How To Make Roux – A Tutorial

I have finally settled into my new home and more importantly my new office.  I have missed blogging something fierce and hope to jump in with both feet this week and knock out some stuff I’ve been storing in my head!  I posed a question on my FB page asking what you might want to see up next, recipe wise, and one of the responses was “Gumbo”.  If you know me at all you know that I’ve been eating and loving gumbo for as long as I’ve been able to put a spoon from a bowl into my mouth!  I especially love seafood gumbo.

There are as many variations on what color the roux should be as there are folks making it.  Creoles and Cajuns alike know that roux is the base for many popular New Orleans or Acadiana dishes.  Not only gumbo but étouffée and sauce piquant both require a roux as the base for the dish.  Roux ranges in color from blonde, or very light brown to medium-brown and dark brown.  Creoles prefer the lighter shades whereas Cajuns are partial to a deep, dark brown roux.   This is the color I favor as well.  Call me Cajun if you wish – when it comes to Gumbo that’s my style!

Patience is a requirement when making a roux of this color.  At high heat achieving the color I like takes about 25 minutes but at low heat it can take up to an hour.  A labor of love!  Darker roux has a roasted, nutty flavor and less thickening power, but I’m not looking for thick. Making a darker roux is best accomplished by using oil and flour, love and patience!  Constant stirring is a must and if you like to sip on a glass of wine – this is the time!  Sip and stir until your roux looks like the one in the last photo below.

I suggest using a cast iron skillet for optimal results as well as adding your “holy trinity” (onion, bell pepper, & celery) when the roux is nearly dark enough, to help prevent burning.  I find that the best way to know when it’s time to add the veggies is to let your nose tell you.  There is a certain toasty fragrance of an almost finished roux.  When you have tried it and made it this color your nose will tell you too!

Here is my version of the perfect, flavorful roux for gumbo.  Coming soon I’ll share my Dad’s prize winning recipe for seafood gumbo.  You don’t want to miss it!

Begin by heating oil in your skillet (in this tutorial I did not use my cast iron).  Just before it begins to smoke start adding the flour a little at a time and begin to stir, using either a whisk or a wooden or metal spoon.  I prefer a spoon as it can take you all the way to the end, even when the vegetables are added.

Adding the flour and stirring the roux will first become the color of straw. Some stop here, but there isn’t much flavor in roux this color.

As the color begins to look like caramel or peanut butter don’t stop stirring!

The color is changing more quickly now but you aren’t there yet! Notice the tiny bubbles in the pan, this is why you can’t stop stirring or your roux will burn – rapidly!

And this my friends is the color you are looking for – rich chocolate brown.