MAKING A ROUX

[Fat Guy]

MAKING A ROUX

(Note: this is a proportional measurement. Some sauce recipes will call for two ounces of butter and two ounces of flour, which creates the roux. This recipe is to create a supply of roux which you can keep for later use. You can use one pound of butter and one pound of flour or less or more, just so that they are the same amounts.) I am using the 1/2 pound measurement

• 1/2 lb unsalted butter (I recommend Plugra)
  
• 1/2 lb flour
  

The method for preparing a roux is to melt the fat in a pan over moderate heat and add the flour and stir until smooth and cook until the "floury" taste is gone.

Cook, stirring constantly to achieve the desired color. White roux should be barely colored, or chalky. This is the roux that is used for milk and cream-based sauces. Moderate (or medium) heat is important. Heating the pan up quickly to melt the fat will result in evaporation and you will lose your proportionsIn the beginning, the roux will look clumpy, somewhat like very pasty oatmeal.

A pale, or blonde roux should be straw-colored and is used in veloutes and white sauces

A brown or black roux will be deep in color, have a nutty aroma, and is used in brown sauces. One caveat: A browned-flour roux has one-third the thickening power of other roux and is often used more to enhance color and flavor than to thicken the sauce.

Keywords: Sauce, eGCI

( RG617 )