Cooking Stack Exchange
Cooking Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [roux]

These questions refer to the fat and flour mixture used to thicken sauces.

When flour is cooked in a fat, the resulting product can be used to thicken sauces. Questions in this category most often address variations on the proportions, technique tips, or problems in using the resulting roux.

Often these questions compare the use of a roux to other thickening methods such as a cornstarch slurry (mix with water) or arrowroot.

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Why is a roux necessary?

A classic bechamel sauce is a roux and milk. Why can’t I just add the flour directly to the milk and cook till thickened, stirring vigorously to keep it from clumping?
mroll
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Can I freeze roux?

Is it possible to prepare a (large) batch of roux and then freeze it, or will the texture and flavour be destroyed in the process?
Ruben Steins
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Why is my cheese sauce gritty?

Sometimes when making a very simple cheese sauce (butter, flour, milk, cheese [cheddar, usually]), the final sauce has a sort of gritty or slightly pebbly texture (rather than smooth) - it seems like maybe the cheese hasn't totally melted, even if I…
SarahVV
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What is a "roux" and what are its uses?

I've had excellent Macaroni and Cheese that I was told was made with a "roux." What exactly is a roux, when is it used and what are the benefits of using it versus other cooking methods?
Oren Hizkiya
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How can I reheat a roux-based (alfredo) sauce in the microwave without separation?

I made an alfredo sauce last night using a roux made with ghee instead of regular butter, since that's what I had on hand. The ingredients were: ghee, flour, heavy cream, garlic, pecorino romano, and salt and pepper to taste. The sauce turned out…
stephennmcdonald
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What is this sauce-making technique called?

My mother was not the best cook, well she cooked because she needed to, but I don't think she ever enjoyed it. One of the things she did was if she was making sauce, is to take a spoonful of margarine or butter and use a fork to knead a little bit…
Neil Meyer
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Flour alternatives for roux

I have recently been diagnosed with celiac, so no wheat flour whatsoever. Also, I am allergic to corn.... I have read that arrowroot would not work in a roux; it is not just the thickening I want, but that flavor that a well browned roux has. Any…
user17651
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What is the advantage of a roux over a raw flour slurry, in sauce?

My standard Bechamel sauce recipe used to be: Stir together flour and oil into a paste Fry for a short while Add a small amount of milk Heat and stir until incorporated Repeat steps 3-4 with increasing amounts of milk, until the mixture is a thick…
slim
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Gumbo base tastes burnt, but the final product does not

I made a gumbo on Sunday. First I made the roux, using equal parts flour and oil, high heat, constant stirring. I ended up with a beautiful dark brown roux. At no point did it stick to the pan, at no point did I see black flakes rise to the top. I…
George Tirebiter
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My béchamel takes over an hour to thicken. What am I doing wrong?

Twice I attempted to make a roux for béchamel sauce, and twice I failed. Both times I used a ratio of 1:1, first time I weighted the butter and the flour second time I used tablespoons. First time I continuously whisked the roux, second time I mixed…
LissaC
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Can I make roux with a fat different than butter, and if yes, what considerations should I take into account?

I have experience making a roux with butter and flour. If I want to substitute a non-dairy fat (e.g. olive or sunflower oil), will there be any cooking or consistency differences that I need to watch out for? Does the fat/flour ratio stay…
Erica
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Why do light and dark roux have different effects when thickening sauces?

When you are using a roux, the darker it is, the less it acts as a thickening agent in a sauce and, vice versa, if the roux is quite light, it has more of a thickening effect. Why is this?
Jack Armstrong
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How can I make my cheese sauce creamier?

I made my cheese sauce with pre-shredded cheese (first problem I know), milk and butter. I tried to make a roux but without the flour I think I made it fail. To make the cheese sauce, I put milk and butter in a pot and brought it to a boil. When it…
Lyssa
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Why does the roux separate from my gumbo?

I love gumbo, and make it about once or twice a month. However, I've noticed that my roux will occasionally separate from my stew and float up to the surface. I've sampled it, just to see if it had absorbed some of the flavors, but all I got was a…
Edwin
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What is the thickening power of different types of roux?

I often take the easy way out and work with white roux, usually mixing it 1:10 for a sauce, and using the warm liquid into hot roux method. Tonight I needed a more toasted taste. I was afraid to try dark roux outright, and went for brown roux. "The…
rumtscho
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