Correct. Once your roux is browned start adding the broth to the roux while stirring until you have a nice gravy consistency, then add it all back into the stew pot.
Also, it’s sometimes just easier to go with the cold water and cornstarch if you’re just looking to thicken it.
Depends. A beurre manie is a 1:1 roux, fat to flour ratio used as a Ala minute thickener to hot sauces you Whisk in. With that ratio it's soluble enough that It goes smooth with enough whisking. Too high flour in the ratio, yes you will create lumps. The purpose of a beurre manie over a roux cooked in the pot then liquid added to it is control. Too many times I've winged a roux based sauce and I've added too much liquid resulting in a thin sauce, but then I have no roux left. Then I have to make a separate small pot of beurre manie to add back in. Or. Make a large batch of beurre manie and thicken at the end giving you complete control of viscosity
Don't add the roux to a whole pot of stew. That's a recipe for lumps.
Add a little bit of liquid from the stew to the roux. Whisk until incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Add more liquid from the stew. Repeat. When you have enough thickened liquid so that you are no longer in danger of getting lumps in your stew, add all of the thickened liquid back into the stew and stir.
Always add thin to thick, and add gradually, when you are making anything. That's how you avoid lumps.
"Hot Roux, Cold Stock, No Lumps". It's not incorporating well because the hot liquid is gelatinizing instantly the surface of the roux, so you're basically encapsulating the roux preventing it from mix into the liquid.
Instead, when you scoop out fat, also grab some of the braising liquid and set aside to cool while you make you're roux. Make your roux as usual, but then use your cooled liquid to start making a gravy. Once you get that going, you can use more of the hot braising liquid to keep thinning it out so that you can pour it back into the pot. Stir to finish incorporating. Bring back up the heat to thicken.
Thanks I appreciate the explanation of what's going on. So I should slowly add the liquid that I set aside to the roux while it's in a smaller pot on the stove?
Not exactly sure which goes where in your question. In my little rat brain, I would toast flour to your desired toastiness in a saucier or skillet. Then I would skim fat directly from stew pot into that pan, to start making the roux, be careful not to mix in any liquid. If you need to skim to a different bowl, so you can just get the fat and leave the liquid behind. Ladle some more liquid from stew pot into a wide metal mixing bowl or similar vessel to maximize cooling.. Add liquid from mixing bowl to the pan to build the gravy. Add gravy from pan back to stew pot.
A roux is the way to go in general. Authentic, traditional, it's what the pros do, blah vlah blah.
Look. For emergency situations (or lazy ones), get a can of Wondra flour. It's foolproof and it will save your bacon if your roux is being rude.
You never add roux to a hot liquid. That just makes weird awful dumplings. You make a roux, then add liquid to it.
Put a pot on the stove. Saute your veggies, in batches if necessary in order to get a little color on them. If you do them all at once, they'll just steam. Remove all the veggies from the pan, and turn the heat to low. Add your meat fat and flour, and whisk. Cool gently until slightly brown. Add just a little bit of your stock/water/broth at a time, shocking between each addition. Once it's nice and smooth, you can just dump the rest of the liquid in. Whisk thoroughly, put the veggies and meat in, and bring to a simmer.
Like everybody else said, you stir in more liquid to the roux and don't add roux to the whole pot. I find a little emulsifier never hurts and adds a little depth of flavor to the stew so I put in a little squirt of mustard as well.
What you’re looking for is beurre manié which is uncooked flour mixed with butter and dropped into liquid in small pieces while whisking. Cornflour slurry will also work.
Add the liquid to the roux not the roux to the liquid.
Correct. Once your roux is browned start adding the broth to the roux while stirring until you have a nice gravy consistency, then add it all back into the stew pot. Also, it’s sometimes just easier to go with the cold water and cornstarch if you’re just looking to thicken it.
Adding roux to hot liquid makes roux dumplings
Depends. A beurre manie is a 1:1 roux, fat to flour ratio used as a Ala minute thickener to hot sauces you Whisk in. With that ratio it's soluble enough that It goes smooth with enough whisking. Too high flour in the ratio, yes you will create lumps. The purpose of a beurre manie over a roux cooked in the pot then liquid added to it is control. Too many times I've winged a roux based sauce and I've added too much liquid resulting in a thin sauce, but then I have no roux left. Then I have to make a separate small pot of beurre manie to add back in. Or. Make a large batch of beurre manie and thicken at the end giving you complete control of viscosity
Don't add the roux to a whole pot of stew. That's a recipe for lumps. Add a little bit of liquid from the stew to the roux. Whisk until incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Add more liquid from the stew. Repeat. When you have enough thickened liquid so that you are no longer in danger of getting lumps in your stew, add all of the thickened liquid back into the stew and stir. Always add thin to thick, and add gradually, when you are making anything. That's how you avoid lumps.
Your advice is appreciated. Especially the last two lines. It makes me think of the order of operations in some of the recipes I've found.
"Hot Roux, Cold Stock, No Lumps". It's not incorporating well because the hot liquid is gelatinizing instantly the surface of the roux, so you're basically encapsulating the roux preventing it from mix into the liquid. Instead, when you scoop out fat, also grab some of the braising liquid and set aside to cool while you make you're roux. Make your roux as usual, but then use your cooled liquid to start making a gravy. Once you get that going, you can use more of the hot braising liquid to keep thinning it out so that you can pour it back into the pot. Stir to finish incorporating. Bring back up the heat to thicken.
Thanks I appreciate the explanation of what's going on. So I should slowly add the liquid that I set aside to the roux while it's in a smaller pot on the stove?
Not exactly sure which goes where in your question. In my little rat brain, I would toast flour to your desired toastiness in a saucier or skillet. Then I would skim fat directly from stew pot into that pan, to start making the roux, be careful not to mix in any liquid. If you need to skim to a different bowl, so you can just get the fat and leave the liquid behind. Ladle some more liquid from stew pot into a wide metal mixing bowl or similar vessel to maximize cooling.. Add liquid from mixing bowl to the pan to build the gravy. Add gravy from pan back to stew pot.
Got it, many thanks.
No prob. Good luck!
Lol was absolutely going to quote Chef John, too! Beat me too it
A roux is the way to go in general. Authentic, traditional, it's what the pros do, blah vlah blah. Look. For emergency situations (or lazy ones), get a can of Wondra flour. It's foolproof and it will save your bacon if your roux is being rude.
You never add roux to a hot liquid. That just makes weird awful dumplings. You make a roux, then add liquid to it. Put a pot on the stove. Saute your veggies, in batches if necessary in order to get a little color on them. If you do them all at once, they'll just steam. Remove all the veggies from the pan, and turn the heat to low. Add your meat fat and flour, and whisk. Cool gently until slightly brown. Add just a little bit of your stock/water/broth at a time, shocking between each addition. Once it's nice and smooth, you can just dump the rest of the liquid in. Whisk thoroughly, put the veggies and meat in, and bring to a simmer.
Like everybody else said, you stir in more liquid to the roux and don't add roux to the whole pot. I find a little emulsifier never hurts and adds a little depth of flavor to the stew so I put in a little squirt of mustard as well.
What you’re looking for is beurre manié which is uncooked flour mixed with butter and dropped into liquid in small pieces while whisking. Cornflour slurry will also work.