Roux

A roux is a mixture of fat and flour cooked together. There are three main types:

White rouxuses equal amounts of fat (usually butter) and flour cooked together by stirring over heat until the flour is cooked but has not started to colour.

Blond rouxuses equal amounts of fat (usually butter) and flour cooked together by stirring over heat until the flour is cooked to a beige colour.

Brown roux requires longer, hotter cooking, which destroys some of the thickening ability of the flour. For this reason approximately 10% more flour than fat is used in a brown roux, which is commonly cooked with a white fat such as dripping. The mixture is cooked over heat until the flour is lightly browned.

Once the roux has been prepared, liquid is mixed in to create the sauce.