What are the ingredients in El Mexicano sour cream?

El Mexicano sour cream is crafted with fresh, cultured grade A milk and sea salt to achieve its smooth, rich, and mildly tangy profile. This blend of dairy, thickeners, and salt creates its distinctive Mexican-style flavor profile, which differs significantly from traditional American sour cream.

Quick Summary

El Mexicano sour cream contains cultured Grade A cream and milk, sea salt, and thickeners like modified corn starch, gum acacia, and carrageenan for its characteristic smooth and pourable texture.

Key Points

• Key Ingredients: Cultured Grade A cream and milk are the primary dairy components.

• Stabilizers: El Mexicano uses modified corn starch, gum acacia, guar gum, locust bean gum, and carrageenan for texture and shelf-life.

• Flavor Profile: The product is delicately soured with a mild, fresh taste, complemented by sea salt.

• Comparison to Regular Sour Cream: El Mexicano Crema Mexicana has a higher fat content, a milder flavor, and a more pourable consistency than American sour cream.

• Culinary Use: Its high fat content makes it less prone to curdling, making it suitable for both cold and hot dishes.

• No rBST: The dairy comes from cows not treated with rBST hormones.

• Authentic Profile: The ingredient blend is designed to replicate the traditional texture and flavor of Mexican-style crema.

Breaking Down the El Mexicano Ingredient List

El Mexicano's Crema Mexicana, a popular Mexican-style sour cream, features a specific combination of ingredients to achieve its characteristic taste and texture. The ingredient list typically includes:

• Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Cream and Milk
• Sea Salt
• Modified Corn Starch
• Gum Acacia
• Guar Gum
• Locust Bean Gum
• Carrageenan
• Annatto (in some variations)

These ingredients, particularly the blend of cultured dairy and various stabilizers, work together to create the product's mild flavor and smooth, pourable consistency.

The Role of Stabilizers

Stabilizers such as modified corn starch, gum acacia, guar gum, locust bean gum, and carrageenan are included to ensure a consistent texture, prevent separation, and extend the shelf life of the product.

What El Mexicano Emphasizes is Absent

El Mexicano highlights certain qualities, noting that their Crema Mexicana is made from dairy sourced from cows not treated with the artificial hormone rBST, is trans fat free, and is certified gluten-free. It also carries the Real California Milk certification.

El Mexicano Crema Mexicana vs. Regular American Sour Cream

There are key differences between El Mexicano Crema Mexicana and typical American sour cream. The table below summarizes these distinctions:

Feature	El Mexicano Crema Mexicana	Regular American Sour Cream
Fat Content	Higher (closer to 30%)	Typically 18-20%
Flavor Profile	Mild, rich, slightly sweet	Pronounced sour or tangy
Consistency	Thinner, more pourable	Thicker, denser
Curdling	Less likely in hot dishes	Can curdle in hot dishes

Culinary Uses

El Mexicano Crema Mexicana is versatile for many dishes, especially Mexican cuisine. Its pourable nature makes it excellent for drizzling over tacos, enchiladas, and nachos. Its higher fat content helps prevent curdling, making it suitable for thickening sauces and soups. It can also be used in dips, dressings, and even some desserts.

Conclusion: Understanding What's in Your Mexican-Style Sour Cream

Understanding what are the ingredients in El Mexicano sour cream reveals how the product achieves its authentic Crema Mexicana characteristics. The combination of cultured dairy, sea salt, and stabilizers results in a mild, creamy, and pourable product distinct from American sour cream. This makes it an ideal ingredient for enhancing Mexican dishes without overpowering their flavors. For more information on dairy products, the California Dairy Press Room is a valuable resource.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary dairy ingredient in El Mexicano sour cream?

The primary dairy ingredients are cultured pasteurized Grade A cream and milk. The culturing process gives the product its mildly tangy flavor.

What are the thickeners used in El Mexicano sour cream?

El Mexicano uses several thickeners and stabilizers, including modified corn starch, gum acacia, guar gum, locust bean gum, and carrageenan, to achieve its smooth consistency and prevent separation.

How does El Mexicano Crema Mexicana compare to American sour cream?

El Mexicano Crema Mexicana has a milder, less tangy flavor, a higher fat content, and a more pourable consistency compared to thicker, more sour American sour cream.

Is El Mexicano sour cream gluten-free?

Yes, El Mexicano specifically notes that its Crema Mexicana is certified gluten-free.

Can El Mexicano sour cream be used in hot dishes?

Yes, due to its higher fat content, El Mexicano Crema Mexicana is less likely to curdle when added to hot dishes, making it excellent for thickening sauces and soups.

What is Annatto and why is it sometimes added?

Annatto is a natural food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree. It is sometimes added to certain El Mexicano products, like the Crema Oaxaquena, to give it a yellowish color.

Is El Mexicano Crema Mexicana the same as Mexican Crema?

El Mexicano's Crema Mexicana is their specific brand of Mexican-style sour cream, which is designed to emulate the characteristics of traditional Mexican crema. While not identical to every homemade version, it captures the mild flavor and pourable texture.

What are the main flavor components in El Mexicano sour cream?

The main flavors come from the cultured cream and milk, which provide a mild, dairy-rich tanginess, and the sea salt, which balances the overall taste.