Making a roux might sound complicated, but it's actually SO easy. Once you know how to make one, you'll be in love with all the things it can do. It's the perfect base for luxuriously smooth cheese sauces, (hellooo 3 Cheese Mac & Cheese) soups, and stews. Let's break it down.
What is a roux?
A roux is equal parts fat and flour. Typically, fat comes in the form of butter (that's the French way) but any fat works! Fat is heated to a liquid state in a pan, then flour is whisked in and cooked until no longer raw. For a blonde roux, this will only take a couple minutes. If a dark roux is what you're looking for, (common in Cajun cuisine like seafood gumbo) simply continue cooking, whisking constantly, until roux has darkened to your desired color.
What can I use a roux for?
So many things! As mentioned above, a roux is the perfect base for thickening cheese sauces or cheese dips. It's also the base for 3 of the 5 classic French mother sauces. (That's
béchamel, velouté, and espagnole if you're counting.) In Cajun cooking, it's used for making gumbo and jambalaya—many times starting with oil or bacon fat instead of butter. In Japan, many curries are started with a simple roux of butter or oil and flour, with the addition of curry powder. Roux is made all over the world, and used for countless different dishes.
So, now that you're in the know, let's see how it's done step-by-step.
Step 1: Heat your fat.
In this case, we're using butter. Put your skillet (any type will do) over medium heat and add your fat. Keep a close eye to make sure it doesn't burn!
Step 2: Add your flour.
That's regular old all-purpose flour, by the way. Sprinkle it over your heated fat and whisk constantly to combine the two.
Step 3: Cook until no raw flour remains.
Within about 30 seconds of whisking, your flour and fat should be bound together and smooth. Almost immediately it will take on a thin paste-like consistency and will be lightly bubbling. Continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, until all the raw flour flavor has cooked off. If you're using your roux to thicken a soup or sauce, then you're good to go! If you're making a recipe that requires a darker roux, read on...
(Optional) Step 4: Continue cooking for a darker roux.
If your recipe requires a dark roux, keep cookin'! Just don't turn your back on it, or it WILL burn. (Word to the wise, from the neglectful. 😉) Whisk constantly until your roux has darkened to your desired color. If you're making a dark roux, chances are you'll want to use a fat with a higher smoke point, like vegetable oil. Since butter has a low smoke point, it's more likely to burn, and you'll need to cook the roux at a lower temperature for longer to avoid burning.
That's all there is to it! Once you've mastered roux-making, you've got tons of sauces, stews, and soups to play around with. Try using a darker roux to add a rich, nutty flavor to beef stew, and a lighter one to thicken soups like New England clam chowder. Soon you'll be saucin' like a pro.
