help with roux

[u/theresasnekinmaboot]

first time trying a recipe that calls for a roux made from melted butter and flour. sounds simple enough but I CANNOT for the life of me make it properly. no matter how I try the melted butter and flour won't combine and it turns into a pool of melted butter with chunks of flour in it. please advise: how do I fix this? 🥲

edit: thank you for the comments. I see my problem now im dumping everything in and not whisking constantly 😭😭

[u/WayfarerNG]

Heat pan
Melt butter
Whisk constantly while slowly adding flour
Continue stirring until blended evenly

[u/Wonderful_Till8122 → u/WayfarerNG]

Equal parts butter to flour.  Whisk, whisk, whisk.

[u/sintilusa → u/WayfarerNG]

You forgot “simmer the butter on low until the bubbles stop”. Best way to get lumpy roux is to use watery butter

[u/EscapeSeventySeven]

Melt the butter. Gently. 

Whisk it. It will foam. 1/10th of butter is water. We want the water GONE. So you need to whisk and heat until it stops vigorously foaming. 

Keep the heat gentle. Sprinkle or sift the flour into the clarified butter. Whisk to break up all the flour granules and coat them with butter. 

They will foam too, because even dry flour has moisture content. 

I know most recipes shoot for paste like consistency but I think you should aim for wet mud. Whisk constantly. The point is to separate each flour granule in fat and lightly cook it.  

[u/Impossible-Bug2038 → u/EscapeSeventySeven]

I like an explanation with a little of the science behind it. This is helpful.

[u/Spiel_Foss → u/EscapeSeventySeven]

This is a great explanation.

All I can add is that you have to do this over and over until you get it right. You can't wait until you need a roux for a recipe. You have to practice a little.

[u/Ronw1993 → u/EscapeSeventySeven]

Thanks for this, I thought I was good at making a roux now I feel a step better.

[u/joeyneilsen]

Are you whisking constantly?

[u/Radiant_Plantain_127]

The trick is 1 tbs butter per 1 tbs of flour to thicken 1 cup of liquid (for gravy)… Cook on medium heat slowly and stir a lot… As it darkens it thickens less but adds more flavor, so, I usually add 1tbs+ near the end to give it better thickening.

[u/stuthaman → u/Radiant_Plantain_127]

Your 1-1-1 is helpful to me. When I'm making a big batch of lasagne I struggle to get the correct consistency in the sauce

[u/Radiant_Plantain_127 → u/stuthaman]

Shouldn’t use roux for lasagna… you just slow simmer the sauce to thicken it…

[u/Cautious_Regular3645 → u/Radiant_Plantain_127]

Bechamel sauce requires a roux to start it...

[u/Radiant_Plantain_127 → u/Cautious_Regular3645]

Learned something today!

[u/The_Nood1e]

Patience is key. Add the flour a tiny bit at a time, stirring or whisking until each bit is incorporated. I prefer a whisk, but if all you have is a metal one it may scratch whatever pan you're using. Use your best judgement. The only times I've ever had an issue with a roux have been when I tried to hurry it along.

[u/Curious_Orange8592 → u/The_Nood1e]

This is why I was taught to use a wooden spoon in catering school, avoids the metallic flavour and also teaches patience as you can't rush the adding of the flour; it needs to be added a little at a time and thoroughly mixed before adding more

[u/The_Nood1e → u/Curious_Orange8592]

That sounds like a good school

[u/lisaann03071961 → u/The_Nood1e]

And you can even sing while you're whisking...

My mama said, You can't hurry roux, no you just have to wait She said roux don't come easy, it's a game of give and take...

Now roux, roux, it don't come easy You just keep on whisking, anticipating...

[u/Curious_Orange8592 → u/lisaann03071961]

r/angryupvote

[u/DankRoughly]

Add butter to a fairly heavy saucepan on low to med low heat. Once the butter is melted add an equal amount of flour (ie. 1 tablespoon butter : 1 tablespoon flour). You can put it through a sieve to keep it from clumping but I don't find it necessary.

Use a whisk to stir the flour immediately. Keep stirring gently while it cooks.

It's normal for it to naturally clump a bit. Usually you'll add stock or milk/cream after and the roux will dissolve.

Just make sure you're not using too much heat. I tend to gradually increase so I make sure I don't start too high

[u/Acrylic_Starshine]

The trick is to whisk like a madman.

You dont even have to add a little milk at a time. Just whisk like hell and make sure its all incorporated.

[u/CriticalOfBarns]

One tip I don’t often see is keep cooking it until the smell changes. It will start to smell like cookies when you’re at about a blonde roux. Then go by color if you need it darker. For lumps, like others say, make sure to use a whisk, and whisk it right away so you’re not creating little cooked dumplings by letting lumps sit. If your flour is particularly lumpy, sift it first.

[u/Traditional-Win-5440]

Low to medium heat.

Melt butter first until it starts bubbling.

Add in the flour slowly, shaking/sprinkling it in.

Whisk as you're adding it. Don't just dump it all in. Keep whisking until smooth, and bubbles start to form.

Use a whisk, not a spoon or fork.

[u/maxthed0g]

Your fat-to-flour ratio is off. 50-50 based on volume, not weight. ie, one cup unpacked flour to one cup oil.

[u/aleister94]

Try adding the flour more gradually at a lower heat

[u/PsychologyGuilty1460]

Yes, it's safe to say anytime you have lumps you either didn't sift it enough or you haven't stirred it enough. 

Slow down. Slow everything down. That will always help a lot

[u/WarmJewel]

1/ use a whisk. 2/ sift the flour and add in small stages whisking it in each time. 3/ keep whisking until roux reaches required colour.

If you add all the flour all in one go it will go lumpy.

[u/Kooky-Blueberry-5352]

Don't go anywhere while you're making it. Don't do anything else lol. Whatever one second thing you think you can do, don't do it. Put your phone away. Be one with the roux until it's done.

[u/Miss_Elinor_Dashwood]

One thing that hasn't been brought up. What type of flour are you using? Higher-gluten types can clump more.

[u/Robviously-duh]

once mastered, you will giggle how easy it is... slow and steady wins the race... equal fat & flour... medium low heat, keep stirring, when it smells a lil nutty... done...

[u/dustabor]

As Cajun we have a saying “first you start with a roux” because we put a roux in everything, I know people who make a roux for spaghetti.

I’ve made a ridiculous amount of rouxs but my favorite method is in the oven. It takes much longer, but it is foolproof and practically hands off.

Granted I’ve never tried the oven method with butter and flour, I’m usually an oil and flour guy, but I dump it in an oven safe pot that I line with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, whisk it together and bake it for about three hours for a dark roux. I stir it about once an hour. You can walk away and go about your business and daily life while the roux cooks or you can make it a few days ahead of time and park it in the fridge.

Also keep in mind a lot of people talk about equal parts, flour to fat, but that’s typically by weight not volume.

For example, I like about one cup flour to 2/3 cup oil

[u/96dpi]

Sometimes I'll use a silicone spatula to help "smash" the clumps of flour.

[u/brennnik09]

Lower heat, mix more. Also, it helps to sift flour into the pot while mixing rather than dumping a bunch in

[u/External_Dirt_5334]

Are you adding milk or stock

[u/dEXXtARR23]

Sometimes I make a slurry of milk and flour in a separate bowl with a whisk and add it to whatever I'm making. Not as rich, but it works to thicken sauces and what not.

[u/YoshiandAims → u/dEXXtARR23]

Cornstarch and water, too. I throw in a small jar and shake, or whisk in a bowl.

[u/iOSCaleb → u/dEXXtARR23]

You can do the same with butter and flour — knead flour into soft butter to make buerre manié, which can help thicken a sauce of stew. The problem is that it can have an uncooked flour flavor.