How to Make Roux

Edible Exercises

Learn about the thickening power of roux. Measure out 4 cups of hot water and set aside. Then melt 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of butter in a small pot or saucepan over low heat. Make a basic white roux by adding enough flour to reach the same consistency as shown in Topic 2. Then whisk in the hot water, 1 cup at a time, and take note of the consistency. Reminder: you will need to ensure that the mixture comes to just below the boiling point (small bubbles) before the roux will reach its maximum thickening power. This exercise will help you better understand the ratio required of roux to liquid for a variety of dishes. Discard the mixture.

Next task. Make another roux (4 tablespoons butter and enough flour) and cook it all the way from a white roux through to a brown roux. Note: We are not providing the flour amount on purpose, as we want you to move away from recipes and start focusing on key indicators. This is where you really start to grow in the kitchen. As you cook the roux, pay attention to the color, aroma and consistency of the roux as it transitions.

Now, use a blond roux to make a simple roast chicken gravy. Buy a whole chicken and then follow the recipe below for Roast Turkey, substituting a chicken instead. There are great gravy-making steps in this recipe (Steps 4 & 10), which will guide you the whole way through. Here we will use the chicken fat instead of butter for the roux. If you need a little help with the cooking procedure, the cooking time for a smaller bird, testing for doneness and/or carving, we’ve attached a Roast Chicken recipe for some bonus techniques. Remember though, the end goal is fantastic gravy so stay focused on this and enjoy!

Practice Recipes