Why it works: Flour and butter are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 12% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 124,287 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Instructions for Making Roux
Ingredients
Directions
Make the roux
Melt butter in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium to medium high heat.
Slowly sprinkle in the flour a little at a time, stirring constantly.
Continue to stir constantly.
Do not walk away; if you burn it even the tiniest bit, it is unusable.
You will notice the flour beginning to brown.
The darker the flour, the darker the gravy.
Finish and store
For gumbo, when the roux reaches a deep dark chocolate brown color it is done.
At that point you would add your seasonings, such as onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery.
You can make this ahead of time and keep tightly covered in the fridge or freezer.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Flour + buttertop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together124,287 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Flour and butter barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 124,287 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Flour
- Cooks with the fat to form the thickened base of the roux and gravy, and browns as it toasts.
- Butter
- Carries the flour and conducts heat evenly, adding richness and a nutty, buttery flavor.
The step that matters
Keep stirring and watch the color closely. Flour can go from brown to burnt very quickly over direct heat. Burnt starch has a bitter taste and cannot be rescued, so constant stirring at moderate heat keeps the roux evenly toasted.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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