Hi,

Whenever I try to make a roux (for a cream soup base), I do the butter and flour as I should (and as
I have seen on food tv), but the butter always seperates. I can even see it around the edges
afterwards.
What I do is melt half-cup butter in a pot over medium heat (electric stove) and add 6 tbs flour,
mix for a bit until smooth and then add 2 cups milk and so on. But like I said, the butter always
wants to return to the top afterwards.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
D

Use equal parts of butter and flour (you appear to be using too much
butter). Try 4 T. butter and 4 T. flour, and cook the roux,slowly,.a
bit while stirring.

Nancree

Use equal parts of butter and flour (you appear to be using too much
butter). Try 4 T. butter and 4 T. flour, and cook the roux,slowly,.a
bit while stirring.

Nancree

On 2005-03-02, Dima > wrote:

> What am I doing wrong?

Yeah, what Nancree said ....use equal amounts. A few more tips:

1. Heat liquid (milk, broth, etc) before adding. Reduces chance of
lumps.

2. Get a GOOD whisk. Should be one of your main tools in kitchen.

3. Cook roux at slight boil for at least a couple mins to kill raw
flour flavor.

nb

Dima wrote:

> Whenever I try to make a roux (for a cream soup base), I do the butter and flour as I should (and as
> I have seen on food tv), but the butter always seperates. I can even see it around the edges
> afterwards.
> What I do is melt half-cup butter in a pot over medium heat (electric stove) and add 6 tbs flour,
> mix for a bit until smooth and then add 2 cups milk and so on. But like I said, the butter always
> wants to return to the top afterwards.
>
> What am I doing wrong?

How much cream sauce are you making? That sounds like a lot of butter. Most of the time when I make a
roux for a sauce I am doing it just for the to of us. I use about a heaping tablespoon of each. I melt
the butter in the pan, stir in an equal amount of flour and stir it around. It forms a thick paste.

"notbob" > wrote in message
...
> On 2005-03-02, Dima > wrote:
>
> > What am I doing wrong?
>
> Yeah, what Nancree said ....use equal amounts. A few more tips:
>
> 1. Heat liquid (milk, broth, etc) before adding. Reduces chance of
> lumps.
>
> 2. Get a GOOD whisk. Should be one of your main tools in kitchen.
>
> 3. Cook roux at slight boil for at least a couple mins to kill raw
> flour flavor.
>
> nb
>

Heat the butter really hot in a heavy pan. Stir in the flour slowly and
don't stop stirring. Then add the milk or cream.

Works for me

Michael

"Michael" > wrote in message
...
>
> "notbob" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 2005-03-02, Dima > wrote:
>>
>> > What am I doing wrong?
>>
>> Yeah, what Nancree said ....use equal amounts. A few more tips:
>>
>> 1. Heat liquid (milk, broth, etc) before adding. Reduces chance of
>> lumps.
>>
>> 2. Get a GOOD whisk. Should be one of your main tools in kitchen.
>>
>> 3. Cook roux at slight boil for at least a couple mins to kill raw
>> flour flavor.
>>
>> nb
>>
>
> Heat the butter really hot in a heavy pan. Stir in the flour slowly and
> don't stop stirring. Then add the milk or cream.
>
> Works for me
>
> Michael
>
>

I nuke my cream sauces. Made creamed chipped beef last night. I make the
sauce as follows:

I use a thin white sauce for creamed chipped beef.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave
Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the melted butter and plus pepper to taste
Nuke butter, flour, pepper mixture for 30 seconds
Add 2 cups milk
Stir thoroughly
Place mixture in microwave for approximately 6-8 minutes stirring frequently
with a whisk (every minute or two).

Chris in Pearland, TX

Dave Smith wrote:

> Dima wrote:
>
>
>>Whenever I try to make a roux (for a cream soup base), I do the butter and flour as I should (and as
>>I have seen on food tv), but the butter always seperates. I can even see it around the edges
>>afterwards.
>>What I do is melt half-cup butter in a pot over medium heat (electric stove) and add 6 tbs flour,
>>mix for a bit until smooth and then add 2 cups milk and so on. But like I said, the butter always
>>wants to return to the top afterwards.
>>
>>What am I doing wrong?
>
>
> How much cream sauce are you making? That sounds like a lot of butter. Most of the time when I make a
> roux for a sauce I am doing it just for the to of us. I use about a heaping tablespoon of each. I melt
> the butter in the pan, stir in an equal amount of flour and stir it around. It forms a thick paste.
>

1 TB of butter and 1 TB of flour, cooked for about 1 minute will thicken
1 cup of liquid. The longer you cook it (before adding liquid) and the
browner it gets the less thickening power it has.

For two cups of milk (unless there is more liquid in the soup) you want
2 tablespoons of butter and flour cooked 1 minute, then stir in your
warm liquid and whisk *really well* as it thickens up.



Dawn