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help with making a roux

Posted on 1/11/17 at 1:25 pm
Posted by Squints 3410
Member since Mar 2015
129 posts
Posted on 1/11/17 at 1:25 pm
Im new to the F&D board so please take it easy on me. I tried to make a roux last night for the first time and couldnt get it dark enough. I spent ab an 90 minutes on it a barely got it to a pecan color. Its also very gritty. I finally gave up on it but would like to know what I did wrong. Also, it's very gritty.

I started off with 1 cup oil veg oil on medium heat, got the veg oil hot and began to slowly add in 1 cup of flour. I would add approx 1/4 of a cup at a time and stir until it was dissolved then i would add some more. Once i added the whole cup I turned the temp to low and stirred continously for 55 minutes without it really changing colors (was a milky color). I ended up turning the heat back up to mid/mid high and finally got it to change to a pecan brown color but now its gritty. Any help would be appreciated.
Posted by Panny Crickets
Fort Worth, TX
Member since Sep 2008
5596 posts
Posted on 1/11/17 at 1:28 pm to
Med high heat the entire time. Never stop whisking.

Otherwise, sounds about right.
Posted by LZ83
La
Member since Sep 2016
17406 posts
Posted on 1/11/17 at 1:31 pm to
You got the general concept. Just takes practice.
Posted by tigeryat
God's Country
Member since Oct 2005
2917 posts
Posted on 1/11/17 at 1:34 pm to
Stovetop heat setting vary by stove. You probably didn't have a hot enough fire if it took you 90 minutes. That's too long. It shouldn't take more the 10 - -15 minutes if the fire is hot enough. You will set off the smoke detector in your kitchen and you will think you are going to burn it, and then you might. Keep stirring until it is the color of a dark penny.

Good luck.
Posted by CHEDBALLZ
South Central LA
Member since Dec 2009
21962 posts
Posted on 1/11/17 at 1:49 pm to
What type of pot were you trying to cook it in?

And what do you mean by gritty? Did you taste it?
Posted by Gris Gris
OTIS!NO RULES FOR SAUCES ON STEAK!!
Member since Feb 2008
47474 posts
Posted on 1/11/17 at 2:17 pm to
I have never heated the oil before adding the flour. I put the oil in and add the flour. I whisk until incorporated and then turn on the heat and whisk until it's dark enough.

Lately, however, I've made my roux in the oven. It takes a little longer, but it's easy and nearly impossible to burn. While it browns, I do other things like chopping etc... I'm usually making pretty large rouxs, but for a 1 cup:1 cup, shouldn't take much time at all. I usually preheat the oven to 350 or 375, if I want it faster. Either temp works just fine. I give it a whisk every 15-20 minutes once it starts browning.

Once browned to the degree I want, I remove it and add the trinity to saute. Very simple.
Posted by CAD703X
Liberty Island
Member since Jul 2008
78394 posts
Posted on 1/11/17 at 2:29 pm to
quote:

Squints 3410


make it easy on yourself, do it in the microwave I learned from this board (or oven).

i have an 1100w microwave, the higher the wattage, the easier & quicker this process goes.

takes no more than 10 minutes.

*YOU MUST USE A PYREX BOWL OR YOU WILL HAVE A CAD-TASTROPHE* (see photo below for what happens if you don't use pyrex. this happened when visiting my parents and not realizing they didn't have pyrex bowls )

Step 1: pour in a cup of oil (doesn't matter what kind..lately i've preferred to lightly batter and fry boneless/skinless chicken thighs in a hot iron skillet and pour a cup of that into the bowl complete with 'dirt/drippings')

Step 2: if its not hot, i like to cook the oil for a minute by itself to make it more receptive to the flour.

Step 3: pour in flour, whisk well, put in microwave for:

2 minutes (open and stir)
2 minutes (open and stir)
1-2 minutes (you want it to start changing color your microwave may vary, open and stir)
1 minute (open and stir)

keep doing 1 minute intervals until it starts to have the consistency of chocolate mousse.

then shorten to 30 second intervals (don't be afraid that its starting to smell burnt, its not)

once you have what appears to be a porous crust of quicksand, remove and put on hot plate *BEING VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE YOU ARE NOW HOLDING LAVA* near the stove.

i then add the onions (watch out for the smoke!) and it will disintegrate them and darken more.

then add the rest of the trinity and it will continue to get darker and much less hot.

i have a boiling soup pot of chicken stock already going and just add the roux/trinity a scoop at a time while stirring vigorously.

once the whole bowl is transferred (i like to lick the wooden spoon once the roux is cool to see if its right..yeah..thats why i eat raw roux ) and properly integrated into the stock you can add the chicken and turn it down to simmer.

after about an hour i add the sausage and turn the fire off.

adding the sausage at the very end keeps the grease from oozing out of the sausage and forming a greasy film on top.

skim any grease off the top using a metal spoon.


the whole process takes about 15 minute (other than letting it simmer) and the roux never burns.


eta, found it

This post was edited on 1/11/17 at 2:33 pm
Posted by windshieldman
Member since Nov 2012
12818 posts
Posted on 1/11/17 at 8:07 pm to
OP if I'm doing chicken and sausage gumbo this is what I do. Put about 1 and 1/4 cups of oil on medium high heat, peanut oil. Once heating good, cook cut up sausage till they about halfway cooked and take them out. Get about 1 cup of flour and put in over about 4-5 increments while stirring with one of those whisker thingies. Keep heat on medium and once it starts to get darker turn heat down in increments. Once it gets a brownish color cook on low for about another 30 minutes until dark. At first stir every couple minutes really good, once you get down to low heat you can get by stirring every 4-5 minutes.
Posted by TH03
Mogadishu
Member since Dec 2008
171080 posts
Posted on 1/11/17 at 9:04 pm to
I do mine in the oven while prepping everything else. 350 until it's perfect brick in color. Whisk every 20ish minutes.
Posted by HeadyMurphey
Los Santos
Member since Jan 2008
17191 posts
Posted on 1/11/17 at 9:53 pm to
It's pretty easy. Add the oil and turn the heat up until it smokes, add the flour and stir. 15 minutes later you have a dark roux
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