A roux is simply a cooked mixture of flour and fat (butter). It is used as a thickening agent for many French mother sauces. The fat is heated in a pot or pan, melting it if necessary, then the flour is added. The mixture is stirred until the flour is incorporated and then cooked until at least the point where a raw flour taste is no longer apparent and until desired color has been reached. The final results can range from the nearly white to the nearly black, depending on the length of time it is over the heat, and its intended use. The end result is a thickening and flavoring agent.
Light (or “white”) roux provides little flavor other than a characteristic richness to a dish, and is used in French cooking and some gravies or pastries throughout the world. Darker roux, sometimes referred to as “blond”, “peanut-butter”, or “chocolate” roux depending on the color achieved, add a distinct nutty flavor to a dish.
As an alternative to roux, which is high in fat and very energy-dense, some Creole chefs have experimented with toasting flour without oil in a hot pan as an addition to gumbo.
How to Make a Roux:
1.
Pour about ¼ c. of the oil in a small sturdy pan and place it over medium-low heat.
2.
When the oil is warm but not too hot, start stirring in flour with the wooden spoon until the mixture is thick – about the texture of wet concrete or plaster of Paris. Add more oil or flour until it’s right.
3.
Stir continually with the wooden spoon over the heat so the roux cooks. The flour will gradually begin to brown. The roux can be used when the flour is light golden in color. The darker you cook the roux, the more flavor it will add to the sauce. Don’t cook it past a mahogany color, though.
4.
Transfer the roux to another container to cool.
5.
Store roux in the refrigerator for a week, or freeze it in tablespoon-size wafers.
6.
To thicken a sauce with roux, let it cool so it won’t splatter and whisk it in to your boiling sauce base, like broth or pan drippings.
7.
Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to whisk until all the roux has been absorbed.
8.
Simmer for at least 20 minutes to allow it the sauce to thicken and become smooth.
