Question about making roux

[Patra]

I'll be trying out some cajun/creole dishes later this week, but I'm still deciding which recipes I'll be using. For the roux, I've seen an equal number of recipes call for butter and for oil. I'm wondering if I need to adjust the proportions of the fat and flour if I choose to substitute butter for oil or vise versa. Also appreciate any tips from anyone who has made it before

 

[forty_caliber]

Welcome to DC Patra. Roux can be made with about any fat or combination of fats. I often use butter and olive oil. Sometimes bacon fat is used specifically in cajun dishes.

The important thing to remember is to use a 1:1 ratio of fat to flour. Turn the heat to medium / medium low and stir constantly. Keep cooking until the roux is the color that you want...nutty brown.

.40

 

[giggler]

I think it depends on your taste. I like my cajun food very light, (country style), so I use Pure Vegetable Oil.

To me, butter/bacon/ olive oil imparts too strong a flavor.

as .40 said, 1:1 ratio, then I stir mine to med. dark color, think Milk Chocolat bar.

I let the roux cool a bit, the flour settles down and the oil floats..

if it looks like too much oil for you, then you just tilt the skillet, and spoon off some of the oil.

Eric, Austin, Tx.

 

[puffin3]

I am an 'Escoffier' 'true believer' when it comes to pretty much anything to do with stocks/sauces/rouxs. I have made roux other ways in the past but a few years ago I decided to 'follow the culinary 'bible' IMO.
Here's the secret to making a classic guaranteed perfect roux every time: Six parts flour and five parts CLARIFIED butter. Combine and gently cook until the roux has reached a 'sandy texture'. Make absolutely sure the roux has cooled (refrigerate) before adding any liquid to it. When you do add the liquid make sure you add it all at once. Do not 'drizzle' it in. As the liquid is added stir stir stir over medium heat.
Recapping: Note the amount of flour is slightly greater than the amount of clarified butter. Without using this ratio you'll end up with an oily roux. Clarified butter must be used b/c you do not want any milk solids as this will change the texture/taste of the roux. Hot liquid to cold roux and all the liquid added at once. If you drizzle in the liquid the first amount will be absorbed by the roux leaving the rest of the liquid 'rouxless' to an extent. You want the roux to be consistently present in all the liquid.
Lastly if you are thinking of using anything other than clarified butter I wouldn't bother making the roux. It might resemble a roux but it will not be one in the 'classical' sense in dear old Escoffier's opinion.

 

[powerplantop]

Lastly if you are thinking of using anything other than clarified butter I wouldn't bother making the roux. It might resemble a roux but it will not be one in the 'classical' sense in dear old Escoffier's opinion.

For classical cooking you gave good advice but I think most Cajuns would very surprised to find out that they do not make roux and they should not bother.

If you want to lower the calories brown your flour in the oven. Then add it to cold liquid and heat while stirring. It does not get as dark and is milder in flavor but works good in dishes where you use lighter roux (chicken gumbo).

 

[CWS4322]

Welcome to DC! Roux was one of the first things we learned to do in home ec class. We did it with butter--equal portions butter to flour. And, we were taught to take the pan off the burner when adding the milk and to add warm milk. I've been making roux this way for almost 40 years. No lumps, no "paste" taste.

 

[puffin3]

Yeah I get your point and thanks for pointing out I was only referring to a 'classical' roux.
Sometimes when people are just starting out cooking it's a good idea to steer them in the 'classic' direction for the basics. When they get the chemistry understood then working from that base they can be creative.
I love Cajun food BTW.
My history in the kitchen was started in our family's Mennonite kitchen with all my aunts and cousins when I was probably just old enough to walk. We were taught the fundamentals in a very strict but loving way over the years. All us boys were included whether we liked it or not. I liked it. When I went out on my own I could cook anything. As I got into my twenties I went through a 'to hell with the basics!' in pretty well every part of my life including cooking. I disregarded the basics and cooked garbage meals for a few years. Then for whatever reason I returned to the basics and over many decades I've come to appreciate how gratifying cooking really beautiful tasty food can be and how important learning and using basic cooking techniques is for me.

 

[jennyema]

Roux is not complicated.

Make sure you use a 1:1 ratio of fat to flour.

You can use any type of fat you want to. Many Cajun dishes call for vegetable oil because of the neutral flavor and because it can stand up to the longer cooking time better than butter.

Make sure the roux is smooth before you whisk the liquid in vigorously.

 

[Josie1945]

Welcome to DC.

Josie

 

[puffin3]

Escoffier calls for 6 parts flour and 5 parts clarified butter. Thanks but I'll stay with his recipe.
It's not like he arbitrarily decided on these measurements. They were arrived at by frankly a whole lot better chefs' years of experience over many years than some others.
I'd like anyone here to post and explain why Escoffiers roux recipe is to be ignored/disregarded.

 

[puffin3]

The 'classic' roux flour/clarified butter mixture should look like a sandy dry white lump when it's finished. Then it's cooled then into a medium hot pan then any hot liquid is added all at once to the flour/butter mixture and then whisked into the liquid. Anything that looks like a liquid wall paper paste before the liquid is added is not going to result in a classic roux. It will be something but not a 'roux'.

 

[Andy M.]

While I'm not disputing your recipe, I know there is more than one way to make a roux. I can't imagine the folks who make a roux daily for their dinners bother to clarify butter. Most probably use oil.

Also, liquid isn't always the first thing added to a roux. Some recipes call for adding the trinity to the roux to stop the darkening and start the cooking process.

 

[FrankZ]

You have to measure to make roux? Oh...

One other piece of advise, and one that isn't given often. Never, ever taste the roux from the pan while making it. A friend of mine gave me this advice after finding out it burns, and sticks, kinda like napalm. He wasn't amused when I laughed.

 

[Garband]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I have a question that I think may be useful to Patra as well as myself.

What do you all mean by "parts"? Is it a general term for the same exact amount, or is it a term for a conversion or something?

I tried to make a roux once before and it didn't really come out that great because the recipes/instructions I found via Google were all pretty much the same, and all just said "1:1 ratio" or "equal parts."

On this page, the recipe states

Begin making the roux by melting 1 cup of clarified butter

and then the next step is

Whisk 1-3/4 cups of flour into the clarified butter

That doesn't sound like equal parts to me. :p
What am I missing?

 

[jennyema]

Equal parts means what you said = measurements

It's just a ratio

1:1 = 1 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon and 1 cup to 1 cup and 4T to 4T, etc etc

2:1 = 2 cups to 1 cup and 4T to 2T. Etc etc

 

[powerplantop]

The 'classic' roux flour/clarified butter mixture should look like a sandy dry white lump when it's finished. Then it's cooled then into a medium hot pan then any hot liquid is added all at once to the flour/butter mixture and then whisked into the liquid. Anything that looks like a liquid wall paper paste before the liquid is added is not going to result in a classic roux. It will be something but not a 'roux'.

The OP asked about a roux for cajun cooking. A sandy dry white lump is not what a cajun roux should look like. It should look more like this: Tip: How To Make a Brown Roux | The Kitchn

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I learned how to make roux from Justin Wilson, equal parts flour and fat, make it as dark as you like for beef, lighter for chicken and seafood. I have never had a problem with any of my dishes based on roux.

 

[salt and pepper]

I'll be trying out some Cajun/creole dishes later this week, but I'm still deciding which recipes I'll be using. For the roux, I've seen an equal number of recipes call for butter and for oil. I'm wondering if I need to adjust the proportions of the fat and flour if I choose to substitute butter for oil or vise versa. Also appreciate any tips from anyone who has made it before

It all depends upon what you are making! What flavors you would like to impart and the thickness of the final dish. The color of the dish etc.. Just say you were making beef gravy, you would use the fat from beef dishes,if making pork gravy, you may flavor it with bacon fat. For a basic roux, I like to use peanut oil ( veg, canola, corn oil will work too ) 50/50. To adjust the thickness more flour will be needed for a thicker sauce or gravy. The norm is a light roux for darker meats like beef or venison and a darker roux for seafood and gumbos. To get fat from beef and such you must take if from the dripping. The way I do this is : say you cook a roast beef in a baking pan with stock or water added to the pan, the fat dripping will drip to the bottom pan. Refrigerate the dripping and the fat will solidify where it can be spooned off and saved until you have enough to make the amount of roux needed. Of course it may be frozen until enough is acquired. I know, it sounds like a hassle for the home cook but its the way most restaurants do it who make their own sauces.
If your making a gumbo the "trinity" can be added to the finished roux and cooked till heated and the flavors are enhanced, then seasoning, stock is add and this will finish the cooking of the vegies as you proceed with finishing the dish. The usual trinity consists of two parts chopped onion, one part chopped bell pepper and 1/2 part chopped celery. I hope this is of some help , Joey

PS: the rice is always made "on the side"

 

[Patra]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll be sticking with seafood dishes so it sounds like I need a darker roux. Since I'll be making it multiple times and I won't have to deal with adjusting proportions, I'll try out both butter and oil. Thanks again!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I like to make it in big batches and freeze it in an ice cube tray. They I have it for quick fix meals.