First you make the roux!

To make roux for gravy or etouffee, mix several tablespoons of all- purpose flour with several tablespoons of vegetable oil. Cook on medium heat until the flour is brown.

If you google roux, you'll get all kinds of methods for cooking roux. The purist will only use bacon fat or lard. I used to use peanut oil at half the amount of oil. I eventually switched to vegetable oil.

Roux is a crucial ingredient in gumbo. A good roux can make the difference between average gumbo and great gumbo.

Ingredients

This is the average proportions to use for roux. It would be enough for about five quarts of gumbo.

Instructions

This is my method for cooking roux to be used in gumbo that is cooked in a 20 quart pot.

  1. Mix four cups of all-purpose flour and three cups of vegetable oil in an iron pot or skillet.
  2. Stir mixture until the flour and oil are evenly mixed.
  3. Start cooking with the heat half way between medium and high for several minutes. Then turn down to medium.
  4. Stir constantly as roux begins to brown. If you stop stirring or use too high of a heat setting, it will burn. It helps to have some assistants to stir, so you don't go stir crazy.
  5. You want the roux to be at least as dark as milk chocolate. The darker the better, without burning. It will change consistency several times during cooking. You will be tempted to add oil when it is kind of thick and add flour when it gets thin, don't add anything and just continue stirring. It will eventually look like mud.
  6. When the roux is cooked, pour it over chopped vegetables in your cooking pot. This will stop the roux from continuing to cook. Stir.
  7. It can take 30 to 45 minutes to make a great roux.