roux+whiskey+stock=lumpy gravy

I was voted responsibility for making the gravy at Thanksgiving. The recipe called for adding whiskey to the stock before adding it to the roue. I decided to add the whiskey to the roue first to burn off the alcohol. As soon as I added the whiskey, the roue immediately went from a smooth paste to tiny lumps.

The final gravy was great and the tiny lumps were not really noticeable - but I knew they were there. I suppose the technical reason is some reaction between the butter (fat) and the alcohol, but does someone have insight into the actual problem? Thanks in advance.

I could be wrong, but I can't imagine that it was the alcohol - I've seen a number of recipes that add brandy to a roux as the first liquid. Was there some kind of dairy in the pan? I could see where whiskey might make the proteins curdle.

Usually you get lumps when you add the liquid too quickly to the roux.

How long did you cook the roux before you added the whiskey? You can minimize lumps by cooking it longer (though this reduces its thickening power).

(BTW, roue and roux are not the same thing.)

Darren72 wrote:Usually you get lumps when you add the liquid too quickly to the roux.

How long did you cook the roux before you added the whiskey? You can minimize lumps by cooking it longer (though this reduces its thickening power).

(BTW, roue and roux are not the same thing.)

Though roués like whiskey

It also helps if the liquid being added to the roux is hot.

Darren72 wrote:Usually you get lumps when you add the liquid too quickly to the roux.

How long did you cook the roux before you added the whiskey? You can minimize lumps by cooking it longer (though this reduces its thickening power).

(BTW, roue and roux are not the same thing.)

It was a blonde to light brown roux and only about 3 tbs whiskey added to 1/2 cup each of flour and butter.

Mhays wrote:I could be wrong, but I can't imagine that it was the alcohol - I've seen a number of recipes that add brandy to a roux as the first liquid. Was there some kind of dairy in the pan? I could see where whiskey might make the proteins curdle.

Just butter.

Rick T. wrote:It was a blonde to light brown roux and only about 3 tbs whiskey added to 1/2 cup each of flour and butter.

Maybe the problem is using a relatively small amount of cold liquid compared to the amount of your roux? I wonder if you just had thicker bits of sauce where the whiskey hit the roux that didn't dissolve the way it should have. Did you whisk vigorously after you added the rest of your liquid?

This is a situation where I'd have tried a hand blender or regular blender to finish the sauce.