White Roux

Filed under Sauces

Bob's ratios: bechamel is 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour to 1 1/2 to 2 cups milk; gravy is 1 ounce fat and 1 ounce flour to 1 cup liquid. This roux thickens 1 pint.

Ingredients

4 tbsp Butter, and/or pan drippings
6 tbsp Flour

Directions

Heat the fat over medium-high heat. Add the flour all at once, whisking vigorously.
When it thins and starts to bubble, reduce the heat to low and whisk less. Cook until it smells toasty, then 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Use it right away to thicken a liquid at or below room temperature. To thicken a hot liquid, cool the roux to room temperature first.

Tightly wrapped, roux keeps up to a month in the refrigerator; break off pieces as needed.