MAKE AHEAD ROUX
Makes 3 cups
30
minutesMany South Louisianians will recall a jar of deep, rich brown roux in the fridge at their mother’s or grandmother’s homes. Make-ahead roux is a a time saver and comes in in a pinch when you just need a dab of roux – to thicken a sauce or add richness to a dish. This make-ahead roux makes three generous cups thanks to the Trinity – onion, celery, bell pepper – added in to cool down the roux and stop the cooking process. Let the mixture cool and pop it in the fridge. This freezes well, too! Use the refrigerated roux within 6 weeks and the frozen roux within 6 months. Oh, and want the perfect tool for the job? Grab our hand-crafted Roux Spoon!
Ingredients
1 onion, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Have the diced onion, celery and bell pepper ready to add to the hot roux.
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add in the oil and flour. Whisk until smooth and the mixture starts to bubble. Switch to a wooden spoon.
- Continue stirring continuously – making sure to get to the edges of the pot – until the roux is a dark brown color. For a medium body gumbo or stew, take the roux to just beyond the color of peanut butter – about 15 minutes. For dark gumbo, continue cooking the roux to the color of a chocolate kiss – about 20 minutes.
- When the roux reaches the desired color, add in the trinity and turn off the heat or move the pot from the burner. Continue stirring as the vegetables give off liquid and the mixture steams. Stirring, along with the addition of the aromatics, will help cool the roux.
- Allow the roux to fully cool and move to jars or containers for storage. This roux will make a 2 gallon gumbo. Store in the fridge for up to 6 weeks or in the freezer for 6 months.
