Hello,
I hope someone can answer some questions I have had regarding the technical details of roux and white sauces made from them.
Before writing, I have consulted a lot of books including Culinary Institute of American and Cordon Bleu books.
1. Regarding the dextrinization of the flour, many books say cooking the starch in fat reduces "starchiness" and increasdes "nuttiness". But if I understand it correctly at least for a white or blond roux, dextrinization will not be complete and so most of the starch will still be there. So does the nuttiness from dextrinization partially mask the starch flavor of the remaining starch or is something else happening at a chemical level which actually changes the starch flavor and aroma of all the starch molecules?
2. Other books I have read say that in sauces made from rouxs, gelatinization further reduces starchiness by spreading the starch molecules around but I haven't read anywhere that it changes them chemically. So does the spreading around of the molecules reduce starchiness by effectively "diluting" their starch flavor? Or does it not change starch flavor at all, just the texture?
3. Some books mention that when making a bechamel, you should whisk and simmer (for up to 30 minutes) to reduce starchiness . I have had pretty good luck simmering at low heat and whisking only several minutes following gelatinization. Doesn't oversimmering of dairy-based sauces begin to produce off-flavors from cooking the milk proteins?
4. Finally, many books seem to specify adding a hot roux to a cold liquid (or vice-versa). But does this matter if you add only small amounts of liquid to the roux? My method for 1 to 3 cups of bechamel has been to add only a couple tablespoons of liquid to the roux in the beginning (without regard to what is hot or cold), mix till no lumps, than add slighly more liquid. I don't usually have any lumps.
Thanks so much,
Meryl
I hope someone can answer some questions I have had regarding the technical details of roux and white sauces made from them.
Before writing, I have consulted a lot of books including Culinary Institute of American and Cordon Bleu books.
1. Regarding the dextrinization of the flour, many books say cooking the starch in fat reduces "starchiness" and increasdes "nuttiness". But if I understand it correctly at least for a white or blond roux, dextrinization will not be complete and so most of the starch will still be there. So does the nuttiness from dextrinization partially mask the starch flavor of the remaining starch or is something else happening at a chemical level which actually changes the starch flavor and aroma of all the starch molecules?
2. Other books I have read say that in sauces made from rouxs, gelatinization further reduces starchiness by spreading the starch molecules around but I haven't read anywhere that it changes them chemically. So does the spreading around of the molecules reduce starchiness by effectively "diluting" their starch flavor? Or does it not change starch flavor at all, just the texture?
3. Some books mention that when making a bechamel, you should whisk and simmer (for up to 30 minutes) to reduce starchiness . I have had pretty good luck simmering at low heat and whisking only several minutes following gelatinization. Doesn't oversimmering of dairy-based sauces begin to produce off-flavors from cooking the milk proteins?
4. Finally, many books seem to specify adding a hot roux to a cold liquid (or vice-versa). But does this matter if you add only small amounts of liquid to the roux? My method for 1 to 3 cups of bechamel has been to add only a couple tablespoons of liquid to the roux in the beginning (without regard to what is hot or cold), mix till no lumps, than add slighly more liquid. I don't usually have any lumps.
Thanks so much,
Meryl
