French vs. New Orleans Roux Explained
A comparison explores how the classic French roux evolved in New Orleans cuisine, differing in cooking times, fats used, and resulting flavors.
A roux, made from equal parts cooking fat and starch, is a fundamental French technique used globally as a thickener. Its primary role is to disperse fat through starch, preventing clumping and removing the raw flavor of flour. While a classic butter and flour combination is common, the technique underwent a significant evolution in the melting pot of New Orleans, where it is cooked longer and with more spices.
Both French and New Orleans roux typically use butter and flour and are added at the start of sauce-making. The uncooked version, known as beurre manie, is an exception, usually folded in at the end. Creole cooking, however, distinctly does things its own way.
The Versatility of French Roux
French cuisine famously employs roux in its five mother sauces: hollandaise, sauce tomate, béchamel, espagnole, and velouté. These foundational sauces each utilize the roux differently. A béchamel, the base for many mac and cheese recipes, uses a "white" roux cooked for about 30 seconds with warmed milk. A "blond" roux, cooked for roughly a minute, forms the base of a velouté. Espagnole sauce relies on a dark roux, cooked for a minute or more, which browns the butter and toasts the flour for a stronger, homier flavor.
Espagnole has the most in common with New Orleans cooking, which also favors dark roux for powerful taste. French cooking uses various roux colors depending on the dish, but a white roux is rare in New Orleans outside of dairy-based dishes like mac and cheese.
The Bold Power of New Orleans Roux
New Orleans cuisine, Creole first and French third, takes liberties with adopted techniques. Famous dishes like shrimp étouffée and gumbo both start with a deeply toasted roux. The flavors of darkened flour and butter complement Creole herbs and peppers better than a blonde or white roux, especially with added proteins.
While butter is loved, New Orleans roux also commonly uses lard, bacon grease, or rendered poultry fat. These fats, combined with longer cooking and toasting spices directly in the roux, impart a deeply satisfying, homely flavor. The result is a mixture that is more rusty in color than anything typically found in France. This approach contributes significantly to the comforting, soulful quality of the city's signature dishes.
