Shelly's Recipe

EASY MAKE-AHEAD ROUX

Category: Miscellaneous

Equal amounts of canola oil
Equal amounts of all-purpose flour
Cast iron pot or skillet

Preheat the oven to 350 to 375 degrees. Start the roux on the stovetop to get it going, preferably in a cast iron pot, by heating the oil to medium high, then reduce to medium and gradually whisk in the flour a little at a time until fully incorporated. Carefully transfer the pot into the hot oven and cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring about every 20 minutes, until the roux turns a deep, dark, chocolate brown.

Once roux is ready, place the pot over medium heat and add the vegetables, proceeding with the rest of the recipe as directed, or if you aren’t using it right away, remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely. Continue stirring occasionally since the cast iron will retain the heat for a while. Store in a mason jar in the fridge till needed. You can also freeze the roux in ice trays in one tbsp. measures. Once frozen, pop them out and store in a freezer bag for anytime you need a few tbsp. of roux. Bring refrigerated stored roux up to room temperature before using.