How to Make a Roux

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in your heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Wait for the foam to subside, about 2 minutes. The butter should smell sweet, not browned. Keep the heat at medium to prevent burning.

Add 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour all at once. Stir immediately with your wooden spoon. The mixture will look like wet sand at first. Keep stirring constantly for 30 seconds until it forms a smooth paste that smells like raw cookie dough.

Cook for 3-5 minutes for blonde roux, stirring every 15 seconds. Watch for the color to shift from pale yellow to light tan, like coffee with lots of cream. The raw flour smell fades. You'll smell toasted bread instead. This blonde stage works for bechamel and cheese sauces.

Continue cooking 8-10 minutes total for peanut butter roux. The paste darkens to golden brown. It smells nutty now. Stir constantly in figure-8 patterns to prevent hot spots. This color works great for chicken gravies and vegetable soups.

Push to 15-20 minutes for dark roux if making gumbo. The color deepens to milk chocolate. Lower heat to medium-low at 10 minutes. The roux thins out and bubbles lazily. It smells like toasted pecans. Dark roux adds flavor but thickens less than blonde.

Add your liquid slowly once you reach the right color. Pour 1 cup warm stock in a thin stream while whisking hard. The mixture will bubble and steam violently. Keep whisking. Add remaining liquid 1 cup at a time until smooth. Each addition takes 30 seconds of whisking to incorporate fully.