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To make a roux, you combine animal fat with flour, then whisk those ingredients until the combo takes on the particular color you are after, which can range from light blond to deep, dark chocolate. After that, you mix it in with soups, stews, and sauces to thicken them up. It’s easy enough to get right as long as you just keep whisking. Stop whisking, however, and your roux will be instantly at risk of burning. Once you see those little brown bits, the gig is up—you have to toss the whole thing out and start over. That’s a serious drag, so if your phone rings, ignore it. If the dog has to go out, make someone else take care of it. And if your kid wants to show you her A+ paper, tell her you’ll validate her once the roux is ready. Because unless it’s a matter of life and death, You. Must. Not. Stop. Whisking. Here we walk you through the stages of creating the deep, dark roux that Chef David Kinch mixes into his recipe for <a href="/activities/david-kinch-s-cajun-gumbo">cajun gumbo</a>. If it’s a lighter version you’re after, you can just stop earlier in the process, of course, but stick to visual cues! Roux is way too hot for taste-testing. Which reminds us: always exercise caution when you’re combining hot-as-hell roux with other ingredients. They don’t call this stuff cajun napalm for nothing.