Learning how to make and use a roux (French word, pronounced 'roo') was such a foundational discovery for cooks who want to cook from scratch. It opened my eye to make so many things off the top of my head and it is SO easy!!!
In a skillet, sauce pan or soup pot; simply mix together equal parts of butter and flour, mix together and melt until it forms a pasty type consistency. Whisk in your liquid of choice (usually broth or milk - but it could be ANYTHING!!) and continue with your recipe.For sauces/gravies: Try about a Tablespoon each of butter and flour to 1-2C liquid of choice.
Gravies:Brown gravy, use beef broth or dark veggie broth.
Chicken gravy, use chicken broth.
Garlic gravy, use garlic broth.
Herb gravy, use herbal broth.
Sausage gravy is a white sauce (below) with pepper and seasoned beef sausage.
White Sauces:Use milk or cream or buttermilk.
Variations:~Add Parmesan for Alfredo sauce.
~Add Cheddar (or Monteray Jack, or colby or mixture) for Amazing Mac and cheese.
~Add 1/2 broth and 1/2 milk and mushrooms with dash of Worcestershire and mushrooms for a mushroom sauce.
~Add herbes of choice for a delicious creamy herb sauce
~Add parm and garlic and Italian herbs for a creamy garlic sauce
~Toss in steamed veggies at the last minute and and serve over pasta! YUM!!!
(The options are only limited by your willingness to try things!)
Sauces and gravies make wonderful bases for casseroles, topping for meats, pastas, toast, potatoes or veggies!
Soups:Sometimes soups start with a Roux. Other times they end with it. I use to thicken everything from tomato soup to potato soup to stew. You can make it thick and creamy (like chowders and stews)- or just give it a little body (like tomato soup or french onion). Here are the "before and after methods".
Before~ For instance, for my French Onion Soup, in the bottom of a soup pot, I melt (lots of) butter, saute lots of onions cut into rings, until tender. Then I sprinkle a few tablespoons of flour over top, until it makes that pasty roux (with onions) and pour beef broth over top to desired amount of people I am serving. Mix well. Bring to a boil. Add a couple dashes of Worcestershire and/or salt to taste and walla - an amazing French onion soup, served over toast and shredded Parmesan cheese.
You can do this to prepare any of your harder veggies for soups, (like carrots or celery). This is also how I make cream of mushroom or celery soup with milk instead of broth.
After~You can prepare you soup in the broth and when it is about ready to serve, on the side, in a small sauce pan, mix up a roux, ladle some of your hot broth into the roux, whisk to create a smooth sauce/gravy and pour that into the soup pot and mix, simmer a few minutes and serve.
The "after method" is very handy for thickening sauces in the crock pot. About 30 minutes before serving, switch the crockpot to high (if it was on low), ladle out about a cup of the sauce from the crock into your melted, butter flour mixture, whisk and add back to the crock and stir to incorporate through the whole dish. If you want to reduce the liquid leave the lid off. If you want keep it, put the on. Thicker sauces and gravies stick nicer when served then watery ones!
Remember your Roux!
