Demi-Glace Sauce Recipe

Demi-glace is made with two basic ingredients, namely espagnole and brown stock. There were many parallel recipes before Auguste Escoffier perfected it, and established it as an important ingredient in the cooking methods of classical French cuisine. Now, many people will be curious to know how to prepare espagnole and brown stock. Here is an explanation:

• Espagnole Sauce: Espagnole is one of the primary cooking sauces of the French cuisine. It forms the basis for many French dishes and other types of French sauces. The recipe for preparing it is also included in the following paragraphs.

• Brown Stock: Brown stock is basically thick and concentrated flavored water. Brown stock that is used for the preparation of Demi-glace mix, is usually made from veal or beef. Wine and mushrooms are also used to make the stock in some variants. Brown stock is also used to make meat-based soups

Requirement
To make the Demi-glace, you will need the following:

• Espagnole Sauce, ½ pint
• Jellied Brown Stock, ¼ pint
• Carrot, 1
• Onion, 1
• Green Streaky Bacon, 2 oz.
• Butter, 2 tbsp.
• Plain Flour, 3 tbsp.
• Brown Stock, ¾ pint

• Bouquet Garni
• Tomato Paste, 2 tbsp.
• Salt and Black Pepper, as per taste

In the above ingredients, the measure of stock and espagnole has been given for the Demi-glace. The remaining ingredients are that of the espagnole.

Procedure
The procedure involves two parts, the first part is the preparation of espagnole. The second part is the preparation of the actual sauce.

• In order to make the espagnole, first peel and dice the onion and carrot. Next, remove the rind and gristle of the bacon, and chop the remaining portion.
• After you are done with the cutting, melt the entire butter in a pan, and cook the vegetables and bacon for a time span of about 10 minutes or till the mixture becomes brown.

• Next, put in the flour and keep on stirring the roux till it becomes brown.
• Put in half the stock and stir the mixture till it becomes thick.
• Next, add the bouquet garni and let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add the remaining stock and tomato paste and cook for another 30 minutes.
• After the mixture has cooled down, strain and adjust the seasoning. Your espagnole sauce is ready.

After you have prepared the basic sauce, the remaining procedure to prepare Demi-glace is simple. This is how you can do it.

• Add ¼ pint of stock to the freshly prepared espagnole.
• Boil the mixture till the two sauces merge together and become thick. Let it cool down before you use it to prepare anything.

Many different variants of this have emerged within a short period of time. For example, venison Demi-glace is used with deer and game cuisine (which is incidentally banned in many nations due to excessive deer hunting).