Roux (/ˈruː/) is flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces. Roux is typically made from equal parts of flour and fat by weight. The flour is added to the melted fat or oil on the stove top, blended until smooth, and cooked to the desired level of brownness. A roux can be white, blond (darker) or brown.
What is roux in cooking?
In the simplest terms possible, a roux is a mixture of equal parts flour and fat, cooked together over low to medium heat, to create a uniform thickening agent that’s deployed in saucy recipes like this extra-creamy Lasagna Bolognese, Chicken-Andouille Gumbo, and béchamel-soaked Croque Monsieur.
What are the 3 types of roux?
There are four varieties of roux: white, blond, brown, and dark brown. The different colors are a result of how long the roux is cooked; white is cooked for the shortest time, while dark brown cooks the longest. White and blond roux are the most common, used to thicken sauces, soups, and chowders.
How do you spell rue for gravy?
Roux is a French word (pronounced ROO) that refers to the combination of flour and fat that’s used to thicken sauces and soups. After combining the two ingredients, roux is cooked for a variable amount of time depending on the type (more on that below).
What is roux short for?
Roux is French from a Latin word meaning russet or brownish red; it’s also a cooking term for a mixture of flour and butter that forms the foundation of many gravies or sauces.
What oil is best for roux?
We love using peanut oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, canola oil and lard. We won’t recommend using butter which is however works best for blonde roux. But, for darker Cajun or Creole roux the above mentioned oils works the best because they have a high smoke point which means you can cook it longer and darker.
What kind of oil do you use for a roux?
You can use almost any fat when making a roux, from butter to oil to animal fat. Spicer told me she uses “several different kinds of fat, from vegetable oil to duck fat or even smoked duck fat,” depending on the dish she is making. In a heavy Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet, heat your fat of choice over medium.
How long do you cook a roux?
A roux starts to brown after about 6 or 7 minutes. Brown roux is classically used in perfect gravies. Dark roux is cooked longer, about 8 to 15 minutes, and is commonly used in Creole and Cajun cuisine to flavor dishes such as gumbo or jambalaya.
Can you make a roux with water instead of milk?
Can You Make a Roux With Water Instead of Milk? You don’t need milk or water to make a roux. A roux is a mixture of flour and fat cooked together to make a thick sauce. You’ll need milk for your roux only when you want to make a bechamel sauce, or water only when you want to thicken a sauce, like cheese sauce.
What is the ratio of butter to flour in a roux?
2 to 1 ratio
Measure out your ingredients by weight or use the 2 to 1 ratio. Melt the butter in a large size saucepan and then add in the flour. Whisk it for 2 minutes over low heat to keep it white.
What’s the difference between gravy and roux?
Roux is the start of a gravy, but it hasn’t had the drippings mixed in yet. It’s flour, butter, cream, some spices, salt and pepper. To make it into gravy you mix in broth and drippings.
What is roux English?
noun, adjective. red [noun, adjective] (of hair or fur) (of) a colour/color which varies between a golden brown and a deep reddish-brown. redhead [noun] a person with red hair.
What are different ways to spell rue?
Roux, rue or roué
Why is it called roux?
in cookery, a sauce made from browned butter or fat and flour, used to thicken soups and gravies, 1813, from French (beurre) roux “browned (butter),” from roux “red, reddish-brown,” from Latin russus, which is related to ruber “red” (from PIE root *reudh- “red, ruddy”).
Is roux better with oil or butter?
There’s no right or wrong to which fat you use; it just depends on what flavor you want. In a dairy-heavy sauce, like milky béchamel, butter is the common choice (and is also the more common fat in most French roux), while oil is often preferred in Creole and Cajun cooking. Butter, though, is more than just a fat.
What is a thick sauce called?
A roux can be white, blond (darker) or brown. Butter, bacon drippings or lard are commonly used fats. Roux is used as a thickening agent for gravy, sauces, soups and stews. It provides the base for a dish, and other ingredients are added after the roux is complete.
What is the secret ingredient in gumbo?
The Secret Ingredient To Amazing Gumbo Is Chicken Stock, Several Friends Say. When you are going to make a delicious chicken and sausage gumbo, several friends swear by chicken stock as being imperative to making your gumbo great.
Why does my roux taste like flour?
That means you did not cook it long enough before adding it to or adding the broth. If you don’t cook roux long enough (until it changes color) then it will taste like flour.
What is the ratio of roux to liquid for gravy?
The Basic Roux Gravy Formula
To make 1 cup of roux gravy, start with 2 tablespoons of fat, 2 tablespoons of flour, and 1 cup of liquid. If you would like a thinner gravy, decrease the fat and flour measurements to 1 1/2 tablespoons each, to 1 cup of liquid.
What kind of flour do you use for roux?
plain white flour
Flour: always use plain white flour. Self-raising flour has raising agent in and will leave your finished sauce with a slight taste of bicarb.
How much roux Do I use for 2 gallons of gumbo?
For a gumbo I use about a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of flour per gallon of gumbo. That’s just a general rule of thumb I use to get the consistency I like. Some people like thick gumbo and some like thin. If in doubt, cook more roux than you think you need and take some out before you start putting the other stuff together.