How to Make Roux
Roux is one of those mysterious things that few people know how to make these days. Not because it’s necessarily difficult, but because it isn’t often taught, or even thought of when it comes to cooking in the everyday kitchen.
That’s why it’s important to me to talk about the basics of making a roux, because it can be such a great addition to everyday meals and a way to enhance recipes you already love. Plus, learning how to master long-standing kitchen techniques is one of my favorite things, and part of what heirloomed is all about.
This post is part of our “Made from Scratch” series, where we focus on the mastering the basics that it takes to make the classics from scratch – because things just taste better that way.
Roux comes in many forms: white, brown, medium-brown, dark-brown, and variations of these. The roux I made was white to blond, but there are plenty of uses for darker roux, as you’ll read below.
ROUX
- Butter
- Flour
In a pan, melt butter to a bubble. Add in an amount of flour equal to your chosen portion of butter – for example, 2 tbs butter, 2 tbs flour. Stir the flour and butter together with a fork or whisk until thickened. For a white roux – often used to thicken sauces – that’s approximately 2 to 5 minutes. For a blond roux, often used in soups, cook until it smells a bit “toasty” – usually 5 to 10 minutes. A medium-brown roux takes 15 to 30 minutes, and a dark brown roux takes 30 to 45 minutes. Both medium and dark-brown roux is used in making most gumbos.
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