How Long To Cook A Roux For A Traditional Gumbo

Without a good, rich roux — the key component of the perfect gumbo — the dish is a dud. You can cook this fat-and-flour combination that's used as a thickener in everything from sauces to stews to achieve different goals. 

The color of your roux tells you a lot, such as a darker roux adds a toasty nuttiness to the dishes they thicken, so learning how to differentiate should be the first step. White roux resembles white chocolate, blonde roux is comparable to caramel, and medium brown is reminiscent of milk chocolate. For a traditional Louisiana-style gumbo, you want the darkest roux, which appears similar to dark chocolate. In this scenario, the roux is used as a flavor enhancer as well as a thickener, requiring you to cook it for around 30 to 45 minutes or up to an hour. 

This timeframe allows you to bring out those desired nutty undertones that belong in a scrumptious gumbo. To shorten the cooking time, you can increase the heat to high using a cooking oil with a high smoke point, and bring down the time to five minutes, but it might be a better idea for beginners to do it the old-fashioned way to avoid accidentally overcooking the roux.

Whisking is what makes cooking dark roux a bit more challenging, which is why it's not always better to make a dark roux on the stovetop. But if you're going to use the stovetop, don't walk away from the stove once you start; you'll have to whisk throughout the process to prevent burning, which can contribute an acrid taste to your gumbo. Don't forget to scrape the whisk all across the bottom of the pot because the roux that touches the pan is more prone to burning. 

You should also give your roux a proper taste and check for a nutty flavor. A burnt taste, even if you've reached the perfect color, is a telltale sign that it's overcooked. If it is, you have to start all over, which isn't the best way to avoid food waste. Though if it happens, don't be too hard on yourself. Mistakes happen for beginner gumbo makers. 

For seamless cooking, prepare your gumbo ingredients before making the roux, since you'll have to keep all your attention on whisking once it's game time. That way, it's all ready to put in the pot before the roux burns.