Kitchenware Marketplace

A slurry is a thickening agent that is made by combining a starch and a liquid. If it is flour or corn starch and water it is called a "whitewash". A roux is much more flavorful than a slurry, but a slurry is preferred when you want a glaze or clear sauce. Using just a starch would cause lumping as the starch has to be separated before swelling from the heat occurs, so by mixing the starch in water first the starch has space to swell. Make sure that you allow the sauce to cook a few minutes after the slurry is added to rid it of the raw starch flavor.
I thickened the juices, beef stock and burgundy wine with a slurry for the glaze for this eye of the round roast. This cut of beef is found in the upper leg portion or round section so it can be tough if not cooked correctly, but for a reasonably priced piece of beef it is delicious if cooked to 135 degrees and has twenty minutes to rest before it is cut into a serving size.

As you now know you can increase the flavor of your roux by using fat rendered from a meat or poultry source. But the flour also plays an important part of adding flavor to this thickening agent. Take a bite of a plain piece of white bread than toast the balance of the slice and taste it again.. Dry heat turns the flour brown, partially from a process called dextrination, which also causes the flour to have a more nutty flavor. Don't over brown your roux as browning causes the flour to lose some of its thickening powers. About ten minutes of cooking over a low or medium heat will give you a roux that has a light hazelnut odor and a gritty texture which is perfect for most sauces and gravies.