Wednesday, November 7, 2007

What Is Roux?...and How To Make It Simple

A roux is made up of equal amounts of flour and butter and is used to thicken sauces and soups. Making roux is easy. First, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour all at once and stir constantly until the roux is golden brown.

As you continue to cook roux, the color becomes darker, the smell becomes nutty and the thickening factor lowers as the color darkens. Do not over-cook. Go for medium golden brown for thickening soups, not brown or dark brown. Cook no longer than 12-20 minutes over medium heat while constantly moving with a spatula. Make sure to keep an eye on it, because all medium heat sources are different!

After the roux is the correct color, I like to remove it from the heat for 5 minutes. Add enough broth (usually around 2 cups or more), and whisk together to remove lumps. Now, you can add this mixture to the main pot. After all is incorporated, cook over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes. This may sound difficult at first, but when you do it a few times, it is very simple.

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