When making your gravy with roux, always heat the stock, broth, milk or cream you are using before adding it to the hot roux. This prevents the clumping that can easily occur when making gravy. Remember, adding hot to hot prevents clumpy, lumpy gravy!
You do have to stir (or whisk) pretty steadily when adding the hot liquid, but it seems (for me, anyway) to blend smoother. It can form a very thick paste at first, but keep adding the hot liquid, and stirring, and it smooths out. For me, adding the cold liquid just congeals the butter/margarine, and it seems to take much longer to get the finished gravy/sauce.
By
11/25/2009
I just saw Emeral on food network yesterday. He said always add cold to hot or else you get lumps? I've always added cold to hot and had little problem-but who knows? Have a happy thanksgiving-one and all!