For a gravy that serves eight people, start with ½ cup fat. If you’re using rendered fat—like for sausage gravy—brown the meat, then measure the fat and supplement with any other type of fat you have on hand if you need more (or pour off the excess and reserve it for another use if you have too much). Our turkey gravy recipe relies on the fat from turkey drippings, with butter added to reach ½ cup total.
2. Add flour.
Add an equal portion of all-purpose flour to the skillet. For accuracy you can measure this by weight, but measuring by volume is fine for small amounts. So for ½ cup fat, add ½ cup flour. Whisk the flour into the fat until you have a smooth, thick paste. If it’s too thick to whisk, add a little more fat. If it seems runny, add more flour.
3. Keep whisking.
The key to a good roux is to watch it carefully and whisk it almost constantly (if black specks appear, your roux has burned and you should start over). The cooking time will vary based on your desired color—a white roux takes as little as 2–5 minutes, whereas a dark roux requires 30–45 minutes. Keep whisking until the roux reaches the desired color. For gravy, cook until you achieve a blond roux (about 5 minutes).
Once the roux has achieved the desired thickness and color, slowly adding liquid transforms it into a true sauce. Stream milk into a white roux to make béchamel, a classic French white sauce used in many variations of macaroni and cheese and lasagna. Adding stock instead makes it a velouté, ideal for thickening stews, like gumbo. Or combine with pan drippings to make a quick gravy—or a splash of wine to start a pan sauce. Whichever liquid you choose, add it in a stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer until it reaches your desired consistency.
Is there any way to speed up the process?
Developing dark roux’s deep, nutty flavors takes time. Some popular (albeit questionable) shortcuts may seem enticing: “A lot of people make roux in the oven or toast the flour first,” says Devillier, but he doesn’t recommend this approach. “Cook it the old-fashioned way,” he says: “in a pot, start to finish, for the most even results.”
What about increasing the heat? That’s the shortcut we take in this shrimp-and-andouille gumbo recipe. Cooking the roux over very high heat—near smoking—expedites the browning, resulting in a dark roux in about 5 minutes. For this approach, you’ll want to choose a fat with a higher smoke point, like vegetable oil, and closely monitor the roux, whisking constantly to ensure it doesn’t burn.
However, if it’s your first time making roux, we highly recommend going slow. Start on medium heat and let the roux caramelize gradually, stirring with a wooden spoon every few minutes. This minimizes the chances of your roux burning—and once a roux burns, there’s no way to save it.
How to freeze roux:
Making roux takes time and patience, two things we don’t always have. That’s why we recommend making a big batch of roux—particularly dark roux, which requires the most time and effort for the home cook—and freezing individual servings for later.
To make roux ahead of time, cook a large batch and, once the roux reaches the desired color, portion it into individual servings—we recommend using a large ice cube tray. Freeze for up to 6 months, then pop a cube into a hot pan (no need to thaw) for an instant roux.
Additional reporting contributed by Rhoda Boone.
