INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour (I prefer King Arthur flour)
DIRECTIONS
For Preparing the Roux
- Distribute 3 cups of flour evenly over the dry bottom of a large iron skillet or heavy Dutch oven.
- Place skillet in a 400 degree oven for an hour to an hour-and-a-half. Stir well every 15 minutes so that the flour will brown evenly. Note: toward the end of the cook time (maybe the last 20 minutes or so), you will need to stir more frequently. Let your nose dictate the time. The kitchen will be filled with the wonderful nutty fragrance of roux… but you don’t want it to burn.
- Once it has reached the color of peanut butter, remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool. Note: The roux will actually darken in color when added to water, oil, or when added directly to a gumbo.
For Use
Use the amount called for in the gumbo recipe. For example, 1 cup or 3/4 cup. Whatever it may be.
When ready to use, you can mix equal parts dry roux and water until smooth. Or you can add an equal portion of dry roux to heated oil in a skillet and mix thoroughly. No need to brown it any further.
I like to add the dry roux by itself to the pot of onions, bell peppers, and celery as they finish sautéing. Then I add the andouille (after degreasing and slicing) and let that sauté for a bit before adding the stock.
This dry roux can be stored in a glass jar for future use.