How to Make a Roux
The Roux (/ro͞o/). Roux sounds like “room” without the “m” sound.
If you are searching for, “How to make a roux,” then you either know what a roux is but do not know how to make a roux, or you don’t know what a roux is but have a recipe that calls for a roux that assumes you already know what a roux is and how to create that roux (that was a slew of “roux”). We’ll jump right into the how and later talk a bit about the why. We’re going to learn how to make a true roux for your stew. Okay…enough with the rhymes.
A roux is a very simple thickener for most any soup, stew, chili, or bisque…and even many sauces. It’s made from equal parts oil or rendered fat and flour. A roux is not only for Louisiana- or Cajun-style dishes. I’ll make a roux for many recipes including my enchilada sauce and that ain’t no where near Cajun.
The Cast Iron
Most of the time you can create a roux initially and right before you start your recipe. It’s usually the first thing you create and then add-on-top all of the other ingredients. Later, I will give you a bit of a chef tip to allow for both flavor AND creation of a great roux.
For example purposes, we are going to use the classic 5-quart Dutch oven for creating a roux.
The Supplies
For the roux itself, all you need is your pot and something to keep the flour and oil mixture from sticking and burning. If your roux burns, you’ll have to toss it and start over. We use a nice, beveled wooden spatula that is thicker and tapered at the end like an axe head and is virtually straight across at the end. Here’s an example of what we use (affiliate link):
We use the wooden spatula like a “squeegee” or like a “windshield wiper” does to keep rain moving off your windshield. The wooden spatula will move along the inside pot surface forward-and-back and will “wipe” the roux-in-creation from the cast iron’s hot surface. We use that wooden spatula to keep the mixture moving to “toast” or darken the oil-soaked flour evenly.
Like a piece of French toast left on the burner too long, that one side will burn but the other side may still be uncooked and moist.
Just Say No
- Avoid thinner wooden spatulas. They work just fine but they tend to “catch” on the pot’s surface as you move it across the pot’s surface and becomes quite aggravating. They will catch even on the smoothest pot you have. The “catching” messes up the flow to the process. But, if this is all you have…
- Avoid metal spatulas. They will work but you may find your seasoning coming off in the roux. The black specs may appear like you have burned the roux. Though the black specs and pieces of seasoning is harmless, who wants to scrape off the seasoning to their pots? Again, if this is all you have…
- No rounded spoons either metal or wooden. They are just too rounded. Roux is created by the tablespoon and gets VERY hot; there is not enough volume to actually stir. Rounded spoons don’t allow for enough of the spoon’s edge to rest against the pot’s surface and keep the roux moving with enough volume-per-movement to keep roux from burning. Instead of a wide pattern of movement, it’ll just move a thin line of roux-in-the-making and you’ll end up burning it.
- Nothing rubber or silicone. You’ll be able to move the mixture but you may end up losing a bit of the rubber or silicone in the process. That pot and oil are HOT! And, we ain’t talking a little hot either. Olive oil has a smoke point of 410°F (210°C). Butter has a smoke point of 302°F (150°C). You can learn more about smoke points here.
Here’s what I found as a description for a set of 14 Silicone Cooking Utensils for $28 bucks (US): “HEAT-RESISTANT, NON-MELTING, WOODEN HANDLE – The silicone cooking utensils can withstand temperatures up to 446°F, even if they are used in a high-temperature frying environment…”Na, I’ll pass. Seems that title is talking about the wooden handle as the non-melting part.
Ingredients
The ingredients are very simple:
- One Part White Flour – Premeasured and ready to toss in.
- One Part Oil
For our example, we will be using 4 tablespoons of oil and four tablespoons of flour.
Ready to Cook
Step 1: This will need your undivided attention. There is no pause button to this process. It does not take long but will burn Lickety Split!
Step 2: Premeasure your flour and have it at the ready.
Step 3: Add the oil to the bottom of the pot or pan you are using.
Step 4: Using a medium to a medium-high heat, let the oil reach the point where just faint wisps of smoke began to form.
Step 5: Add the premeasured flour to the hot oil and begin to move around the pot. It will clump at first but will eventually smooth out and look creamy.
Step 6: Continuously move the mixture in the pot like a painting motion. Use the flat end of the wooden spatula to move the roux around.
Step 7: Keep the roux moving for anywhere from 1-2 minutes (light roux) to much longer at 5 minutes or longer (dark roux). We’ll explain the difference later.
Step 8: Once the preferred type of Roux has been created, turn off the heat and continue stirring for about 30-seconds to let that cast iron’s sting settle and avoid the sitting roux burning.
Light Roux
Also known as a blond or a white roux. This is created when about 1-2 minutes has passed once the flour has been added to the oil. It’s just enough time to begin to smell almost bread-like and delicious. This is just at the point where the flavor of the flour is not raw-tasting (Don’t sample the roux!! You will get burned!).
[Images Screen Captured From Video]
- Smooth flavor
- Most thickening properties
- Light in color, almost a cream white
Brown Roux
This is created when about 2-3 minutes has passed once the flour has been added to the oil. The aromas will change to a nice, toasted, nuttiness as the color darkens from a creamy white to toast-colored appearance.
- The flavor is still smooth and nutty-ish.
- Pretty good thickening properties and works with most recipes.
- Toast-colored and may appear to be tan or even brown.
Dark Roux
This is created when about 3-5 minutes or more have passed once the flour has been added to the oil. By now the aromas will have had time to permeate the home and will even draw teenagers from their “caves” to see what’s for dinner. That nice, toasted, nutty smell will remain as the color darkens from that medium toast, tan color to almost a dark, deep red color.
- The flavor is still smooth and nutty-ish but sharper than Brown Roux. A dark roux will likely offer the most flavor.
- Only fair thickening properties (the trade off to flavor) and works well in things like gumbo and even chilis and enchilada sauce.
- Reddish-colored or maybe a dark brown.
None of the roux types are better than another. They are just different. I’ve used light roux in gumbo and dark roux in gravy; there’s no rules here. Guidelines, yes. Rules…who needs more rules in their lives? Usually, if it matters, the recipe will indicate the type of roux to create.
What to Expect
Ready to Add Other Ingredients
As mentioned in steps 3 and 4, you have your wisp of smoke from the oil and you add your flour. It will initially bubble and sizzle a bit. That oil is very hot as you can imagine. Very quickly, the sizzling will stop as the flour and oil mix and become the one roux mixture.
It does not take long for the roux to cook, not at all. I don’t add food directly to my roux. I add my roux to the food. The roux is a thickener and will start doing that thickening job immediately. In a larger volume of food with liquid, the thickening action starts working but is less noticeable because of the volume of liquid that will be thickened.
But, if you are wanting to sauté onions and garlic as one of the early steps in a recipe and you add those raw onions and garlic directly to that roux, it will gum up on you and you’ll end up with this thick paste.
The roux can be created in a separate pot or skillet and then added later at a point best for the recipe you are preparing.
However, I know a lot of excellent chefs that start with the roux and pile on the ingredients. There’s no 100% right or wrong way here.
Consider the roux to be HOT OIL regardless of how it looks. When you add liquid to hot oil, there is always splattering, popping, and verbal expletives as the spatters hit your hand or arm…or face! This reverse method: adding the hot roux to the pot of food that likely has liquid will cause sizzling and popping just as easily.
Just be cautious when adding this hot roux to the food.
AND!! NO TASTE SAMPLING THE HOT ROUX. Again, consider the roux to be HOT OIL regardless of how it looks. This roux is just as hot as the oil used to fry chicken or fish. And, you’d never taste sample frying oil at that temperature.
Chef Tips:
Chef Tip #1: If you are adding food right to the hot roux, have a bit of broth, beer, or other liquid you plan to add to the recipe nearby (some say let your roux cool first). Your recipe will likely be calling for some liquid at some point. Have this at the ready. Sometimes when adding ingredients into the hot roux, it immediately turns to a paste-like substance and may burn as you continue to heat the pot of roux and ingredients with the ingredients still cool and “holding on to” their juices. Add a bit of the liquid to keep things smooth and moving instead of clumping up and all sticking together.
Chef Tip #2: When creating the roux, use a “painting” motion and move the roux around the pot with the flat edge of the wooden spatula sliding along the bottom. The mixture is smooth and about as thick as thin gravy and will leave the area that was just “wiped” with the wooden spatula bare with the roux “wake” quickly moving back over that bare spot just behind the wooden spatula. I like to think of Karate Kid. Mr. Miyagi, “Show me paint the fence!”
Chef Tip #3: Don’t measure oil temperature; it’s a pointless endeavor. Different oils have different smoke points. Use anything from butter to bacon grease to olive oil (far from an exhaustive list of options). But, use the wisps of smoke to identify the time to add your flour.
Summary
And, that’s about all there is to it. My suggestion is to create some practice roux. Try this recipe and see how your roux turns out. The times in the video may vary depending on other factors such as burner temperature, amount of roux you are creating at one time, and the roux-to-pot-surface-ratio (how thick or deep the roux is in your pot or pan).
I know many of you all are allergic to or have an intolerance to wheat flour. The reasons I create a roux in my recipes are to both add flavor and to thicken the liquid’s or sauce’s consistency. There are other ways to thicken a recipe such as corn starch and arrowroot. I use both to thicken up my recipes but have never made a roux out of them. I’ve seen folks make a “roux” from corn starch but the roux resembled a blond or light roux; it would never “toast” into a brown or dark roux.
You can try to create a roux from rice flour, arrowroot, oat flour, potato flour, or a gluten-free flour…but more likely are going to find that the end result did not turn out like the flour and oil version.
Also, consider a roux made with 3-5 tablespoons of flour vs the 5-7 quarts of other ingredients that are to be added.
Lastly, when a recipe on Beer and Iron suggests making a roux for that particular recipe, alternative thickening options are always your option if you have an allergy or an intolerance to wheat. It’ll thicken up just fine.
If you are asking, “then why make a roux?” Flavor! Flavor! Flavor! It just is what it is.
ENJOY!!
How to Make Roux
Equipment
- Cast Iron Pot The size pot you plan to cook the final meal in.
- Wooden Spatula With a flat edge
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Oil Or Butter, Bacon Grease, or other Oil.
- 4 tbsp White Flour
Instructions
- Premeasure your flour and have it at the ready.
- Add the oil to the bottom of the pot or pan you are using.
- Using a medium to a medium-high heat, let the oil reach the point where just faint wisps of smoke began to form.
- Add the premeasured flour to the hot oil and begin to move around the pot. It will clump at first but will eventually smooth out and look creamy.
- Continuously move the mixture in the pot. Use the flat end of the wooden spatula to move the roux around.
- Keep the roux moving for anywhere from 1-2 minutes (light roux) to much longer at 3-5+ minutes or longer (dark roux). We’ll explain the difference later.
- Once the preferred type of Roux has been created, turn off the heat and continue stirring for about 30 seconds to let that cast iron’s sting settle and avoid the sitting roux burning.
- Use the Roux as directed in any number of recipe possibilities.
Notes
Types of Roux
Light Roux Also known as a blond or a white roux. This is created when about 1-2 minutes has passed once the flour has been added to the oil. It’s just enough time to begin to smell almost bread-like and delicious. This is just at the point where the flavor of the flour is not raw-tasting (Don’t sample the roux!! You will get burned! I am talking about the final dish itself).- Smooth flavor
- Most thickening properties
- Light in color, almost a cream white
- The flavor is still smooth and nutty-ish.
- Pretty good thickening properties and works with most recipes.
- Toast-colored and may appear to be tan or even brown.
- The flavor is still smooth and nutty-ish but more sharp than Brown Roux. A dark roux will likely offer the most flavor.
- Only fair thickening properties (the trade off to flavor) and works well in things like gumbo and even chilis and enchilada sauce.
- Reddish-colored or maybe a dark brown.
