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Anyone have a good hack for making large quantities of roux?

10K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  erin rae 
#1 ·
Hello all,

Does anyone have an effective technique to make large amounts of roux besides hand stirring?  I'm talking like 20+ Liters for one batch.  Any thoughts? 
 
#3 ·
20 Liters is about 6 1/4 gal. Make it in a stand up mixer. If your mixer looks to be to small then do half at a time. If a paddle doesn't work then use a dough hook. If that doesn't work then get your least favorite cook or prep person to do it by hand. The most important part of any roux is making sure every particle of flour is mixed with the butter or fat. Now for my question? What the Hell do you need that much Roux for ??????
 
#4 ·
At the last [lace I worked we had to make a brown roux once a week using one case of butte(  30 # ).

In a heavy duty rondeau melt butter and heat up. Then whisk in slowly flour . We never measured the amount of flour just add as much as you comfortable can stir in.

Then over  medium heat cook your mixture until id starts to change color. 

Now put it in an 350 oven and cook uncovered until it has the color you want in your roux stirring it every 10 minutes or so.

While a French Chef insisted of using of using butter only a Chef from Denmark wanted us to use half butter and half Margarine, an American Chef used only Margarine and I have seen  a Sous chef from Mexico using 10 lbs butter, 10 lbs Margarine and the rest was bacon fat..
 
#6 ·
When you read this, bear in mind I'm from south Louisiana. There is a brilliant method called a dry roux that doesn't have to be tended to as diligently as a traditional one. Put flour in a rondeau in the oven or on the stove and stir occasionally. As it browns will need to stir more often but this can be stored in dry storage and added to anything needing a roux.
 
#7 ·
Oven browned flour by itself is not a roux. You have to use it to make a slurry first before you can thicken anything  with it . It is another way to thicken a sauce or a stew but it does just not taste as good a anything thickened with a roux
 
#8 · (Edited)
Oven browned flour by itself is not a roux. You have to use it to make a slurry first before you can thicken anything with it . It is another way to thicken a sauce or a stew but it does just not taste as good a anything thickened with a roux
I understand that it isn't a traditional roux but it does not have to be made into a slurry if dark and for flavor. Not sure OP's intended purpose, darker the roux the less the thickening power. It's a way to create a similar flavor without the added oil and creating a shelf stable product.
 
#10 ·
In the Navy, we baked the roux for brown gravy in the oven. The recipe (AFRS Recipe O-16) called for equal parts fat (pan drippings) and flour, by weight, to be mixed in the roasting pan (same one the roast was in), then roasted at 375 degrees for 30 minutes in the oven until browned.

We used to take this process a step further and mix a large quantity of fat (usually melted shortening) and AP flour in a roasting pan, then roast in the oven until browned, stirring frequently. The roux was then stored in the walk-in and used as needed.
 
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