Slurries and Rouxs: Good to know for both home and professional cook

(slurry of flour and water above)

At my last job the sous chef made me add slurries and rouxs to soups and sauces all the time. He made me learn to do this because it is an important technique in French cuisine. The purpose of slurries and roux’s is to increase its viscosity (thickness) when making soups and sauces.

A roux (pronounced roo) is a mixture of flour and fat that, after being slowly cooked over low heat, is used to thicken mixtures like sauces. There are different kinds of roux’s…white, blonde, and brown. The color changes on the length of time you let the mixture cook. White and blond roux’s are made with butter. The brown roux is made with butter or pork or beef fat. It is cooked to a deep golden brown and used for rich dark soups and sauces, more specifically for the famous gumbo dish down south.

A slurry is very similar. It is a thin paste of water and flour that is stirred into hot soups and sauces as a thickener. After the slurry is added, the mixture should be stirred and cooked for several minutes in order for the flour to moose the raw taste.

Just remember that a roux uses a fat like butter instead of water, which is used in slurries. It depends on flavoring and richness of your dish. But both are very similar (which is probubly why I confuse them all the time).

These are good techniques to know if you need to thicken something you are making. But also know that liquids like olive oil can be used just as well to emulsify your sauce or soup. Just be careful with olive oil because its taste can easily overwhelm your dish.

Good luck with your slurry and roux’s!