make them easier to use. They are effective thickeners and emulsifiers and are used in rather large concentrations, up to 6%. Ultra-Tex 3 and Ultra-Sperse 3 are so similar that they can be used interchangeably.