Step 1

Take a pot with a thick bottom, you'll be heating this up to quite high temperatures so you want it to be able to handle it. I prefer using a pot, versus a frying pan to avoid any possible splattering. Also, you'll probably want to add the other ingredients for your dish, gumbo for instance, so make sure it's large enough. Also, make sure the pot is clean and doesn't have left over meat pieces or onions for instance, these will increase the risk of burning your roux.

Step 2

Add the oil and flour.

Step 3

Mix the two, it'll be pretty liquid still.

Step 4

Turn the heat up to medium/high and start heating it. Don't walk away and keep stirring gently, especially towards the end since else you might risk burning it!

Step 5

Keep on heating until it's a very dark brown. You should continue a lot longer that you might initially think and you'll see various colour shades coming by. When you're at peanut butter colour you're heading for the right direction but you're not there yet.

Step 6

Once you've reached the dark brown colour immediately add some of your other ingredients, for instance vegetables. This will cool down the mix and heat the veggies up as wel, causing for some more amazing flavour development!