re: Are you a Roux snob?

I'm not a roux snob. I simply prefer the flavor of a homemade roux. Also love the smell of it in the kitchen as it's cooking. It's part of my enjoyment.

I don't care for the taste of jarred rouxs. They're not bad, but they're different and I find the texture to be different, for some reason. I think the taste difference is in the oils used in the jarred rouxs versus what I use. For instance, Savoie's says it uses 100% vegetable oil, but they list "cottonseed oil, corn or rice oil" along with hydrogenated palm oil. For large gumbo making, I use peanut oil and I might throw in some bacon fat, as well, which you could also add to the jarred roux and which might help that flavor I don't care for. I also use Paul Prudhomme's chicken and andouille gumbo preparation quite often and the key to that great flavor is using the chicken frying oil to make the roux. Can't get that from a jar and it's awesome.

The order didn't change for me. When I tried the jarred roux some years ago, I dumped that stuff in a cast iron skillet, added a little oil because it was so dry, heated it up and then sauteed the veggies in it.

In the past year or so, I've used the oven roux method which is the bomb. I make large quantities of gumbo at once so I have big rouxs going, sometimes two deep cast iron skillets at a time. The oven method is longer, but so simple and easy and it's next to impossible to burn the roux for those out there who worry about that. I can get the dark roux I love with little effort. Still have the same great taste and smell in the kitchen and I do my other gumbo prepping while that's cooking.

The other thing I noticed when I tried the jarred and when I've had gumbo made by others using jarred, is that there is some sort of film that rises to the top of the gumbo. It's not grease. I degrease my gumbo, always, because I don't pre-brown the sausage. It's hard to describe it, but it's different as if the browned flour sort of rises to the top somewhat. It's just different in texture from mine and I find mine to have a bit of a sharper flavor.

Anyway, I experimented with the jarred several times and compared it. I also compared my frozen to frozen cooked with a jar. Maybe my taste buds are ultra sensitive to roux and gumbo, but homemade was far superior in comparison. Jarred isn't bad, but it's definitely not as good for my personal taste.

As far as making it quickly, if you're going to make gumbo using just one jar of roux, it doesn't take that much longer to make that amount of roux in a cast iron skillet using Prudhomme's high heat quick method. And, it doesn't even take that long in the oven when you consider that you can be chopping chicken, sausage and veggies while it bakes, giving it a stir every 20 minutes or so. If you saute your veggies in roux, then you're going to have to heat up the jarred roux anyway. You can also make your roux the day before. I leave it out on the stove when I do that or in a cool oven. Works just fine and dandy. Hell, you can make roux weeks in advance and stick it in the fridge or freezer until you need it.

I make way too much roux to even bother trying to cook it in the microwave. If I need a small roux for a stew or whatever, that takes no time at all. The time is negligible when I consider the flavor I'm going to get with homemade.

Otis, I expect an upvote for this long post supporting those of us who favor homemade roux!

Just mix a tablespoon in your jarred roux when you're heating it. I'm sure the peanut buttered roux guy will be along at some point to give you proper measurements.

I'm not the one who said I'd show up for a tailgate and then didn't show or even call. You deserved some needling. Take it like a man. And, down votes don't bother me. All that up and down voting business is pretty meaningless. I was joking with Otis.

I agree something about the jar roux just isn't the same. I also enjoy cooking a roux. it brings back memories of me watching my grandpa making it back in the day.

quote:

---

My guess is the jar roux has numerous chemical additives which I try to avoid.

---

Right. Because a traditional roux of flour and vegetable oil is certainly healthy.

Somebody is downvoting me!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!

The horror!!!

Im not going to answer what everyone already knows, so I'll just leave this little gem here:

Dang Otis drinking early for a Wednesday!

Sober as most judges, for now.