Guide to making a roux Roux
A roux, pronounced “roo,” is one of the building blocks of cooking. It’s a fundamental technique for new cooks to learn, and one of the first things taught in culinary school. It’s the secret to making silky sauces, rich gravies and luscious mac and cheese.
A roux is a simple ratio of 50% butter to 50% flour. The butter gets melted, the flour is added, and the mixture gets cooked over lowheat until it’s thick and lump-free.
At this point, most recipes will instruct you to slowly add a liquid such as broth or milk, and this is where the magic happens. The roux dissolves into the liquid and thickens it into a silky-smooth sauce.
A roux is primarily used to thicken gravies and cream sauces. Because the flour is cooked, you don’t have toworry about the flour clumping and ruining the texture of your sauce. (If you’ve ever tried to add flour directly into a hot liquid, you knowwhat I’m talking about.) A roux should only be used to thicken sauces that are not meant to be clear, as it will turn a clear liquid cloudy. It’s the go-to tool for thickening pot pie filling, mac and cheese, and rich dairy sauces.
Depending on howlong you cook your roux, the color can range frompale white to dark brown.
Each roux has its own unique use, and they are not interchangeable, so it’s important to knowthe differences.
1. White roux: Awhite roux is the most common type of roux used to thicken sauces. The flavor is mild, and it has the strongest thickening power of all three roux types. It is most often used to thicken white sauces, such as a béchamel, country gravy and cheese sauce. It does not impart a noticeable color or flavor. It’s also somewhat thicker and more textured than darker rouxs. The longer you cook it, the smoother it becomes.
2. Blonde roux: Similar to a white roux, a blonde roux can be used to thicken any white sauce. It’s cooked for a few minutes longer than a white roux and develops a mild, nutty flavor. A blonde roux is traditionally used to thicken velouté (stock thickened with a roux) and has slightly less thickening power.
3. Brown roux: A brown roux is the least common type of roux and is used for only a handful of cooking applications. It imparts a strong nutty, toasted flavor. Traditionally brown roux is used to thicken rich sauces such as sauce espagnole, and is one of the main flavoring components in gumbo. Brown roux has the least thickening power out of all three rouxs. 1⁄ cup
2 tablespoons ( 1⁄ stick) unsalted butter
2
1⁄ cup all-purpose flour
2
1. Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large regular or cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat.
2. As soon as the butter is melted, add 1⁄
2 cup all-purpose flour and immediately stir with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight motion until the flour has completely absorbed all of the butter, 30 seconds to 1 minute. There should be no dry pockets of flour left in the mixture.
3. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth, slightly thickened, and small bubbles begin forming, 30 seconds to 1minute. The roux should smell nutty, and there should be no unincorporated flour left. If any lumps of flour remain, break them up with spoon.
4. At this point, you have a white roux that is perfect for using in light sauces, such as béchamel. For a blonde roux (which can be used interchangeably with a white roux but has a slightly nutty flavor), continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the roux is a pale golden color, 3 to 4 minutes. For a brown roux (most commonly used to thicken gumbo), cook until the roux is dark brown and very fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Recipe notes: Roux can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 30 days, and will harden into a firm mass. To use, break off the desired amount and whisk directly into soups, sauces and gravies until completely dissolved. Cooking oil can be substituted for the butter. Olive oil, canola oil and vegetable oil would all work well in this recipe.
Makes: 4