Authentic Cajun Roux
Ingredients
1 cup butter, lard or oil | ||
1 cup ap flour |
Making a good roux is very basic to Cajun cooking. It is basically a combination of flour and some kind of fat. Either butter, oil or lard. There are three color stages that roux can be used either White, Blonde or Chocolate. For dishes like gumbo the chocolate is traditionally used. The color of the roux is determined by how long you cook it. To gain the deep chocolate color the flour and oil has to be constantly stirred for at least 30 minutes, sometimes a little longer. It is truly a labor of love, that is well worth the effort.
- In a cast iron skillet heat the oil over medium high heat.
- Slowly add the flour, stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring.
- Do not walk away from the stove, roux takes you full time and attention.
- As you stir you will witness the roux slowly getting darker and darker, when you are satisfied with the color for your particular use, remove the roux from the heat.
- Typically for many Cajun dished the roux is stirred until it becomes a dark chocolate brown.
- The roux may be used at once or it may be refrigerated or even frozen for use on another day.
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