What is a Roux | Blue Flame Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is a roux in the kitchen? ›

A roux is a combination of flour and fat which is commonly used as a thickening agent in cooking of stews and sauces. A roux can also be used as a base for various Classical French sauces, such as Bechamel or Velouté.

In the simplest terms possible, a roux is a mixture of equal parts flour and fat, cooked together over low to medium heat, to create a uniform thickening agent that's deployed in saucy recipes like this extra-creamy Lasagna Bolognese, Chicken-Andouille Gumbo, and béchamel-soaked Croque Monsieur.

A roux is a cooked mixture of equal parts flour and fat. When flour is cooked in fat, the fat coats the flour's starch granules. This helps keep lumps from forming when the roux is combined with liquid such as milk or stock, yielding a silky-smooth, uniform sauce.

A roux, from the French word for "red," is a mixture of roughly equal volumes of a starch and a liquid fat that are cooked together and then used as a thickener for liquids in soups, stews, and sauces.

Types of Roux: There are three main types of roux: white, blond, and brown. Each type offers a distinct flavor profile and complements specific culinary creations.

Roux (pronounced "roo") is the foundation for many Cajun and Creole recipes, from gravies to sauces and soups to gumbos. Roux, though simple in nature, brings incredible flavor to so many recipes. Roux is a cooked mixture of flour and fat (oil, butter or lard) used as a thickening agent.

The key to a good roux is to watch it carefully and whisk it almost constantly (if black specks appear, your roux has burned and you should start over). The cooking time will vary based on your desired color—a white roux takes as little as 2–5 minutes, whereas a dark roux requires 30–45 minutes.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A ROUX AND A GRAVY? Gravy is basically a roux, elevated with meat drippings or stock added. While a roux is a neutral fat and flour combined, gravy takes it a step further by using drippings for the fat and stock for flavor.

A roux is a sauce built on a simple ratio of 1 part butter to 1 part flour. You start by melting butter, then add in flour, and cook the mixture over low heat until it's thick and lump-free. At this point, most recipes will instruct you to slowly add a liquid such as broth or milk, and this is where the magic happens.

The five mother sauces are hollandaise, tomato (sauce tomat), bechamel, Espagnole, and veloute. French chef Auguste Escoffier identified the five mother sauces, forever associating them with French cuisine.

Can I use pancake mix to make a roux? ›

Use a little Bisquick mix wherever you'd use flour to make a roux and thicken a pan sauce to make gravy. The extra oomph in the baking mix makes the gravy rich and silky.

Making roux isn't hard, if you pay attention to the details. For a great roux, you'll want to avoid these common mistakes. Don't use a thin pan and/or too high heat: We advise using a heavy-bottomed pan (Dutch oven, cast-iron skillet, heavy sauté pan) and cooking over medium-low heat.

There are four varieties of roux: white, blond, brown, and dark brown. The different colors are a result of how long the roux is cooked; white is cooked for the shortest time, while dark brown cooks the longest. White and blond roux are the most common, used to thicken sauces, soups, and chowders.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A ROUX AND A GRAVY? Gravy is basically a roux, elevated with meat drippings or stock added. While a roux is a neutral fat and flour combined, gravy takes it a step further by using drippings for the fat and stock for flavor.