Made the etouffee last night. Mix of butter and oil worked well. I prefer the flavor using all butter, but It worked in a pinch. Thanks for everyone’s help.
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I know I’m a day late to the party but as you have heard there is no problem doing a mixture. As you said you prefer the flavor of all butter which is what I wanted to comment on, in the future you can experiment with different flavored oil too. Like truffle oil in a roux for mac n cheese.
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Thanks I’ll keep that in mind.
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I’m starting to get low on butter and want to save what I have in stock for more cookies, so I was wondering if I can make a roux with shortening??
I’m doing some meal planning for next week and need to make a blonde(ish) roux for this one dish.
Has anyone here made a roux with shortening?? Any tips or tricks??
Thank you in advance.
My dad, a restaurant cook for 40+ years, made the best gravy. Used whatever oil on hand, mostly vegetable or peanut oil.
May/may not work for your application.
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I’ve made etouffee and used my gumbo roux. I’d guess I make it like you, since I go oil/lard.
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You can make a roux with just about any fat. Bacon grease makes for a really deliciously porky roux (as long as porkiness goes well with whatever you’re making).
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Yes… I wanted to make a roux for ground pork meatball dish, and I have some bacon fat drippings/grease in the fridge. So, I think I’ll change gears and use that bacon fat for the roux.
Thank you so much for the idea and the advice!!
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You won’t regret it. Lard is a roux go-to.
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From Justin Wilson’s Gourmet and Gourmand cookbook:
“Plain flour Oil—bacon drippings, olive oil, cooking oil, lard, or a combination of these. I use 2 or 3 parts of flour to 1 part oil. If I want a t’ick, t’ick roux, I use 3 parts flour to 1 part oil. If I want a t’in roux, I use 2 parts flour to 1 part oil. Mix flour and oil in a heavy pot. A black iron skillet or a Magnalite skillet works best. Cook slowly as the roux changes from a cream color all the way to the color of a Hershey chocolate bar. You got to stir the roux damn near all the time while it cook itself. Me, I got a special roux stirring spoon for dat, and I don’t use it for something none at all except for stirring my roux. The way I make a roux it takes from 45 minutes to more than one hour before it’s did. And how come the reason for that is because I want to cook the flour taste out of it.”
The photographs show a roux dark as coffee. I’ve had gumbo that dark in Louisiana - and dreamt about it ever since.
Edit:screenshot of the book
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It is very hard to get that almost black Roux and not burn it, at least for me. I can usually get to a good dark red-brown before I loose my nerve 
. Usually looks about like this when done:
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I do light roux on the fly - but dark/brick roux takes time - rush=burnt…
I keep a passel of frozen dark roux so I can cook timely . . .
this had a bit more butter than needed… cooked dark on very low gas heat+copper flame tamer, cooled overnight, diced into freezer bags:
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My only rules for roux[1] are, don’t use butter for a dark roux, and don’t use extra virgin olive oil for any roux. Tried it once and didn’t like the flavor.
Note it’s easier to get a very dark roux without burning it using the oven. Takes a bit longer, but there’s a lot less hands-on compared to stovetop.
[1] Plural, so it kind of rhymes.
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Word.
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More than good enough for me!
Agreed. I actually find the black roux a little too much personally.
A down home New Orleans cook told me years ago that she browned the flour in the oven first. I see no mention of that here.
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I tried that once but the roux ended up with a gritty texture (like a superfine grit, though). But that may have been my fault. I’d seen it on a show like Cook’s Country but wasn’t paying enough attention and just sort of half-arsed it.
Edit - or maybe it was ATK (same guys, right?).
I probably didn’t stir it often enough. I like the idea here and glad you brought it up - especially the comment they make that you can do up a bunch in advance and use it over the next 6 months or so.
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Microwave is one way that works fast use a Pyrex mug thing pay attention !
Also making it in a pan with the trinity together can get some good color and flavor that works for some things I like
I agree with folks here darker the better for gumbo. Left over holiday duck fat ?
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