How To Make a Roux
November 16, 2011
•Le Cordon Bleu
•Minneapolis/St. Paul
• 0 Comments
How To Make a Roux
No, not a roo or a rue, but a roux. “And what is that?” you ask. At its simplest, a roux is a mixture of equal parts flour and a liquid fat used to thicken sauces, soups and stews. Rouxs are a major part of French, Cajun, and Creole cuisines. In fact, a roux is used as the base for three of the four “mother sauces” of French cuisine: béchamel, espagnole, and velouté. And while it helps to have Le Cordon Bleu training to know that, you don’t have to have it to learn the proper methods for cooking in Minnesota.
Traditionally clarified butter is used as the fat for roux, but other fats like vegetable oil, shortening, or lard can be used as well. Bacon grease is often used for dishes from Southern cuisine. Le Cordon Bleu training, however, would say clarified butter only.
Types of Roux
Regardless of the type of roux you are making, they all fall into two categories:
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Light or White Roux – Sometimes called blond or peanut butter roux, depending upon how long it is cooked, light rouxs are best for thickening lighter dishes like béchamel or white gravy
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Dark Roux – Dark rouxs are anything from slightly brown to a deep chocolate flavor. A dark roux is cooked longer than light and is often made with vegetable oil because its smoke point, the temperature at which it begins to burn, is much higher than butter. Darker rouxs have much less thickening ability than lighter rouxs and are used in Cajun and Creole gumbos and stews
Lower Calorie Alternatives
Obviously with all that fat, a roux can be tough on a diet. To achieve some of the affects as a traditional roux without all the calories, you can substitute cornstarch or arrowroot mixed with water. Be aware, however, that these substitutions are for thickening only. They will not contribute to the flavor of your recipes the way a traditional roux would, but your cooking in Minnesota will still benefit from their thickening abilities.
A Basic Roux Recipe
This simple roux can be used as a base for gravies, soups, and stews.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup clarified butter, vegetable oil, shortening, or other fat
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
Preparation:
- Melt 1/2 cup of your fat in a heavy skillet over very low heat
- Gradually sprinkle the hot melted fat with the same proportion of flour and immediately begin stirring
- Stir the mixture constantly until it reaches the desired color, which may take from 15 to 30 minutes. A darker roux will take longer to cook
- Remove from the heat and continue stirring until it has cooled down a bit and there's no risk of burning
- Add herbs, vegetables, or whatever your recipe calls for or store roux tightly covered in the refrigerator for later use
Note: If you are adding liquids to your roux, the liquids should be room temperature and added a little at a time ensure proper mixing and avoid clumps.
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Minneapolis/St. Paul offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs in the Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota area. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Minneapolis-St-Paul for more information.
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