Demi Glace
Learn how to make rich, velvety Demi-Glace at home with this foolproof recipe! My shortcut method yields amazing flavor while saving time. Use this glossy brown sauce as a base for delicious sauces or to make Hayashi Rice, the popular Japanese beef stew.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 2 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 3 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ onion ((3 oz, 85 g))
- 1 rib celery ((3.5 oz, 100 g))
- 1 carrot ((3 oz, 85 g))
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 4 Tbsp red wine
- 8 cups beef stock/broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 sprigs parsley
- 8 peppercorns
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
Instructions
- 1
Gather all the ingredients. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). For a convection oven, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
- 2
To Make the Shortcut Espagnole Sauce
- 3
Cut ½ onion, 1 rib celery, and 1 carrot into small chunks.
- 4
Heat a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Then, add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot.
- 5
Season with ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- 6
Transfer the pot to the preheated oven and roast at 425ºF (220ºC) for 20 minutes.
- 7
Meanwhile, prepare the bouquet garni. You can use a disposable mesh tea bag (left image) or a cheesecloth (right).
- 8
Here, I encase 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp dried thyme, 3 sprigs parsley, and 8 peppercorns in the cheesecloth.
- 9
Tie the corners tightly.
- 10
After 20 minutes, transfer the pot from the oven back to the stove over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp tomato paste and mix well.
- 11
Add 4 Tbsp red wine and 8 cups beef stock/broth and mix to combine.
- 12
Add the bouquet garni. Bring it to a boil.
- 13
Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 1½ hours, until roughly 3 cups of broth remain in the pot. You can skim the foam and scum during reducing. I fill water in a measuring cup with a spout to clean the fine-mesh skimmer.
- 14
About 30 minutes before finishing the reduction process, start making the Brown Roux. Tip: If you are using this Demi-Glace for my Hayashi Rice recipe, you can start cooking the rice and marinating the beef.
- 15
To Make the Brown Roux
- 16
In a small saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour).
- 17
With a silicone spatula, combine well. At first, it will have a crumbly texture.
- 18
Then, it will turn into foam and liquid. Continue to cook for 12–15 minutes, or until the color turns brown, like chocolate.
- 19
Set aside and wait until the Espagnole sauce is finished.
- 20
To Combine the Espagnole Sauce and Brown Roux
- 21
After cooking for 1½ hours, the Espagnole sauce has been reduced. Strain it through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or measuring cup. You will need 3 cups of the sauce.
- 22
Set the 3 cups aside for this recipe. If you end up with more than 3 cups of the Espangole Sauce, you can freeze the rest for future use.
- 23
When the brown roux is ready, put the pot back on the stove over low heat. Gradually add the Espagnole sauce to the brown roux, a little at a time, and stir to combine well before you add more sauce.
- 24
Once you have added all 3 cups and combined it well, the Demi-Glace is ready to use in your favorite recipe.