How to Make Dark Roux
Here's how to make a dark roux using only two ingredients and lots of patience and stirring. You'll know it was worth the time and effort though when you taste that delicious gumbo!
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Vegetable oil
- 1 cup Flour, All-purpose
Instructions
- Add oil into a large enameled dutch oven over medium-low heat for best results. You can also use a cast iron pan or other heavy-bottomed pan if necessary.
- Heat the oil to about 360°F using a thermometer to test it or you can sprinkle in a little flour. If the flour sizzles, it's ready. Turn the heat down a little to try and maintain a temperature of 360°F the entire time the roux is cooking.
- Add 1 cup of flour to the oil slowly and then immediately begin stirring it.
- Don't stop stirring, making figure eights and scraping down the sides for about 30 to 45 minutes or until the roux transforms into the color of dark chocolate.
- Once the color is right, turn off the heat, remove the pot from the heat and continue stirring for another 5 minutes. The dark roux will continue to cook for several minutes.
- The dark roux is now ready to use or store for use later.
Notes
Roux is shelf-stable for several days and even up to a couple of weeks. I generally make my dark roux a day or two before I plan to make a gumbo, and it just sits on the counter in an airtight container.
If you want to make roux ahead of time and it's going to be more than a week, I recommend placing it in an airtight container and storing it in the fridge. The freezer is even better if you plan to use it months down the road.