Roux facts for kids
Roux (say "roo") is a simple but super important cooking mix. It's made by cooking wheat flour and a type of fat, like butter, together. This mix is used to make many different kinds of sauces thicker and smoother, especially in French cuisine.
Roux is like a secret ingredient for making three of the main "mother sauces" in classic French cooking. These are Béchamel sauce, Velouté sauce, and Espagnole sauce.
Contents
What is Roux Made Of?
Roux is usually made with equal amounts of flour and fat by weight. While butter is very common, other fats can be used too! These include clarified butter (which is butter with milk solids removed), vegetable oils, or even lard (pork fat).
How Roux Helps in Cooking
The main job of roux is to make liquids thicker. Imagine you're making a gravy for dinner, a creamy soup, or a hearty stew. Roux can turn a watery liquid into a rich, thick sauce that coats your food perfectly.
Roux Around the World
Different countries use roux in their own special ways:
- In Italian cuisine, roux is traditionally made with equal parts of butter and flour, just like in French cooking.
- In Cajun cuisine from Louisiana, USA, roux is almost always made with oil instead of butter. It's cooked until it turns a dark brown color. This gives a very rich flavor to dishes, but it doesn't thicken as much as a lighter roux.
- In Hungarian cuisine, roux is called rántás. It's usually made with rendered lard or vegetable oil instead of butter.
Images for kids
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A dark roux being made
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A white roux
See also
In Spanish: Roux para niños
