dissolving the gelatin

[OrangeJuiceManiac]

i use the great lakes hydrolyzed gelatin and when i use it, it forms a chunk in the liquid that i am using....i usually just take a spoon and swallow it like a pill....is there any problem w/ this or does it have to be fully dissolved in the liquid?

 

[nwo2012]

As long as you add the liquid to the powder slowly and stir, lumps do not form.

 

[jyb]

Something that works even for the non-hydrolyzed version: place your gelatin in a cup, pour near-boiling water over it but just enough to have it covered. Then stir firmly - the result should have a uniform colour and will be viscous. The key there is to put the right amount of hot water, but better to put too less and adjust. Then add more hot water, which will dissolve the viscous paste within 10 seconds.

 

[OrangeJuiceManiac]

okay but is there any problem with doing this? will it not be effective?

 

[jyb]

okay but is there any problem with doing this? will it not be effective?

I would have thought its more effective if properly dissolved. As mentioned on this forum, it's when the gelatin is dry and non dissolved properly that digestive issues appear.

 

[jaketthomas]

Yeah, the colder the beverage seems to be, the less the gelatin will dissolve. When you add gelatin to coffee, do it before you add the milk. I've made Jell-O with Beef Gelatin, and part of the process of getting it dissolved properly is placing it over low heat, and stirring, until it's 100% dissolved. Otherwise, it would never dissolve in a million years if I kept the water/juice cold.

 

[peat415]

Love the gelatin To use it easily put a little cold water in a bowl (3-4Tbl) shake the gelatin powder (2-3Tbl) over the cold water covering the whole surface with powder in a thin layer. Let it sit for 5 minutes. The gelatin will hydrate and won't be powder anymore. If you add too much powder then run a little cold water over the top and let it sit some more. Now you can use it to make clear gelatin. Scoop the hydrated gelatin into a larger bowl. Boil 1-2 cups water. Pour hot water over hydrated gelatin. Stir to dissolve. Let this sit until firm.

I scoop this out by the spoonful and dissolve it in any hot drinks I'm having or add it directly to cooked dishes like soups or stews to counteract the tryptophan in meats.

I don't try to use gelatin that has firmed up in any cold drinks. That will not dissolve. However, while the gelatin is still warm and liquid from the above method you can add it to cool drinks, as it won't firm up immediately.

If I want a cold gelatin based treat I often follow the above method but melt the hydrated gelatin into hot sweetened milk for a panna cotta a cross between a pudding and jello.

I tried making orange juice gelatin this morning and it worked well. I only barely heated 3/4C of juice to melt the hydrated gelatin and then added 1 1/4 C cold juice and it set in the fridge in 45 minutes.

 

[BingDing]

I also like it set up, like jello here in the US. Knox says 1 tbsp gelatin to one cup water or fluid, 1/4 the fluid cold and add the gelatin, let set for a few minutes while boiling the other 3/4 fluid, pour boiling fluid into the wet gelatin, put in fridge for 1+ hours.

When I was a kid I'd mash up my jello with a fork and pour half and half over it, then drink it. Yummy, maybe there is intuitive Peating. Now I put about a cup of jelled in the blender and some oj and mash it into small pieces, add that to 2/3 milk and 1/3 oj. Tastiest drink on earth, IMHO, sometimes I can hear the angels singing as if I'm near to Nirvana, yowza.

Great Lakes also says 1 tbsp gelatin gels one cup of water. But I've been making it double strength, 4 cups water or oj and 1/2 cup gelatin powder, plus a teaspoon so 50g protein per batch.

 

[Ingenol]

I just put a little bit of room temperature/cold water in my mug, add a few teaspoons of gelatin and let it gel (takes max 2 minutes). Then I pour in boiling water, add sugar and honey to taste and drink. I call it liquid jello and it's delicious!

 

[Jenn]

Undissolved gelatin can give some people a tummy ache. Dissolved is gentler.

 

[jyb]

Undissolved gelatin can give some people a tummy ache. Dissolved is gentler.

I confirm that sensitive individuals need caution. I used a fair amount of the non-hydrolyzed version, though it was well dissolved (no dry clumps, which is quite tricky to avoid I find), maybe 50g or more in one day. Transit time got unusually reduced and I got some hypo symptoms, it seems like it was too much gelatin even though I took care in dissolving it.

 

[caroline]

I can't remember whose post I saw, but it gave me the idea to try my unhydrolyzed this way: Instead of putting in cold water (or milk as I did), then sprinkling, (which requires doing it evenly, etc.--more of a pain), I just dumped in gelatin, poured boiling water on top, mixed, and then poured more hot water in. Easy peasy. Done. The sprinkling and waiting took more effort. Now I don't mind having unhydrolyzed.