What is a roux and what is its purpose in sauce making?
A roux (pronounced “roo”) is essentially an equal mixture of oil or other fat and flour that is stirred and cooked slowly, continually, in a pot until browned. It is used as a thickening agent and flavor builder for making gravy, casseroles, soups and sauces, as well as gumbo, a hugely popular dish from Louisiana.
What dishes use a roux?
Recipes that Use Roux
- Roux can be used to thicken sauces such as gravy, béchamel, velouté and cheese sauce, and dishes such as macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, moussaka, and pot pie filling.
- Classic Turkey Gravy.
- White Sausage Gravy.
- Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese.
- Shrimp and Chicken Etouffee.
What is the purpose of a roux in mac and cheese?
Many mac and cheese recipes call for a combination of butter and flour, known as a roux, to thicken the cheese sauce.
Is gravy a roux?
Roux is not the finished sauce or gravy. Roux usually involves cooking until the flour or other starch begins to brown. Gravy is a kind of sauce, that can begin with a roux, or with other ingredients. White gravies can have fat or oil, and flour, but they are not cooked until the flour is brown.
Is a roux necessary for cheese sauce?
1. You don’t have to make a roux for mac and cheese. Many mac and cheese recipes call for a combination of butter and flour, known as a roux, to thicken the cheese sauce. While this maneuver works particularly well for baked mac and cheese, it just isn’t always required.
Can you freeze roux?
Tips for Making Roux It lasts up to six months in the refrigerator or up to a year in the freezer. To freeze roux, place dollops of roux onto a sheet pan and place them in a freezer bag once they’re frozen. Roux can also be frozen in ice cube trays.
What is the difference between a roux and a slurry?
Think of a slurry as almost the opposite of a roux. A roux is cooked, uses fat, and is added at the beginning of cooking. In comparison, a slurry is uncooked, needs no fat, and is added at the end of cooking.
What are the alternatives to a traditional Roux?
As an alternative to roux, which is high in fat and very energy-dense, some Creole chefs have experimented with toasting flour without oil in a hot pan as an addition to gumbo. Cornstarch mixed with water (slurry), arrowroot, and other agents can be used in place of roux as well.
What does Roux stand for?
RNY stands for Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. Suggest new definition. This definition appears very frequently and is found in the following Acronym Finder categories: Science, medicine, engineering, etc.
What are the different types of Roux?
There are four different kinds of roux: white, blond, brown, and dark brown. They change color based on how long you cook them for. The lighter the roux, the shorter amount of time it has spent on the stove. Each of the different types of roux come with their own benefits.