To Make a Roux, For All Sauces

To Make a Roux

            Because of their cantankerous and obstinate desire to dictate and or be “different” the American method of making a roux is to melt the fat, use less flour and cook only until the mixture bubbles before adding the liquid. This saves time, but at the expense of quality and the flavour of the sauce(A well prepared roux can and WILL add a considerable amount of flavour, longevity, and quality to all gravies and sauces) and is but one of the many reasons why most hotels and fine restaurants employ European trained chefs.

            The French method is to melt the fat, add the flour and cook, with constant stirring, for five minutes, before adding any liquid. This removes the raw taste and gives much better flavour and quality. When flour is cooked, dry heat not only changes the colour but part of the starch to dextrin, as a result, the roux and any sauce made from it has more flavour

For a White Sauce-Melt fat, if necessary and add an equal amount of flour. Cook stirring constantly for about five minutes. Do not allow flour or fat to brown. 

For a Brown Sauce-Melt the fat and allow it to brown before adding flour, then stir in the flour and stir constantly, until the flour is brown. The colour of the roux and there-fore the sauce depends on this browning, but care must be taken not to scorch. This long preliminary cooking is the secret of a successful brown sauce (gravy). Roux can be made at the time a dish is prepared, or it can be made ahead of time and kept in bags or sealed containers.

Beurre Mamie/Kneaded butter-Is made exactly the same way as a roux, and serves exactly the same purpose, except that it is not cooked. Because, like a roux it can be made up ahead and stored, it is much more convenient to use than a white-wash and gives a better flavour but like the white wash it still has a raw taste.

Please refer also to: Song of the Stock Pot- Section 3, Sauce Smarts Through thick and Thin- Section 9-