Sauces
How to make a roux
Flour cooked in an equal amount of fat, used to thicken sauces, gravies and soups.
Step by step
- Melt the butter (or heat the fat) over medium heat.
- Whisk in the same amount of flour.
- Keep stirring for 1 to 2 minutes for a pale roux, longer for a darker, nuttier one.
- Whisk in the liquid a little at a time, smoothing out lumps before adding more.
- Simmer a few minutes to thicken and cook out the floury taste.
How you know it's done
A pale roux smells like toasted bread and bubbles evenly; the finished sauce is smooth and coats a spoon.
Common mistakes
- Pouring all the liquid in at once, which makes lumps.
- High heat, which burns the flour.
Simmerbee recipes that use it (1)
In those recipes the word is underlined in the steps; tap it for the short version. In hands-free cook mode, ask “How do I roux?”
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