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Started By
Message
How much roux for 2 gallons of gumbo?
Posted on 12/17/16 at 11:46 am
Posted on 12/17/16 at 11:46 am
This is a new pot and I don't make gumbo that often.
Oven roux, super dark. Fried chicken and andouille. I'll hang up and listen.
Oven roux, super dark. Fried chicken and andouille. I'll hang up and listen.
Posted on 12/17/16 at 12:11 pm to OldHickory
I'd go with 2 cups flour
Posted on 12/17/16 at 12:13 pm to OldHickory
I go with 1.5 gallons of liquid to one pint of roux
Posted on 12/17/16 at 12:56 pm to TIGERFANZZ
Depends on how "roux-y" you want it. Recipes I've surveyed vary from 6-1 up to 20-1 ratios of stock to roux. I've looked at dozens of Louisiana cookbooks.
Notice you should just concentrate on the liquid to roux - the meat, fish or other ingredients don't need to be accounted for. You should also be aware that if you make a roux with 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of oil, you will get 1 1/3 cups of roux.
Notice you should just concentrate on the liquid to roux - the meat, fish or other ingredients don't need to be accounted for. You should also be aware that if you make a roux with 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of oil, you will get 1 1/3 cups of roux.
Posted on 12/17/16 at 1:57 pm to OldHickory
I don't really measure, but you should know that the darker the roux, the thinner it will be which is fine. I like a dark roux. It all depends on how much body you want with the gumbo. Some like it thick and some like thinner. Paul Prudhomme's recipe for fried chicken gumbo suggests 1/2 c oil:1/2 c flour to 7-10 cups liquid. You can go heavier on the flour in that ratio if making a dark roux. However, remember that when making fried chicken gumbo, you will also have the fried flour from the chicken dissolving into your gumbo when it simmers which will also add more body and it's not going to be fried as dark as your roux, so it will definitely add to the texture.
I always make extra roux. I add roux to the liquid so I can stop when I'm got the texture I want especially if I'm making fried chicken gumbo.
I always make extra roux. I add roux to the liquid so I can stop when I'm got the texture I want especially if I'm making fried chicken gumbo.
Posted on 12/17/16 at 4:38 pm to Gris Gris
quote:
but you should know that the darker the roux, the thinner it will be which is fine
Wait...huh? Learn me something here. I've never heard that before, nor witnessed it. Maybe because I never measure roux in anything. I don't measure the oil or flour either. I pour it in until it looks right and has the consistency I like, which is typically much dryer than I see a lot. I don't like to stir my roux and have it fill back in on its own. I like it to be just past that stage when it will "melt" back if it were left long enough, but not where it runs back when a spoon is passed through it.
Posted on 12/17/16 at 4:56 pm to Fratigerguy
The darker the roux,the less thickening power. It's scientific and I'm no scientist. It's just fact. I cook roux dark, so I probably use more flour and make more roux than some for gumbo. Like you, I don't measure. I just sort of know what I need.
Posted on 12/17/16 at 5:40 pm to Gris Gris
I wasn't doubting you. I was just asking for an explanation was all.
Posted on 12/17/16 at 5:54 pm to Fratigerguy
quote:You shouldn't because she is right.
I wasn't doubting you.
I just wish there was some way to quantify the difference in thickening power.
Posted on 12/17/16 at 6:08 pm to Stadium Rat
quote:
You shouldn't because she is right.
Yeah like I said I just have never paid attention because I always just add until I think it's about right. The old tried and true method....about that much.
Posted on 12/17/16 at 6:33 pm to Gris Gris
Thanks Gris. Great help. Cheers!
Posted on 12/17/16 at 10:05 pm to Fratigerguy
quote:
I wasn't doubting you. I was just asking for an explanation was all.
I knew that. It's just something I learned from who knows where. I can't explain it though! That's what I trying to tell you.
Posted on 12/18/16 at 8:04 am to Gris Gris
I've noticed that too, dark roux, thinner gumbo. I assume it is because as the flour particles burn they lose their ability to absorb water.
Posted on 12/18/16 at 12:35 pm to Gris Gris
A chef friend of mine explained it to me this way:
I tried to find out what's really happening with the chemistry of roux and what seems to be happening is that the flour dissolved in oil keeps the starch molecules separate and prevents clumping which would happen if you just add flour to a liquid stock. As you heat the oil/starch mixture (roux) in a stock, the starch molecules absorb the liquid and eventually some of the starch molecules burst and release amylose (which is a simple sugar found in flour. The Amylose, in turn, bonds with the starch molecules to restrict movement of the starch in the liquid. The starch thickens the liquid because it bonds physically with both oil and water to make a type of emulsion.
The more you cook roux, the more polymerization of starch molecules occurs and this lessens the thickening action of the roux because more starch molecules are polymerized (become part of a longer chain) and fewer are available for emulsifying the stock (bonding with both the oils and other organic compounds in stock as well as with the oil).
So lighter roux ends up thickening more than a darker roux. And I'll bet that gluten proteins are also degraded with the high heat of cooking too...decreasing the thickening (emulsifying) action of roux.
So what does this all mean?
1) lighter roux thickens more than dark roux...so if you use dark roux and want a thicker gumbo, thicken it with some blonde roux as well or use a cornstarch slurry, or file , or okra.
2) besides thickening, another equally important function of roux is flavoring the stock...and the more you cook the gumbo, the more the flavor changes. The taste also changes with the amount of roux that you use.
3) There are so many variables in cooking gumbo that affect the final taste that make it very difficult to reproduce. Your method becomes very accurate when you can get a consistent taste at the end. Cooking really is an art that involves some science.
I tried to find out what's really happening with the chemistry of roux and what seems to be happening is that the flour dissolved in oil keeps the starch molecules separate and prevents clumping which would happen if you just add flour to a liquid stock. As you heat the oil/starch mixture (roux) in a stock, the starch molecules absorb the liquid and eventually some of the starch molecules burst and release amylose (which is a simple sugar found in flour. The Amylose, in turn, bonds with the starch molecules to restrict movement of the starch in the liquid. The starch thickens the liquid because it bonds physically with both oil and water to make a type of emulsion.
The more you cook roux, the more polymerization of starch molecules occurs and this lessens the thickening action of the roux because more starch molecules are polymerized (become part of a longer chain) and fewer are available for emulsifying the stock (bonding with both the oils and other organic compounds in stock as well as with the oil).
So lighter roux ends up thickening more than a darker roux. And I'll bet that gluten proteins are also degraded with the high heat of cooking too...decreasing the thickening (emulsifying) action of roux.
So what does this all mean?
1) lighter roux thickens more than dark roux...so if you use dark roux and want a thicker gumbo, thicken it with some blonde roux as well or use a cornstarch slurry, or file , or okra.
2) besides thickening, another equally important function of roux is flavoring the stock...and the more you cook the gumbo, the more the flavor changes. The taste also changes with the amount of roux that you use.
3) There are so many variables in cooking gumbo that affect the final taste that make it very difficult to reproduce. Your method becomes very accurate when you can get a consistent taste at the end. Cooking really is an art that involves some science.
Posted on 12/18/16 at 1:33 pm to KyleK
I making a seafood gumbo using a 20 inch oval magnalite roaster. I've got 3-4 pounds shrimp, 2 pounds lump crabmeat, and 2 pounds of crab fingers. Also have the normal trinity and 2 28 ounce bags of okra. The plan is to use 1 cup oil and 1 cup flour. I know that doesn't sound like much for such a large pot but my line of thinking is since I have plenty of okra then that should thicken the gumbo up nicely. Am I on the right track or should I go let's say 1-1/2 cups oil to 1-1/2 cups flour with less okra?
Posted on 12/18/16 at 1:34 pm to KyleK
Cooking definitely involves science. There are things I know, but I may not necessarily know the why. Thanks for the explanation.
Posted on 12/18/16 at 9:00 pm to damonster
Sounds about right, depending on how dark your roux is.You may want to do a quick saute on your okra before putting it in your gumbo. Or, you can eliminate some of the slime w/ some apple cider vinegar. Then, use a little Steen's Cane Syrup to counteract the vinegar taste.
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