The Microwave Hack That Could Change The Way You Make Roux Forever

A roux is a perfect base for many of our favorite dishes, including meals like macaroni and cheese, gumbo, and your favorite holiday gravy. As described by Bon Appétit, a roux is a combo of flour and melted fat — think butter or bacon grease — that is used to thicken a sauce, stew, or soup. The life of a roux begins over medium-low heat and requires a lot of attention, TLC, and constant stirring until it is smooth and perfectly blended. But although a roux is made of a couple of simple ingredients, creating this thickener isn't easy. It can be labor-intensive and time-consuming, but oh so necessary.

Epicurious notes that a white roux can take as little as 2-5 minutes while a medium-brown roux can take 15-30 minutes, and a dark-brown roux can take 30-45 minutes. Of course, the darker your roux gets, the more flavor you will experience (via Food Network). And how dark you decide to make your roux depends on what you're making. But who wants to spend that kind of time standing over a hot stove — even if you are guaranteed to develop ripped arms like Gal Gadot? If you're not too keen on sweating bullets while making your roux, we have a microwave hack that could change the way you make your roux forever.

According to Southern Living, you can use the microwave to make your roux. They note you will want to use cooking oil as your fat of choice. Cooks Illustrated explains that oil works better than butter with this microwave method because you do not have to stir the mixture as much. You will still want to use equal amounts of flour and oil and whisk them together until lump-free before microwaving. Both publications recommend using microwave-safe bowls when making your roux in this manner.

Southern Living found that to create a light color roux, you'll need to microwave your flour and oil for 4-5 minutes. If you want something darker, your mixture will spend 12-18 minutes in the microwave. And although this method could save you anywhere from 18-27 minutes, you'll still need to pay close attention. Be vigilant, so your roux doesn't make a mess in your appliance as it cooks. And while you can add additional oil or flour to your microwaved roux if needed, they do not recommend doing this. Once your roux has achieved its appropriate consistency and color, you are ready to use it to thicken up whatever dish you are making.