Roux

[zelda529]

If a rec. calls for a roux, how do I know how much to make? I know its equal parts flour and oil, I don't know how much to start with. THanx

[Andy M.]

1-2 tablespoons of flour and oil will thicken a cup of liquid. One tablespoon will thicken a little, two will thicken a lot.

If the recipe calls for a darker roux, you will need more roux. The darker the roux, the less thickening power it has.

[Maverick2272]

Oil? Am I doing it wrong by using butter? Or am I just thinking of gravy?

[Andy M.]

Basically equal parts of flour and a fat. The fat can be butter or oil.

[Maverick2272]

OK cool. Thanks!

[pacanis]

I always use butter, too. I didn't know you could make a roux with oil. Seems like it would be lacking in flavor....

[zelda529]

Sorry about the confusion! I know that to make a roux, you use butter. Thanks for the equasion! That will help a lot.

[JMediger]

Originally Posted by pacanis

... I didn't know you could make a roux with oil. Seems like it would be lacking in flavor....

IMHO, it depends what you are doing. If I am making gravy, I skim the fat off my drippings and add butter to get to 2 Tbl., add the flour, etc... If I am making soup that needs to be thickened, I tend to saute my onion in EVOO then sprinkle with the flour, brown slightly, add the liquid, etc... I've never noticed a lesser flavor when I do this. Just another perspective ...

[pacanis]

Originally Posted by JMediger

IMHO, it depends what you are doing. If I am making gravy, I skim the fat off my drippings and add butter to get to 2 Tbl., add the flour, etc... If I am making soup that needs to be thickened, I tend to saute my onion in EVOO then sprinkle with the flour, brown slightly, add the liquid, etc... I've never noticed a lesser flavor when I do this. Just another perspective ...

I just made some gravy from the drippings of browning some burger in EVOO. I added butter to the juice and fond, then flour, then some beef stock. I know you can incorporate oil into the mix in various proportions, both cooking with or added as an extra, I just never heard of heating straight plain oil in a pan and then adding flour to get a roux. Heating butter and flour I see all the time without any additional items.

Your examples do not show making a straight oil and flour roux for a recipe. You have included other ingredients. I would like to know if it's done for anything though.

[zelda529]

Ok,I asked this question at the New Orleans Cooking School...What's the difference between gravy and roux? The teach, basically said that roux is made with butter,and gravy is made with oil, or some pan drippings. Roux is basically a thickener for soupy things, and gravy is for bisquits and mashed taters. Sorry,that gravy part is a personal opinion.

[Andy M.]

I did a quick check of gumbo recipes and found just about all of them call for oil, not butter, to make the roux.


Check out this turorial.

[Uncle Bob]

In my area a "white" or "blonde" roux is made with butter, and flour, It is used to thicken cream/white sauces, and lighter soups. The darker roux is made with oil and flour and cooked to the desired color either for flavor, thickening, or both. Butter is rarely used for the darker roux as it (butter) burns easily. Contrary to commonly accepted proportions of a 50/50 mixture of flour to oil...Everybody I know uses more flour than oil. I personally use around a 2:1 ratio of flour to oil....1/4 cup of oil...1/2 cup of flour....

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

...Contrary to commonly accepted proportions of a 50/50 mixture of flour to oil...Everybody I know uses more flour than oil. I personally use around a 2:1 ratio of flour to oil....1/4 cup of oil...1/2 cup of flour....

I agree Bob. I think the confusoin lies with the units of measure. The 'equal amounts' rule applies to measuring by weight, not volume. So a pound of oil, about two cups, would go with a pound of flour, about four cups, to make a roux.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

I agree Bob. I think the confusoin lies with the units of measure. The 'equal amounts' rule applies to measuring by weight, not volume. So a pound of oil, about two cups, would go with a pound of flour, about four cups, to make a roux.

I understand your math, but I have never seen or heard of a roux recipe stated in weight instead of volume...The "confusion" to me has always been the 50/50 Spoonful to Spoonful, 1/2 Cup to 1/2 cup etc. etc. etc. stated in recipes When it's obvious that the ratio gives you more oil than needed to make the roux. Who wants to pour a 1/2 cup of oil in their gumbo when a 1/4 cup of oil of will brown the same amount of flour??
Not Uncle Bob!

[JMediger]

Originally Posted by pacanis

...I just never heard of heating straight plain oil in a pan and then adding flour to get a roux...Your examples do not show making a straight oil and flour roux for a recipe. You have included other ingredients...

True, I see your point. I'll have to think if there is ever a time I make a roux without drippings ...

[AllenOK]

At work, we make roux every couple of weeks. If I make it, it's oil and flour. Some of the other cooks will make it with butter and flour. We have to have a good quantity of roux around, as we use it all the time to thicken soups, gravies, etc.

BTW, my Sous Chef keeps a stash of roux made with bacon drippings under his workstation.

[GhettoRacingKid]

for my roux, Ill usually mix what ever fat I got laying around, bacon fat, butter, oil, drippings, what ever.

[archiduc]

Originally Posted by zelda529

If a rec. calls for a roux, how do I know how much to make? I know its equal parts flour and oil, I don't know how much to start with. THanx

Hi Zelda,

For me a roux is butter and flour. The butter should be melted, flour added and cooked for a couple of minutes and then liquid added, slowly and stirring in, whisking in well between additions.

For a pouring sauce the quantities are:
25g butter
25 g flour
500 mls milk, chicken stock, fish stock, veal stock.

For a coating sauce the quantities are:
50g butter
50g flour
500 mls milk, chicken stock, fish stock, veal stock.

The sauce may be less or more thick depending upon how you control the temperature under the pot in which the sauce is cooking, so you may need to simmer to reduce to the desired consistency or add a little extra stock if the pot has been on too high a heat.

For a brown sauce, it is possible to brown the flour in the oven prior to use. Place about 100g flour on a baking tray/sheet and place in an oven at 180C/350F/Gas 4. Make sure that you spread the flour evenly over the tray using the back of a fork. Bake until a rich golden brown - 40 plus minutes. Check every 15 minutes or so and stir with the back of a fork. Allow the flour to get thoroughly cold (very important that you do this) and then store and place in an airtight container for use. Whilst the flour browns some moisture is lost but it is not sufficient to cause a problem when measuring the browned flour to use in a sauce. If you make classic sauces like espagnole on a regular basis, it saves time when making the roux to brown the flour in advance.

Hope this helps,
Archiduc

[Chopstix]

I always make roux using olive oil for health reasons. The end product tastes pretty good and you won't miss the butter. Also agree with Andy that the 1:1 proportion of fat and flour is in terms of weight. There's a scientific explanation for this by Harold Magee or Alton Brown somewhere...