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Message
Roux trouble
Posted on 11/13/13 at 11:15 pm
Posted on 11/13/13 at 11:15 pm
Long time lurker here. I've made a lot of your recipes and really enjoyed them! I'm not the best cook but I am some what capable in the kitchen.
However, I am having a lot of trouble with roux for gumbo. I love everyone's gumbo but mine. I just want to cook a decent batch for once. I am on my tired batch of roux at the moment. First, too smokey. I think I burned the oil. Second I waited too long. I was trying to see how dark I can take it. Came out tasting weird. The third, that I am working on right now, is a light blonde color right now. I've been here for a while watching it on low. I've looked high and low for roux instructions. But other than som,e shady sites, it's always l---> get flour and fat---> magic roux!
I'm super embarrassed and I just want to be half decent at Cajun foods!
Any tips?
However, I am having a lot of trouble with roux for gumbo. I love everyone's gumbo but mine. I just want to cook a decent batch for once. I am on my tired batch of roux at the moment. First, too smokey. I think I burned the oil. Second I waited too long. I was trying to see how dark I can take it. Came out tasting weird. The third, that I am working on right now, is a light blonde color right now. I've been here for a while watching it on low. I've looked high and low for roux instructions. But other than som,e shady sites, it's always l---> get flour and fat---> magic roux!
I'm super embarrassed and I just want to be half decent at Cajun foods!
Any tips?
This post was edited on 11/13/13 at 11:21 pm
9
Posted on 11/13/13 at 11:23 pm to bigcheese
Nice first post.
GTFO, PIIHB, GFY, and DIAF N00b.
Roux.
1 part flour, 1 part oil. You can go heavier on the flour later. I use almost double sometimes.
Use shortening, veg oil, any animal fats. No olive oil!
ALWAYS chop your veggies first. You throw them in to stop the roux from burning. You can take it off the burner, but it will burn if you can't cool it fast enough.
Again, some folks make their roux slow, I can make a roux in 10-12 minutes. The key is not how fast you can brown flour, it's how fast you can stop browning flour.
I like a very dark roux. It always tempers overnight, and tastes better the next day.
Also remember cold roux/hot stock, hot roux/cool stock. It keeps it from separating.
GTFO, PIIHB, GFY, and DIAF N00b.
Roux.
1 part flour, 1 part oil. You can go heavier on the flour later. I use almost double sometimes.
Use shortening, veg oil, any animal fats. No olive oil!
ALWAYS chop your veggies first. You throw them in to stop the roux from burning. You can take it off the burner, but it will burn if you can't cool it fast enough.
Again, some folks make their roux slow, I can make a roux in 10-12 minutes. The key is not how fast you can brown flour, it's how fast you can stop browning flour.
I like a very dark roux. It always tempers overnight, and tastes better the next day.
Also remember cold roux/hot stock, hot roux/cool stock. It keeps it from separating.
Posted on 11/13/13 at 11:32 pm to bigcheese
This is an enlightened thread that may help. Oven Roux
pay attention to Gris Gris' first post then the couple she has on page 2 that give some other good pointers. I've never done it but it's a method certainly worth trying, especially for a novice. Like you, I'm no master by any means at making a roux or gumbo. I'll be trying the oven method soon though.
Also, I like either vegetable oil or lard as my fats. 1 part fat to 1.5 flour works best for me.
pay attention to Gris Gris' first post then the couple she has on page 2 that give some other good pointers. I've never done it but it's a method certainly worth trying, especially for a novice. Like you, I'm no master by any means at making a roux or gumbo. I'll be trying the oven method soon though.
Also, I like either vegetable oil or lard as my fats. 1 part fat to 1.5 flour works best for me.
Posted on 11/14/13 at 5:20 am to bigcheese
Equal parts oil/flour put on medium high heat in stock pot/dutch oven once started continuous stirring is necessary so as to not scorch it. When it has reached the desired color(peanut butter brown/dark as night black, throw into the pot your pre-prepared trinity veggies to allow them to cook and the roux to stop cooking. When done start adding warm stock to this pot of gold.
Posted on 11/14/13 at 7:13 am to bigcheese
Turn heat on high until the oil starts to smoke. Slowly add flour and mix until you have added it all. Continue to stir until desired color. It should never take you longer than 15 minutes
Posted on 11/14/13 at 7:32 am to bigcheese
ive made stove top roux a few times but gave oven roux a shot last week
super easy, stir every 15 minutes or so
took a while though, so set aside some time, but theres usually plenty of other prep work that can be done while the roux is getting dark
super easy, stir every 15 minutes or so
took a while though, so set aside some time, but theres usually plenty of other prep work that can be done while the roux is getting dark
Posted on 11/14/13 at 7:42 am to bigcheese
I'm sure it's sacrilege, but I use butter. It gives a very rich flavor, but will never get darker that peanut butter.
Posted on 11/14/13 at 7:43 am to bigcheese
Get a grease thermometer, heat oil to 350 before adding flour. Saves a lot of stirring time. Like others said, have all vegetables cut up before you start, when it gets to the right color, quickly throw in the vegetables to stop browning.
Posted on 11/14/13 at 11:02 am to bigcheese
Cheese, how did it turn out?
I'm glad you're not giving up and you've continued to try until you get it right. Once you do, you'll be on your way.
Veg oil should be fine. Some folks use canola. I generally use peanut. You can add bacon grease to that if you want. I wouldn't mix butter in it, but I haven't tried that.
I'm glad you're not giving up and you've continued to try until you get it right. Once you do, you'll be on your way.
Veg oil should be fine. Some folks use canola. I generally use peanut. You can add bacon grease to that if you want. I wouldn't mix butter in it, but I haven't tried that.
Posted on 11/14/13 at 12:51 pm to bigcheese
I use canola oil with all purpose flour. usually slightly more flour than a 1:1 ratio. Start by adding the oil, heating it up slightly, but not to where it instantly fries the flour when you dump it in. Cook on low-medium heat, stirring constantly. It usually takes about 40 minutes to get the color I want. The smell should gradually transform from the scent of hot oil to that of burnt popcorn, to the distinct aroma of a well browned roux. I like to cook it slowly so I can't see distinctly observe the color changing as I cook it, but rather gradually allow it to transform from something that looks like pancake mix to melted chocolate.
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