How to Make Roux Sauce

Select your fat. The type of fat you use greatly influences the flavor of the roux. For example, rendered pork fat will add a salty and smoky taste, while butter creates a rich, creamy flavor. Lamb fat and other oils provide a milder, more neutral taste. It’s recommended to follow the fat type suggested in your recipe, or consider these alternatives:

• Use rendered pork fat or smoked meat for making roux for Gumbo stew or dishes with smoky ingredients like sausages.
• Butter works well for making roux for rich soups like Chowder, or for recipes like Macaroni and Cheese.
• Lamb fat produces a mild roux that won’t overpower the other ingredients in your dish.

Heat the fat in a skillet. Use a cast iron or heavy-bottomed pan. Place the pan over medium heat and add the fat. Heat it until it melts. If using cooking oil, heat it for about 2 minutes.

Add the flour. Pour the flour into the melted fat. Use a whisk to stir constantly to avoid clumps and ensure the flour blends well into the fat.

• If you prefer a thicker roux, add an extra 1/4 cup of flour.
• If you want a thinner sauce, reduce the flour by 1/4 cup.

Cook the roux. Keep stirring the mixture while it cooks. After a few minutes, the mixture will begin to thicken and darken. Continue cooking until it reaches your desired color and consistency.

• Some recipes require a light-colored roux, with a pale yellow hue and a mild flavor. Typically, this takes about 8 minutes of cooking.
• For darker roux, often used in richer dishes, it should resemble a deep chocolate color. To achieve this, cook for up to 60 minutes. For convenience, you can cook it on the stove and then transfer it to a preheated oven at 160°C.

Turn off the heat. Turn off the stove once the sauce has reached the desired color and thickness. Now, you can use the sauce in your dish.

Store the roux sauce. Pour the sauce into a food storage container and refrigerate. Once cooled, the sauce will firm up, and you’ll need to reheat it to make it pourable. When ready to use, simply scoop the desired amount of sauce for your dish.

Use roux sauce to make Gumbo stew. Roux sauce is a key ingredient in Cajun cuisine. For instance, in the traditional Cajun dish Gumbo, you’ll need either a yellow or dark roux to thicken the stew. You can prepare the roux ahead of time and add ingredients like okra, bell peppers, sausage, chicken, shrimp, and chicken broth to create a flavorful Gumbo dish.

Use roux sauce to make Gratin dishes. Gratin dishes (typically consisting of ingredients like potatoes, broccoli, or tomatoes covered with a crispy baked layer of breadcrumbs, grated cheese, or egg/butter) require a yellow roux for a rich, creamy flavor. The roux is thickened with milk, then poured over vegetables and topped with cheese for a delicious finish.

Use roux sauce to make Macaroni and Cheese. This classic pasta and cheese dish is simple to prepare. Just make the roux ahead of time, cook it with milk to thicken, then pour it over the pasta and top with cheese.

Use roux sauce to make Bechamel sauce. This French sauce is a staple base for many pasta dishes.

• If the roux has black spots, it means it’s burned. You should start over, or the dish will not taste good.
• Roux sauce generally doesn’t have a strong flavor. The darker the roux, the stronger the smoky taste.
• If the roux starts to smoke, it’s burned. It will thicken quickly and stick to the pan once it’s burned. Therefore, avoid cooking it once the roux has reached a dark chocolate color.
• If your soup or sauce is too thick, you can thin it by adding a few cups of water or broth.

• If using a non-stick pan, avoid stirring the sauce with metal utensils. Metal can damage the non-stick coating and ruin the pan.
• Be careful not to spill hot sauce on yourself. Hot sauce can cause third-degree burns and will stick to your skin as it cools.

• Wooden spoon or metal whisk
• Cast iron or non-stick skillet