That's all thanks to collagen, a component of connective tissue * that, when heated in liquid under proper conditions, converts into gelatin. If you've ever made a long-cooking stew or stock and found the liquid all jellied after a night in the fridge, that's gelatin at work. In its natural form, it gives stocks and sauces a thicker body and lip-smacking richness. Industrially extracted and processed into powder or sheets, it can also do a whole lot more.
*The vegetarians and vegans out there needn't despair: Gelatin substitutes, like pectin, kosher gelatin, agar, and carrageenan, can often be used instead—just follow package instructions to calculate the proper usage and amount. Once it's hydrated, or "bloomed," in a cold water-based liquid and heated up on the stovetop or in the microwave, the possibilities are nearly endless. Use a high concentration of gelatin and you'll get a firm, stiff texture, akin to that of Jell-O; reduce that amount and you can simply use it to enhance the viscosity of, well, whatever you want. Here's a look at gelatin's many delicious, wobbly faces.Photograph: J.
While naturally extracting gelatin from animal bones through a long simmer in water is the most common way to make a rich, full-bodied
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