Why You Need A Roux Whisk

If stirring up a roux seems more akin to decoding the Rosetta Stone, it might not be your technique that's off. In Louisiana, a roux whisk (also known as a flat whisk) is a tool of the trade when it comes to making the base for dishes like gumbo and etouffee. If you find yourself making a lot of Cajun and Creole-inspired dishes or want to master the art of roux making, it's worth making the extra room in your oven-side crock of utensils. Here's why.

First, the shape differs from a traditional whisk. The metal (or silicone-covered) loops lay flat instead of ballooning out at the end. This will help you not only initially incorporate the flour into your fat (butter, oil, lard, a combination, etc.) completely, but also help you mix in any clumps lingering on the edges.

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Second, if you need to stir a roux for a long time to get a darker color (brown is the color of flavor y'all), a roux whisk makes achieving this easier as you'll be able to keep the entire mixture circulating, thus preventing neglected areas from burning faster than the rest or leftover clumps from turning into bits of bitter ash.

Lastly, it's useful for more than just making a roux. With this whisk, you can explore a whole new world of pan sauces and gravies that will take your weekday, quick-fix suppers to another level. To see what we mean, try Test Kitchen Professional Pam Lolley's Crispy Chicken with Rice and Pan Gravy. We bet you already have all the ingredients on hand.