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Big oven roux questions
Posted on 4/16/15 at 9:21 am
Posted on 4/16/15 at 9:21 am
I'm doing a 6 gallon gumbo on Saturday and I am going to start my roux tonight and store it until Saturday. It is going to be 8 cup to 8 cup oil and flour. I was going to do half tonight and the other half tomorrow night. My question being is that to much in one batch? Could I do the entire thing at one time? Should I do it in smaller batches?
Posted on 4/16/15 at 9:25 am to yomamak
Provided you have a large enough cast iron pot, yeah you will be ok doing it all at once. Just stir it every 15-20 mins.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 9:39 am to yomamak
Should be fine
I'd consider doing it in a pan or something wide to increase the surface area for better heat transfer
I'd consider doing it in a pan or something wide to increase the surface area for better heat transfer
Posted on 4/16/15 at 9:53 am to Croacka
Yea I would want to do it in a pan but I don't have one big enough to hold that much roux.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 10:40 am to yomamak
I've done 7 cup/7 cup a number of times in one pot. Takes a long time, but with very little attention until it actually starts getting dark. I forgot about it one time and got on a very very long phone call. Didn't stir at all for nearly 2 hours. No issue at all. It had been in about an hour already.
I've also started a large roux and run errands for over an hour or so after putting it in. It really doesn't need a lot of stirring until late in the process. I stir anyway when I'm not doing something else, but it browns on top and bottom in the oven.
I've also started a large roux and run errands for over an hour or so after putting it in. It really doesn't need a lot of stirring until late in the process. I stir anyway when I'm not doing something else, but it browns on top and bottom in the oven.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 10:53 am to yomamak
quote:
Yea I would want to do it in a pan but I don't have one big enough to hold that much roux.
then how are you going to cook 6 gallons of gumbo?
Also, that seems like a lot of roux for only 6 gallons of soup. Are you using 8 cups of flour and 8 cups of oil or just 4 and 4?
For the last year or so I have been cooking my roux using high heat like Prudhomme suggest and I'll never do it any other way. I can get a dark roux in under 10 minutes.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 11:14 am to 8thyearsenior
quote:
then how are you going to cook 6 gallons of gumbo?
I have a bigger pot for the gumbo. I was talking about a pot for the roux
As far as that size roux I just took the ratios for my home gumbo and that's how I came up with that amount.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 11:15 am to Gris Gris
I have a related question.
I've never made a roux ahead of time like this. Normally I make the roux, add the trinity to the hot roux and stir for a few minutes, transfer that to the gumbo pot and add the broth.
I've learned from here to add the liquid a little bit at a time.
okay, make that 2 questions.
1: if you make the roux ahead of time, do you just heat it up and then add liquid a little at a time?
2: when making a gumbo as big as the OP, how do you add the liquid? seems like adding 6 gallons a little at a time would take a very long time.
I've never made a roux ahead of time like this. Normally I make the roux, add the trinity to the hot roux and stir for a few minutes, transfer that to the gumbo pot and add the broth.
I've learned from here to add the liquid a little bit at a time.
okay, make that 2 questions.
1: if you make the roux ahead of time, do you just heat it up and then add liquid a little at a time?
2: when making a gumbo as big as the OP, how do you add the liquid? seems like adding 6 gallons a little at a time would take a very long time.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 12:14 pm to LSUTygerFan
When I use roux from a jar, I heat the stock first and then add the roux. It will melt into the stock
This is similar to what you have so it should work
This is similar to what you have so it should work
Posted on 4/16/15 at 12:21 pm to LSUTygerFan
If I make roux ahead of time, I heat it up. I've already added the trinity most of the time, so all I need to do is heat it and start adding it slowly to my simmering stock. I have very rarely added stock to the roux before I've added the roux to the stock. The trinity has already provided some moisture to the roux.
If I make the roux ahead of time and need to reheat it, I usually do it in the oven so I don't have to spend time watching it and stirring a lot. I get an good even reheat without too much stirring. Works for me, but everyone has their preferences.
If I were using a jarred roux and I have tried it a few times long ago, I would add a little oil to the cast iron skillet because I find the jarred to be so thick. Then, I would add the roux and start to melt it and I would try to get it hot enough to add the onions to brown them a bit and then add the rest of the trinity, sauteing them just as I do with a homemade roux.
If I make the roux ahead of time and need to reheat it, I usually do it in the oven so I don't have to spend time watching it and stirring a lot. I get an good even reheat without too much stirring. Works for me, but everyone has their preferences.
If I were using a jarred roux and I have tried it a few times long ago, I would add a little oil to the cast iron skillet because I find the jarred to be so thick. Then, I would add the roux and start to melt it and I would try to get it hot enough to add the onions to brown them a bit and then add the rest of the trinity, sauteing them just as I do with a homemade roux.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 1:11 pm to Gris Gris
So, I'm doing it backwards adding the stock to the roux?
I followed the steps in this thread LINK
A few times and finally got it to come out pretty good. But, I never thought to add the roux to the stock.
I've seen people at our tailgate make as much as 40 gallons of gumbo. They always seem to start with making the roux in the big pot and add the trinity and stock to that.
Then I got the tip to add the stock slowly and it made me wonder how you would do that on a much larger scale.
I followed the steps in this thread LINK
A few times and finally got it to come out pretty good. But, I never thought to add the roux to the stock.
I've seen people at our tailgate make as much as 40 gallons of gumbo. They always seem to start with making the roux in the big pot and add the trinity and stock to that.
Then I got the tip to add the stock slowly and it made me wonder how you would do that on a much larger scale.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 1:14 pm to LSUTygerFan
quote:
So, I'm doing it backwards adding the stock to the roux?
Either way works. I don't typically make small amounts of gumbo, so I can't add stock to my large cast iron skillet. That's why I do it the way I do and I've always done it that way. There are plenty of folks who make gumbo in the same pot they use to make the roux. They add the stock to the roux slowly.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 1:22 pm to Gris Gris
I'm obviously a novice. honestly, i had not even attempted to make gumbo until i read that other thread. It always seemed too intimidating.
I may try this again this weekend and try doing it the other way around and see how that works. I didn't like the way the roux and stock seemed to separate. Maybe adding roux to already heated stock will help with that?
I may try this again this weekend and try doing it the other way around and see how that works. I didn't like the way the roux and stock seemed to separate. Maybe adding roux to already heated stock will help with that?
Posted on 4/16/15 at 1:29 pm to LSUTygerFan
I love making my roux in the oven, you don't have to stand over it for eternity (especially with an amount that large) and you certainly don't need to worry about it burning. If you have a big cast iron enameled pot, use that. By the way, my roux is never a 1:1 ratio. I usually do 1 cup of flour to about 3/4 cup oil. I find my gumbo comes out so much less greasy, I usually don't even need to skim it at all. As the roux is in the oven, you can add a bit of oil if you feel it needs it. This also makes for an incredibly thick and rich base for your gumbo, which is my preference.
If you don't have a pot big enough, do it in 2 separate pots at the same time. I do mine on 365 or so, not above 375. Takes a while in the oven, so start early.
If you don't have a pot big enough, do it in 2 separate pots at the same time. I do mine on 365 or so, not above 375. Takes a while in the oven, so start early.
This post was edited on 4/16/15 at 1:31 pm
Posted on 4/16/15 at 1:35 pm to BigB0882
quote:
I usually don't even need to skim it at all.
You shouldn't have to skim the oil from the roux unless it separates. I have to skim because I use sausage/andouille and chicken, sometimes fried chicken. I don't have to skim seafood gumbo, though.
I can't say I use a 1:1 ratio. I use more flour than oil. I don't necessarily measure. I put in the amount that looks right, but I've made it so much that I'm usually on target. I normally make extra roux.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 1:38 pm to Gris Gris
You are probably right. I also changed sausage at the same time I changed my ratio so it could be the change in sausage that lead to less grease on top. My roux has definitely never separated.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 1:38 pm to Gris Gris
quote:
more flour than oil
interesting. when i first started with the steps from the other thread it was like 2:1 oil to flour. But, it definitely worked better when i changed to 1:1. So much for not teaching an old dog new tricks.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 1:45 pm to BigB0882
quote:
My roux has definitely never separated.
You'd know it if it separated. You'd take a ton of oil off. I've seen it happen and the gumbo still tasted and looked great. It was odd, but the flavor was there. Maybe all of it didn't separate, but there was an inordinate amount of oil. I usually have a good bit to skim, but I go a little heavy on the sausage because I prefer it to the chicken unless I'm using turkey which I love.
Posted on 4/16/15 at 1:52 pm to Gris Gris
I overcooked a roux once and it separated badly when I added the liquid
Turned out to be a huge disaster
Turned out to be a huge disaster
Posted on 4/16/15 at 2:41 pm to Croacka
maybe "separated" is the wrong term for what i was seeing? after adding the stock to the roux, i had tons of little brown spots floating in the pot. someone in the other thread suggested adding the stock a little at a time. While that did help a little, it still happened. everything seemed to blend together after a while though. And it tasted pretty good.
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