Smoked Roux - has anyone ever tried it?

[coachrobw]

Now that the weather here in Central Texas is going to finally start dropping below the 90's, my mind is starting to wander into "gumbo" land. Now I've done smoked turkey gumbo, smoked duck gumbo, smoked chicken and sausage gumbo....I'm sure you get the picture. Point is there is nothing better to do with the leftovers from a previous smoke than turn it into the fillings for a good roux. I was always raised with the concept that the roux was "everything" when it came to gumbo and the fillings where somewhat ancillary. So this got me to thinking. Has anyone ever done a roux on their smoker? I know plenty of folks, myself included that have taken the easy way out and done oven roux. I'm thinking this wouldn't be that much different.

My thought is this. Typical 1 to 1 oil / flour. Dutch oven no lid. Smoker @ 325 - 350 until desired color is achieved. First issue I see, I typically never have run my smoker for any sustained period at those temps. Can it do it, sure... just that I haven't done it. So could be a learning curve. Secondly I've never smoked oil. It would seem to me that it would be a very absorbing substrate so to speak, so the worry would be that by the time I could achieve the desired color (done-ness) of my roux that it could be too "smokey". Long story short I figured I'd ask to see if anyone has ever tried this or if perhaps I'm simply trying to be a bit to creative in my pursuit for a more smokey version of gumbo!

 

[tropics]

 
Now that the weather here in Central Texas is going to finally start dropping below the 90's, my mind is starting to wander into "gumbo" land. Now I've done smoked turkey gumbo, smoked duck gumbo, smoked chicken and sausage gumbo....I'm sure you get the picture. Point is there is nothing better to do with the leftovers from a previous smoke than turn it into the fillings for a good roux. I was always raised with the concept that the roux was "everything" when it came to gumbo and the fillings where somewhat ancillary. So this got me to thinking. Has anyone ever done a roux on their smoker? I know plenty of folks, myself included that have taken the easy way out and done oven roux. I'm thinking this wouldn't be that much different.

My thought is this. Typical 1 to 1 oil / flour. Dutch oven no lid. Smoker @ 325 - 350 until desired color is achieved. First issue I see, I typically never have run my smoker for any sustained period at those temps. Can it do it, sure... just that I haven't done it. So could be a learning curve. Secondly I've never smoked oil. It would seem to me that it would be a very absorbing substrate so to speak, so the worry would be that by the time I could achieve the desired color (done-ness) of my roux that it could be to "smokey". Long story short I figured I'd ask to see if anyone has ever tried this or if perhaps I'm simply trying to be a bit to creative in my pursuit for a more smokey version of gumbo!

You could smoke the flour,oil, butter then make it the way you normally do JM2Cents

Richie 

 

[gr0uch0]

I don't think you can from a couple of perspectives, Coach.  First, I don't think a smoker will get the oil hot enough to do what you need it to do for a roux.  Second, a roux requires constant stirring to keep it from burning, thus the smoker will be open and not containing the smoke. 

You may be able to smoke the individual ingredients by themselves as tropics described, but I'm not so sure about trying to put it all together on a smoker.  My $0.02:  your mileage may vary....

 

[tropics]

 
I don't think you can from a couple of perspectives, Coach.  First, I don't think a smoker will get the oil hot enough to do what you need it to do for a roux.  Second, a roux requires constant stirring to keep it from burning, thus the smoker will be open and not containing the smoke. 

You may be able to smoke the individual ingredients by themselves as tropics described, but I'm not so sure about trying to put it all together on a smoker.  My $0.02:  your mileage may vary....

That is what I was saying basically cold smoke every thing and finish on the stove.

Richie

 

[gr0uch0]

One thing I just thought of:  the darker the roux cooked conventionally, the smokier/nuttier the flavor it tends to impart.   The blonder the roux, the less.  What if you darkened your roux further than you do normally, Coach?  Just a thought....

 

[chef jimmyj]

 
I don't think you can from a couple of perspectives, Coach.  First, I don't think a smoker will get the oil hot enough to do what you need it to do for a roux.  Second, a roux requires constant stirring to keep it from burning, thus the smoker will be open and not containing the smoke. 

You may be able to smoke the individual ingredients by themselves as tropics described, but I'm not so sure about trying to put it all together on a smoker.  My $0.02:  your mileage may vary....

My Mes only goes to 275 so I would be out of luck, but smokers that can be maintained around 350°F will be fine.

The benefit of Oven Roux is No Stirring, well not much, even Ovens cycle and have hot spots. Since there is mostly even and constant heat at the caramelization point 330°F+/- depending on sugar, starch type and content, the entire batch comes up to temp slowly and stays there. aka even browning and little agitation needed. This is opposed to making a Roux on the Stove top as the point the flame hits the pot can be in excess of 500°F and below 300°F in other areas. The result is, if not constantly stirred, some of the flour burns while other areas never get hot enough to brown. The smoker being essentially an Oven that generates smoke, if held at the right temp, will give the same result. As noted the only question is...Will smoking a Roux give Too Much of the desired smoke flavor. Smoke is a Seasoning, just like Salt and Spice. Some can be delicious but too much and worst case the food is inedible or that Seasoning, whether Smoke, Spice like Cumin or Clove and Heat from too much stupid hot Chiles, is all you can taste and the other good stuff you added gets lost...JJ

 

[gr0uch0]

Never heard of the "oven" method, JJ, only use the stovetop method to make Louisiana napalm.  I learned something today, so now I can take the rest of the day off. 

Is it the same 1:1 ratio of oil to flour?  Is the smoker/oven set to 330, or what is the "right temp" as you mention above?  How long does it go?  Lastly, is there any stirring involved at all?

 

[chef jimmyj]

I use the term Right Temp as Cake Flour, AP Flour and High Gluten or Bread Flour brown at slightly different temps. The following is Borrowed from Saveur and Alto Brown of Food Network...I do stir occasionally because I don't have a Convection Oven...YET!

Most Louisianians believe you can't make a good gumbo  without a roux. That may be so, but, as it turns out, you can make a roux without exhaustively stirring it over a hot stove. Alton Brown, host of Good Eats, offers cramped wrists and sweating brows a respite with his simple, indirect cooking method. Heat an oven to 350°. Whisk equal parts canola oil and flour in an 8-qt. Dutch oven; bake, uncovered, until the color reaches the requisite dark brown, about 1½–2 hours. Then simply transfer the pot from the oven to your stove and make your gumbo. We love this technique because it leaves us free to do other things, like make a stock, while the roux darkens without any fuss.

Here is a similar procedure with greater Detail...http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2009/03/easy-dark-oven-roux.html#axzz4NehbvQl5

Years ago while working on losing weight eating Low Fat meals, Paul Prudhomme was a fan of Oven Browning the Flour Only. It requires more stirring because air space between granules don't transfer heat like Oil but it too works in the Oven so Smoking the Flour may be an option...JJ

 

[gr0uch0]

Appreciate the clarification.  I remember PP's "Fork in the Road", where he'd brown the flour in a stovetop cast iron skillet absent the oil, but I didn't know about doing it in the oven.  He's also got a faux cream sauce out of cream cheese, cottage cheese, nonfat evap milk, and lowfat mayo that's killer.  Crawfish (shrimp works also) in his "creamy mixture" over pasta is amazing.   

Now I'm definitely taking the rest of the day off....

 

[coachrobw]

 
My Mes only goes to 275 so I would be out of luck, but smokers that can be maintained around 350°F will be fine.

The benefit of Oven Roux is No Stirring, well not much, even Ovens cycle and have hot spots. Since there is mostly even and constant heat at the caramelization point 330°F+/- depending on sugar, starch type and content, the entire batch comes up to temp slowly and stays there. aka even browning and little agitation needed. This is opposed to making a Roux on the Stove top as the point the flame hits the pot can be in excess of 500°F and below 300°F in other areas. The result is, if not constantly stirred, some of the flour burns while other areas never get hot enough to brown. The smoker being essentially an Oven that generates smoke, if held at the right temp, will give the same result. As noted the only question is...Will smoking a Roux give Too Much of the desired smoke flavor. Smoke is a Seasoning, just like Salt and Spice. Some can be delicious but too much and worst case the food is inedible or that Seasoning, whether Smoke, Spice like Cumin or Clove and Heat from too much stupid hot Chiles, is all you can taste and the other good stuff you added gets lost...JJ

JJ, You articulated exactly what my "pea" brain has been thinking. I simply couldn't spit it out with the same clarity!

Based on my searching and overall lack of results....I'm thinking I'm simply going to have to guinea pig my way through this one!

I mean as the saying goes... you'll miss every shot that you never take!

I've got a couple of birds that are going on the pit on Saturday. I think once they are done, I'll crank up the heat and see what happens.

Worse case I'm out a bit of canola oil and flour.