Some kitchen skillsโlike dicing onions, flipping pancakes, or rolling burritosโmay feel tricky at first but become muscle memory pretty quickly. But in my experience, learning how to make a roux is not one of those skills. The process itself seems straightforward: Add equal parts fat and flour to a pan on medium low, then stir until uniform and the desired color has been achieved. In practice, however, my rouxs are pretty hit and miss.
Sure, sometimes Iโll nail one on the first try and be on my way to perfect gravy, bรฉchamel, or gumbo. But then there are the times when things keep clumping together, or the mixture comes out super thin, orโworst of allโthe flour just burns before it can incorporate into the fat. When that happens, I usually dump my failed attempt (along with my ego) into the trash and start over. But after messing up senior food editor Christina Chaeyโs Japanese Curry recipe twice in a row, I realized I needed help from the pro. Hereโs everything I learned:
What is a roux?
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 thatโs deployed in saucy recipes like this extra-creamy Lasagna Bolognese, Chicken-Andouille Gumbo, and bรฉchamel-soaked Croque Monsieur.
You have options when it comes to the fat, but more often than not, roux is made from either neutral oil (like vegetable or canola) or unsalted butter. When used in soups, sauces, and casseroles a roux provides creaminess and density, helps incorporate other fatty ingredients like cream or cheese, and generally binds things together into a cohesive finished product. And gravy, this seasonโs MVP, is made by adding stock and/or meat drippings to a roux.
As the silent โXโ in their name implies, rouxs are common in French cuisineโused in mother sauces like bรฉchamel and veloutรฉโbut they pop up in dishes from around the world, too. Rouxs are an essential part of Cajun cooking and are also the backbone of many Japanese curriesโlike Chaeyโs winter squash and mushroom curry and the Golden Curry that inspired her recipe.
โIf you look at the ingredients on the box [of Golden Curry], itโs pretty much just flour and oil, and then you have salt, sugar, and curry powder,โ says Chaey. If you want to see the power of a well-made roux, add one of those gorgeous yellow blocks to a pot of veggie broth. Itโll disperse in seconds, turning a runny stew into a velvety, creamy sauce right before your eyes.
How do I make my rouxs better?
In Chaeyโs eyes, making a good roux largely comes down to practice and intuitionโbut there are a couple tips that can help you get there sooner.
Trust your nose
โYou want to cook the flour and the butter until thereโs no raw flour smell left,โ she says, comparing the telltale scent to pancake batter or biscuit dough. If youโre using butter as your fat, youโll also pick up on the toasty, nutty scent of the milk solids browning (like when making brown butter). Once you reach that pointโ*notes to self*โlower the heat to avoid burning.
