This easy demi-glace is great to have on hand for so many recipes! Use it in place of beef stock for richer flavor or as the base for a delicious homemade sauce.
Have you heard of demi-glace before? It’s a rich brown sauce often used in French cuisine, usually in place of beef stock or as the base for sauce recipes.
Traditional versions use a brown stock made from veal knuckles, but I wanted to create a variation with easy, every-day ingredients. I’m not sure how many of us have veal knuckles on hand at any given time!
This sauce is great to store in your freezer so you can use it any time you want a rich, full-bodied sauce. Once you try it in one recipe, you’re going to start adding it to everything!
How to make demi-glace
I love that this wonderful French-inspired sauce comes together in just six easy steps with simple ingredients!
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Once the oil is hot, add the celery, onion, and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are just beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Add the wine and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, about 5 minutes or so.
Step 4: Add the stock and tomato paste, then mix until well-combined.
Step 5: Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce decreases in volume by one-quarter, about 25 minutes.
Step 6: Remove the sauce from heat, allow it to cool, and then strain it into a measuring jar or container.
That’s it! You can either use the sauce immediately or store it for future use.
How to use in other sauces
Demi-glace is not usually served on its own. Instead, it’s often used as the base for a hearty sauce or in place of beef stock for a bold, rich flavor.
One of my favorite ways to use it is in the tarragon tomato sauce that I serve with my chicken apple meatloaf. You’ll never want to eat meatloaf with ketchup again!
I also love throwing a spoonful or two in my stir-fry for a boost of flavor.
At first glance, you might be worried that the sodium in this recipe is very high. However, the nutritional information I’ve provided is for 1/2 a cup. Once added to another sauce, a 1/2 cup will probably be enough for 4 servings.
Storage
This recipe is one I recommend making ahead of time so you have it on hand whenever you need it.
Once cooled, this sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. For longer use, you can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Other healthy sauce recipes
I prefer to make most of my sauces right at home. That way, I can control the amount of sodium and sugar, plus I can avoid unnecessary fillers or preservatives you find in store-bought versions. Here are some of my favorite easy and delicious sauce recipes:
When you’ve tried this sauce, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Demi-Glace
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup celery (diced)
- 1 cup onion (diced)
- 1 cup carrots (diced)
- 1 cup dry red wine (drinking quality)
- 4 cups unsalted or low-sodium beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the celery, onion, and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are just beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
- Add the wine and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, about 5 minutes or so.
- Add the stock and tomato paste, then mix until well-combined.
- Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce decreases in volume by one-quarter, about 25 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from heat, allow it to cool, and then strain it into a measuring jar or container.
Outstanding
really…you don’t keep veal knuckles on hand?? 🙂
My chef and I were just talking about this! How we use demi so much in the restaurant, but home cooks don’t really. And that there aren’t any great demi retail brands! Thanks for the recipe! It’s amazing on EVERYTHING!
Never made this before ! Interesting. Beats regular gravy for sure ! Must be bursting with flavor !