Warning: Don't rush your roux on a busy night like I did

Last Saturday during dinner rush, I got cocky and tried to speed through making a dark roux for gumbo. I had 30 orders on the screen and figured I could crank up the heat and stir faster, save myself 10 minutes. Big mistake. By the time I smelled that burnt nutty smell, the flour had scorched on the bottom of my pot. Had to dump the whole thing and start over with fresh oil and flour, which cost me another 20 minutes and put me behind on every ticket. The worst part was that burnt taste lingered in the air and I had to scrub that pot with steel wool for 15 minutes after service. My sous chef just shook his head and said 'you knew better.' Has anyone else tried to cut corners with roux and ended up paying for it double?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant1302d ago

30 orders is a Tuesday, not a war zone.

smith.anna2d ago

Gotta admit, I used to roll my eyes at people who complained about busy shifts. Thought they just couldn't handle the heat. But last month we got hit with 42 orders in like 4 hours and I finally got it. It wasn't the number itself, it was the tickets piling up while three people called in sick and the fryer kept breaking. Really changed how I see those rants now.