Demi-glace is a rich brown sauce in French cuisine that can be used as a sauce itself or as a base for other sauces. In Japan, we use demi-glace sauce for many western-style dishes, and we can find it sold in a can or a premade jar. Since it’s not easy to find premade demi-glace sauce in the U.S., I have decided to make it at home.
Making a demi-glace sauce from scratch can be a daunting process, but I’ve used store-bought beef stock to speed things up in this shortcut recipe.
What is Demi-Glace?
Demi-glace is a rich brown sauce in French cuisine, traditionally made by combining one part brown stock and one part Espagnole sauce (or sometimes called brown sauce) and slowly reducing by half. It is used as a sauce itself or as a base for other sauces. In Japan, we use demi-glace (デミグラスソース) to make popular yoshoku, western-style Japanese dishes, including Hayashi Rice, Beef Stew, and Omurice.
How Japanese-Style Demi-Glace Sauce is Made
A basic brown stock is made by roasting a lot of veal and beef bones, which can take hours and hours to simmer and reduce. To make demi-glace, you need to make a lot of brown stock so that you can keep some as it is and then use the remaining stock to make Espagnole sauce. Espagnole sauce is a classic brown sauce, typically made from the brown stock, mirepoix (onion, celery, and carrot) and tomato paste, and thickened with roux. Finally, when you combine brown stock and Espagnole sauce, you get demi-glace! Sounds complicated? Check out my so-called “Shortcut” Demi-Glace recipe below.
4 Easy Steps to Make Shortcut Demi-Glace Sauce
Step 1: Use Store-Bought Stock
This shortcut demi-glace sauce uses store-bought beef stock (not sponsored) which cut down on the cooking time immediately. If you have some quality bones on hands and don’t mind spending the time, you can, of course, make your veal or beef stock for a richer and flavorful result. Otherwise, store-bought stock would do the trick.
Step 2: Make Shortcut Espagnole Sauce
To add more flavor to the sauce, I like roasting mirepoix (onion, celery, and carrot) in the oven after lightly sauteing them on the stovetop. Then, combine the vegetable mixtures with tomato paste, wine, beef stock, and a bouquet garni (read below) to simmer and reduce. Be patient and cook for 1 to 1.5 hours to reduce the sauce. It’s an inactive period, so you can spend the time on other food preparation.
Step 3: Make Broun Roux
Making brown roux is an important step for the demi-glace sauce. Pay close attention so you won’t burn the roux. Be patient and continue to stir until the roux is brown, almost like a chocolate color. At this stage, the flour needs to be cooked through so the demi-glace sauce won’t taste “floury.”
Once you master making the roux, you can make Japanese curry roux or bechamel sauce (white sauce) to make Cream Stew from scratch.
Step 4: Combine Espagnole Sauce and Brown Roux, and You’ll have Demi-Glace Sauce!
The last step is easy. Just combine the Espagnole sauce and brown roux together. Now your Shortcut Demi-Glace is done, and ready for many different uses. One of my favorites is to use the demi-glace sauce to make Hayashi Rice, or sometimes called Hashed Beef, which is a popular Western-style stew made with tender beef, onions, mushrooms.
What is Bouquet Garni (ブーケガルニ)?
It’s a fancy French word for a bunch of herbs, typically encased in a cheesecloth bag or tied together with string. It’s used for flavoring a stew, soup, or stock. The choice of herbs is up to you. For this recipe, I used the following herbs, but you can choose your own.
- bay leaf
- parsley
- peppercorn
- thyme
Fresh vs. Dried: Because dried herbs are generally more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs, you will need a lesser amount. The general rule is 3 to 1 or three parts fresh to one part dried (1 Tbsp = 3 tsp).
1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon dried herbs
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Demi Glace
Ingredients
For the Espagnole Sauce
- 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
For the Bouquet Garni
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 sprigs parsley
- 8 peppercorns
For the Brown Roux
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC) with a rack in the middle position. Gather all the ingredients. Nami's Tip: For a convection oven, reduce the temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
To Make the Quick Espagnole Sauce
- Cut ½ onion, 1 rib celery, and 1 carrot into small chunks.
- Heat an overproof Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and the chopped onion, celery, and carrot.
- Season with ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- Place the pot in the preheated 425ºF (220ºC) oven and roast the vegetables for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare a disposable mesh tea bag or a cheesecloth to make the bouquet garni.
- Encase 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp dried thyme, 3 sprigs parsley, and 8 peppercorns in the cheesecloth or mesh bag.
- Tightly tie the corners.
- After 20 minutes, remove the pot from the oven and place it on the stove over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp tomato paste and stir to distribute well.
- Add 4 Tbsp red wine and 8 cups beef stock/broth. Stir to combine.
- Add the bouquet garni to the pot and bring the broth to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 1½ hours—the broth should reduce to about 3 cups. While it simmers, skim off the scum and fat on the surface with a fine-mesh skimmer. I rinse it as I go in a spouted measuring cup with handle filled with water.
- After 1 hour into the reduction process, start making the Brown Roux (see next section). Nami's Tip: If you are using this demi-glace for my Hayashi Rice recipe, start cooking the rice and marinating the beef now.
To Make the Brown Roux
- Melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until filly melted and beginning to foam. Add 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour).
- Stir with a silicone spatula to combine.Nami's Tip: The roux will look crumbly at first. That's normal. It will smooth out as it cooks.
- Continue stirring as the roux turns foamy and loose. Cook for 12–15 minutes, until it deepens to a chocolate brown.
- Remove from the heat.
To Finish the Demi-Glace
- After reducing the Espagnole sauce for 1½ hours, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or measuring cup.
- Measure 3 cups Espagnole sauce. Nami's Tip: Store any extra sauce in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months for future use.
- Return the pot of brown roux to the stove over low heat. Gradually add the Espagnole sauce, stirring with a silicone spatula or whisk until smooth between additions.
- When all the sauce is incorporated and the mixture is smooth, the demi-glace is ready.
To Store
- You can make Demi-Glace ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
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