how do you make your roux?
 

in response to the store bought roux vs home made question, I thought it would be great to have a thread where people compared how they make their roux.

its amazing how something so simple can be made so many different ways so lets hear from you guys about your own favorite way to make a roux and do you make different roux for different dishes or is it always the same roux you make for everything.

I, and im sure many others, would find this very educational and learn more about how to made a better roux

im a rookie so I just make the plain flour and veggie oil roux for everything I cook.

I make simple roux's with butter of bacon drippings.............my gumbo roux is made the night before....

I let the oil settle on top and drain it off.
I get my meat browned down and add the water and vegetables, then I spoon in the roux a little at a time..............gives me the exact consistency I want.

My grandmother made a roux every Sunday afternoon and used it all week long in whatever she cooked...........kept in on the counter right next to the bacon grease

1 cup of oil
1 cup of flour


I put my oil in the pot and let it get hot under a med heat on a 32,000 BTU burner in a 8 qt magnalite pot or a 12" cast iton skillet

I add my flour abour 1/4 cup at a time and whisk it in with a metal whisk that I picked up at the Dollar General

I stir till it looks like peanut butter then I turn it off.

For a small roux 1-3 cups I use equal parts flour and peanut or veggy oil. I prefer peanut oil because it has better heat tolerance. For roux bigger than 3 cups I use slightly more flour than oil. Stir over medium heat until you have the color you want. I like a chocolate color for gumbo. After the roux is done add veggies and water and bring to a rolling boil to seperate the oil. Turn off and let the oil float then dip off with a spoon or ladle. Do not add your stock until you dip off the oil. Once your chicken/duck stock goes in no more dipping. You want that good fat to stay in there.
There is 15 cups in a 5lb bag of flour. That is the biggest roux I have ever made. It took forever but it came out great.

why do you drain off the bacon grease? does it change the taste of the dish too much if you dont? just seams strange to me to drain off butter or bacon grease but then im not looking to be healthy lol? :confused:

I thought the whole point of using butter or bacon grease was to not have to drain it off after?

veggie oil yea I always drain that off and scoop out any of whats left at the end, don't need that because it adds nothing but bacon or butter is always a flavor worth keeping in it I would think

The Magic of Chef Paul - Making a Roux: http://youtu.be/Np3uGcdQNUw
The master at work. This is pretty much how i do it

Even when using butter or bacon grease I like to get most of it out. They heavy amount of butter, oil, or fat doesn't do well for some peoples stomach. You will never get it all out though. Will be plenty left for flavor.

I have a 2 qt cast iron pot specifically for making roux. Nice bottom and a wooden spoon that is the perfect combination.

More often than not I prefer a butter roux. For duck gumbo I use rendered duck fat.

http://www.drodd.com/images8/funny-gif/funny-gif17.gif


http://fifthperiodlunch.com/wp-conte...-guy-dance.gif

Fixed it for you!

dry roux made it the oven is easy and makes pretty darn good gumbo as well with the best part being little grease to worry about skimming off

I've always used store bought roux but want to start making my own. I don't usually measure how much I put in my gumbo, I just know how much I usually use and put about the same amount every time. How much do you guys that make your own usually use in a normal pot of gumbo?

1 part oil (just started using avocado oil ) higher smoke point than peanut oil.
1 part flour.
heavy aluminum pot. wooden spatula.
Heat oil on medium heat. add flour and stir constantly till as dark as you want.
Add veggies and stir. The sugars in the veggies will darken the roux as they caramelize. then add water or stock to thin it till it is what you want.

for me its based on the pot im using so whatever pot im cooking in I add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pot with a thin layer (about 1/16" but definitely not over 1/8") then I add the same amount of flour so its 50/50 so its like a thin liquid paste.

maybe I do it wrong but I don't pre-heat the oil I just throw both in and turn on the fire

I still havent tried making it like this yet. Riceland makes a bad arse gumbo with that dry roux. Very little grease and none of the accompanying heartburn.

I'll always make mine with oil and flour in my black pot then add the trinity to caramelize and then the stock until its the consistency I like.

Bout dang time you chimed in. :)

I think the oil to be skimmed off top comes just as much from the greasy AZZ sausage and chicken skin in there as it does from the little you use for the roux

Great thread keakar. Got a lot of new ideas for roux because of it. If there are smilimg faces and empty bowls you did it right no matter how you did it.
Remind me to never get in a gumbo cook off with Ragin Cajun or SigNate. I don't like a voluntary azz whoopin. :)
Dem boys got skills :)

Agree and disagree. The chicken skin and pork fat will add oil to the.gumbo but its good oil in my experience. The natural oils are easier on the stomach. Again this is my experience.
Make roux. Add veggies and water. Boil hard to seperate oil then turn off and let stand. Scoop off bad oil and continue with gumbo. Add chicken, duck, or pork stock after the heavy oil is gone.

Roux


A Roux is just oil and flour cooked until brown. Now doesn’t that sound easy!

Making a Roux is not hard and does not have to take very long after you get the feel of how to “brown” the flour without burning it. Small portions can be frozen for later use.

To Make a Roux (Small batch)

Remember ....... While cooking the Roux, you have to almost continuously stir it to prevent burning the flour. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the skillet to completely mix the Roux.

• Add 1/8 cup Vegetable oil to skillet.........this can be either an iron or non-stick skillet.
• Turn on high heat and sprinkle in about 1/8 cup flour.
• Mix the flour and oil using a wooden spoon or spatula, as the mixture heats up. Add more flour until the mixture is fairly thick.
• When the skillet is fairly hot, turn fire down to medium heat.

Continually stir the mixture while it cooks. The cooking time should be 15 to 30 minutes and depends on how hot the burner is set. If there is no browning after 5 minutes, turn the burner up a little. If the mixture starts to turn brown too fast, remove skillet from burner for a couple of minutes to slow down the cooking but keep stirring it. Lower the burner temperature a little and then continue to cook the Roux.

Learning how to cook the Roux takes some experience. Too hot a fire and it can burn........Too low of a fire and the mixture will take 10+ minutes to just start turning brown.
If the Roux starts turning brown fast (less than 5 minutes) the fire is too hot, remove from fire, keep stirring and allow it to cool.

Once the Roux gets to the desired color (somewhere between light brown and dark brown) turn the burner off and quickly cool it or the Roux will continue to cook. The Roux is very, very hot.

Cooling can be done by slowly spooning the Roux into your cooking pot (Gumbo, Jambalaya, etc.) and mixing with the liquid.

Or.........slowly adding water to the Roux and mixing.
Or.........I often add chopped onions, to sauté them a little first and then add water to cool down.

Smell Test

If you have any doubt that you may have burned the Roux...smell it....... If it smells bunt......better to start over than to use it and ruined your food.

Uses for Roux

A Roux is used to boast the flavor of and expand various recipes. A Roux can be added to any of the following:

Gumbo Soup Bisque Stew
Jambalaya Sauce piquaute Pot roast Gravy
Creole Fricassee

Micro Wave Roux

The absolutely best way to make a Roux is in a Microwave Oven. I don't expect to convince any die hard's cause I wouldn't have believed it myself if I didn't try it. I've been doing it for a few years....

Put 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of oil in a large microwaveable bowl... Whisk good... Place in micro wave - cook on high for 4 minutes - Whisk , cook for 2 minutes - whisk, cook for 1 minute, whisk...keep micro waving and whisking for 1 minute intervals until it is almost the color you want then remove from oven but continue to whisk every few minutes until it cools. Remember, it will continue to darken even after removed from the oven, that's why I said "Almost the color you want" -Total cooking time about 10 to 12 minutes. You can then stir it in the pot with your seasoning vegetables that are already softened before putting the mixture in the stock.

I see now, I never did it this way

Heavy oils.... Vegetable, conola, peanut oil can be harsh on ones stomach in my experience. Even when using butter I like to scoop off as much as I can.
Gumbo is a very rich dish. Given the high fat/oil content it does not agree with some. In the fineshed product I want matural oils to take over not heavy gmo oils.

I ain't skerred. I think a cook-off/hang-out/fish/hunt weekend would be a hoot. Renting those big cabins is very cheap per person if you get one that sleeps 10+. One thing is for sure tho, BlueChip is the jambalaya MASTER

That would make a great fund raiser for little angels or something like that. I used to compete in a gumbo cookoff for the red cross. Hmmmm. We sold the gumbo after it was judged. Good reason to hang out and visit with everone too.

thanks, I was hoping for this to be a very educational thread and it is

I figure no one is ever too old to learn something new or different :cool:

im sure there will be more educational secrets to come as well as others join in

the simplest and easiest things are often the easiest to screw up and have the widest variation in how different people do it just like some people leave the smoke sausage slices whole while others cut them in half, at my house they go trawling in the pot for meat so I cut them in half moons so they get less when they fill up the scoop but they still get a bowl full of meat

I have learned several new ideas from this thread.
Sig gota bust up in here with a rendered duck fat roux and make us all look like roux virgins.lol.
That dude is a beast.
Can't wait till it's time to bust some squirrels and make a roux over a fire for squirrel and tomatoe gravy :)

I'm going to the gumbo fest in bridge city, la oct 11 oughtta be some interesting techniques. If any of Yall live close, hit me up, we'll. Grab a brew or something

I haven't seen it mentioned yet but its real important to use All Purpose Flour and not Self Rising! Self rising will not incorporate with stock/water and will separate.

Roux
 

.
TRADITIONAL
CAJUN & CREOLE ROUX
Ingredients:
Flour (white or wheat)
Oil or Butter (optional)
Water (optional)
Seafood Stock (optional)
My grandmother claims that the
secret to a good roux is to stir and
stir and stir until you’re almost wore out.
Roux is the foundation for many Louisiana dishes, such as gumbo,
ettouffees, sauce piquantes, and more. Many authentic Cajun &
Creole dishes require a roux, otherwise known as a Cajun gravy
that gives the recipe rich flavor. Roux is a mixture of flour and oil.
The proportion is roughly 1 to 1 portions. There are levels such as
light, which Cajuns call "blond", medium "peanut butter" colored,
and dark roux. Some
Creole cooks prefer a
blond or medium
roux, and many
Cajun cooks prefer a
very dark smoky flavor
roux.
To make a LOWFAT,
healthier roux, do not
use oil or butter as
the traditional roux
called for. You can
brown your flour in
the skillet without
oil. Just stir it continuously
until the flour
is the brown color
that you want. It can
be dark or light
brown. The darker,
the more flavor. You
can also brown the
flour in the oven or
the microwave. I
remember my great
grandmother standing
at the stove stirring
for what seemed
like hours. I know it wasn’t really hours, but it was long enough to
make my stomach begin to growl. To make the gravy, add a little
water or seafood stock with the onions. Stir and add more until the
gravy is the consistency that you need it to be.

Now your roux is ready to use in a Cajun recipe that requires it or
you can just pour a roux over rice or biscuits or french bread.
NOTE: In a separate skillet while the flour is browning, you can
brown onions in a little olive oil or broth until they are wilted to add
to the gravy for more flavor. ANOTHER NOTE: You can store
browned flour in jars until you need it to make it roux for future
dishes.

Made the mistake once of using my wifes bread flour insteap of AP flour. Roux was good but I thought my wife was gona kick my butt.lol

My niece will be there..... shes the Chackbay Gumbo Festival Queen

Thanks lol..... Wish I had a big bowl of it right now.

I have enjoyed this thread. Read several different methods I want to try. This thread has been more informative than a cookbook. Thanks for the responses.

Never had your jambalaya but between the pics and the testimonies I'll have to agree on the master part.
This forum has been really active this week and I like that. Everytime I look it's 10+ people viewing. New ideas are rolling in.
It's the time of year that we all start wanting hot roux and a warm fire.
A safe and good hunting season guys. Plenty of roux gona be made these next few months. :)

Microwave Roux
 

Gerald, my wife uses the microwave also. So simple and easy. She will also boil the chicken or sausage to separate out the oil before it goes in the gumbo. We have found the excess oil can upset some people's stomach.

im not one to usually ask for stuff but ....

since this thread has been received so well by the membership and the cooking forum is even called the roux, perhaps this thread is something worth a sticky so even when it gets old the new members will be able to look it over and get some great roux ideas as well as add anything new they might know

X2... It was this thread that caused the crazy idea of an SC gumbo throw down. Great, fun, and informative thread.

I can do that. May be a few hours before I'm at a computer.

Two tips about making a roux
1. A roux is like hot tar .If it gets on you it is an instant serious burn.
2. If you get any black specks in the roux (burnt flour) toss the roux and start over.

And I'll add a third tip..... STIR STIR STIR!

I'm no SigNate, but I'm not a bad cook. A roux is one of the simplest yet trickiest things to learn to cook. It's all about attention and timing. I went through nearly a whole bag of flour before figuring it out. Stir that sucker like crazy, pay attention to it like you would a baby that just learned to walk, and time it right. Just past perfection and you can toss it in the trash. And like eman said... Do not get it on you. Hot flour and oil is like a recipe for napalm!

X2 on everything. I remember the first time I stirred a little to hard and got a splash. Hot roux + skin = pain.

Lol.... That's for sure. Instant pain!!

Sticky... Thanks Blue. This is a great thread and deserves it. Keakar props to you bro. You better be practicing your roux K. You done started summin :)

lol, mom always said if it aint goin in the grease to fry then it needs a roux for it

Looks like the gumbo party is gonna happen. Keaker...you gotta show up.

thanks guys but im not much of a cook at all, seriously I would be embarrassed to even try and it only tastes good cause im hungry and I don't want to insult the cook lol.

im glad you guys like the thread, it was just brought about by the gumbo thread asking about store bought roux so this question just popped in my head that begged asking, I don't think or feel like I did anything but post the obvious question.

98% of what I cook swims and ends up in the grease so other then that its hot dogs and hamburgers lol.

I do occasionally make a borrowed recipe for jambalaya and sauce piquant that comes out ok but by no means do I cook anything remotely worth bragging over.

im over here at new Orleans so this cook off is being held a little out of my travel range but god bless and im with you guys in spirit. all sportsman love good food and good people and nothing is better then having them together at the same time. I hope it does well and the angels make some money because beyond the fun they need the help to keep doing good things.

I know its been a while, but how is this "dry" roux made? I want to try it out and see how it comes out.

thinking I could make a jar full to put on the shelf to use as needed.

After 46 posts, and we're still trying to make roux?

2 ingredients, flour and oil and we tryna make rocket surgery out of it

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

Dry roux is just flour spread on a cookie sheet and browned in the oven