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Darkening and Thickening a Roux - Question
Posted on 1/17/25 at 3:11 pm
Posted on 1/17/25 at 3:11 pm
Love making gumbo and love making roux - kind of a like a rite of passage
But I love going to restaurants that have a really dark and thick roux
I can get my roux to a dark chocolate color but when i add the trinity/roux to the boiling water and chicken stock, it always seems to lighten up and thin out
It tastes great, but other than adding a corn starch slurry, how do you darken and thicken the roux?
I use either bacon fat or veg oil for the fat and a 1:1 ratio with flour
But I love going to restaurants that have a really dark and thick roux
I can get my roux to a dark chocolate color but when i add the trinity/roux to the boiling water and chicken stock, it always seems to lighten up and thin out
It tastes great, but other than adding a corn starch slurry, how do you darken and thicken the roux?
I use either bacon fat or veg oil for the fat and a 1:1 ratio with flour
20
Posted on 1/17/25 at 3:17 pm to bamatiger90
Use a little less fat to flour in your ratio and make more roux than you usually do. Add it until you get the consistency you want. I like my gumbo to have body, but I don't want a stew.
My roux usually darkens a bit more when I add the trinity to saute. However, the roux stock mixture lightens up a bit because you're diluting the roux. I still get the dark roux flavor, though.
My roux usually darkens a bit more when I add the trinity to saute. However, the roux stock mixture lightens up a bit because you're diluting the roux. I still get the dark roux flavor, though.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 3:27 pm to Gris Gris
Thank you
Would you go with a 1:1.25 of oil:Flour ratio?
Would you go with a 1:1.25 of oil:Flour ratio?
Posted on 1/17/25 at 3:41 pm to bamatiger90
quote:
Would you go with a 1:1.25 of oil:Flour ratio?
Sure. You can experiment until you get what you're looking for.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 3:48 pm to Gris Gris
Good info, GG.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 4:08 pm to bamatiger90
My buddy's wife helped me figure it out. She went wild on the flour. At least 1.5 : 1, maybe almost 2:1 flour to vegetable oil ratio, playing with the burner frequently. Needless to say, the roux was thicc
Posted on 1/17/25 at 4:18 pm to bamatiger90
Whats your process? Do you make a roux and add the trinity to the hot roux?
When I do it that way I always go to 1:1, so the oil can can coat cook my trinity.
When I do it that way I always go to 1:1, so the oil can can coat cook my trinity.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 4:19 pm to bamatiger90
I always found that the gumbo darkens the longer you simmer it. Not sure if there is any merit in that, but that is my experience. My roux usually looks like dark chocolate when I add my trinity for reference.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 4:32 pm to bamatiger90
The darker the roux, the less thickening power. So, you need more roux. Never tried changing the flour/oil ratio. I'll have to try that next time. Also, thought about making a dark roux and then adding blond roux later to thicken.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 4:35 pm to CHEDBALLZ
yes - make the roux, then add the trinity - One thing could be to reduce the water/broth too
Posted on 1/17/25 at 4:36 pm to bamatiger90
quote:
water
Obviously adding stock will lighten the color up too, but adding water as opposed to just a homemade stock will affect it a good bit as well I’d imagine.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 4:37 pm to bamatiger90
Need more roux or less liquid.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 4:44 pm to bamatiger90
For gumbo, the roux doesn't need to thicken it a lot. Not like we're making an etouffee here.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 6:12 pm to bamatiger90
For dark, there are two components, roux and stock. The roux is easy, brown it longer. I make my own stock. Browning the bones first gives a better flavor, less grease and darkens the stock.
For thickness, two options, more roux or less stock. That's about it
For thickness, two options, more roux or less stock. That's about it
Posted on 1/17/25 at 6:27 pm to HeadyMurphey
quote:
For thickness, two options, more roux or less stock. That's about it
And okra. It’ll thicken it up a bit as well.
ETA: Is okra not a natural thickener? Am I missing something with these downvotes?
This post was edited on 1/18/25 at 9:32 am
Posted on 1/17/25 at 7:01 pm to Gris Gris
I love to fry my own chicken and will do so about once every other month. I have a fair sized cast iron pot that can easily hold half the cut up chicken to fry.
When I'm done, I let the oil cool overnight so any coating settles and I drain and strain the oil, clean the pot and add the oil back into the pot then get it up to temperature to start adding flour. When it's the consistency I want I let it start to brown and stir it constantly with the wire whisk or roux paddle I use to move it in the pot. Average time to make my roux this way is 45 minutes-------or 2 cold beers.
When done, I let it cool enough to be able to put it in Mason jars to store in the fridge till needed. I usually wind up with 1 full quart and 1 full pint jar.
That's so much easier than making a roux every time I need one by having it on hand when needed.
My roux color is as dark as a Hershey Chocolate Bar.
When I'm done, I let the oil cool overnight so any coating settles and I drain and strain the oil, clean the pot and add the oil back into the pot then get it up to temperature to start adding flour. When it's the consistency I want I let it start to brown and stir it constantly with the wire whisk or roux paddle I use to move it in the pot. Average time to make my roux this way is 45 minutes-------or 2 cold beers.
When done, I let it cool enough to be able to put it in Mason jars to store in the fridge till needed. I usually wind up with 1 full quart and 1 full pint jar.
That's so much easier than making a roux every time I need one by having it on hand when needed.
My roux color is as dark as a Hershey Chocolate Bar.
This post was edited on 1/17/25 at 7:26 pm
Posted on 1/17/25 at 10:20 pm to gumbo2176
There's always Kitchen Bouquet.and a cornstarch slurry.
Just sayin'.
Just sayin'.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 10:21 pm to bamatiger90
To make darker
1. Cheat ... Kitchen Bouquet
2. Sorta Cheat...Caramelized tomato paste...in a small skillet heat a thin layer of oil to shimmering then squiggle in a trail of tomato paste and stir until deep brown with a spatula... it's fast. Stir browned sauce into gumbo while simmering. The degree of browning increases with simmering time.
1. Cheat ... Kitchen Bouquet
2. Sorta Cheat...Caramelized tomato paste...in a small skillet heat a thin layer of oil to shimmering then squiggle in a trail of tomato paste and stir until deep brown with a spatula... it's fast. Stir browned sauce into gumbo while simmering. The degree of browning increases with simmering time.
Posted on 1/17/25 at 10:31 pm to bamatiger90
This will take longer but try the oven method. 1.5 flour to fat ratio. It’s almost impossible to burn and you can take it very very dark. Also, like someone else mentioned, make a lot more roux the darker you go.
This post was edited on 1/17/25 at 10:36 pm
Posted on 1/17/25 at 10:34 pm to Stadium Rat
quote:
There's always Kitchen Bouquet.
That's how my mom always got hers so dark, I call her a cheat every time.
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