Don't be so Roux-ed!

Stews, chowders, pot pies, Alfredo sauce.  What do all these have in common?  They're all thick!  Have you ever wondered how they thicken those soups and sauces?  Well there's only three ways I know of doing this.  Reducing, which is the process of heating the liquid so that a portion of the liquid evaporates.  Corn Starch, mixing corn starch with water creates a slurry that will thicken ANYTHING.  The only bad thing about corn starch is when you use too much of it, it'll make the liquid gummy and in the culinary world, using corn starch to thicken is frowned upon.  And the last solution, making a roux (pronounced roo).  A roux consists of equal parts flour and fat.  Typically butter is used as the fat because well...butter just makes everything better (you can use your clarified butter).  A roux is the most effective and elegant way to thicken any kind of liquid.  And what do I mean by "elegant"?  As I explained before, using too much corn starch can make a liquid gummy.  I don't think a gummy gravy or sauce is very attractive but using a roux to thicken it will give it a nice shine and awesome texture.
 Sorry nary...you can use corn starch if you want...just don't use too much

Essentially there are 3 different types of roux.  You have a white roux which is just mixing the fat and flour and slightly cooking it.  You would use this roux to make a white sauce such as Alfredo or if you're making pot pie because it'll keep the sauce white.  There's the Blond or Peanut Butter roux.  This roux is a little bit darker and has a nuttier flavor because it's been cooked a little longer.  This roux would be used for making any kind of gravy and dark sauces  And the third roux is the Brick roux.  This roux is a tricky one.  You would probably want to use a fat such as vegetable or grapeseed oil as they both have higher smoking points then butter.  This roux is cooked for about 30 min at med-low heat till it's ALMOST burnt.  The reason it's called the brick roux because as it gets to that burning point it'll turn a dark red.  This type of roux is used mostly in Creole and Canjun cuisine like gumbos and etouffees.

The darker the roux the more flavor it will bring to the dish but at the same time, the darker the roux the less thickening power it has.  So of course you would use less white roux and more darker roux to thicken.

Have you ever read a recipe and it called for 2 Tablespoons of butter and 2 Tablespoons of flour?  And then the first step is melt the butter and add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes?  Well you just made a roux right there.  But you don't always have to add flour and butter at the start.  You can saute vegetables in some butter first and then dust your vegetables with flour and you have your roux.  The only difference is that your vegetables are covered in roux but it will thicken your soup regardless.  And if you remember my first blog about beef stew.  I dusted the beef with flour and seared it in butter, creating roux that stuck onto the beef and then when I poured the beef broth in my stew thickened instantly.

Before I end this blog let me tell you the easiest way to make Gravy.  Any kind of gravy.  Chicken gravy, turkey gravy, gravy for beef...ANY KIND.  Take 2 tablespoons of flour and butter.  Melt your butter and add your flour over medium heat.  Stir and cook for 2 minutes.  Depending on what kind of gravy you want..lets say we're making chicken gravy, grab about 1-2 cups of chicken broth and then add it too the roux  a half cup at a time.  You gravy will thicken in minutes.  You don't have to use both cups of chicken broth...it all depends on how thick you want your gravy.  Season with a little salt and pepper and your done.  Gravy in about 5 minutes.  This is how you make REAL gravy...none of that powdered crap you see in the store.  Those powders contain CORN STARCH...no no.

Any questions...feel free to ask!

bien manger
-cwis