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Home » Sauces & Condiments » Demi-Glace

Demi-Glace

Posted by: Diabetic Foodie / Sauces & Condiments / September 21, 2012

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Closeup of brown sauce in a short mason jar on a wooden serving tray with a gold spoon dripping sauce back into the jar

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.

Closeup of demi-glace in a short glass mason jar on a wooden serving tray with a larger glass jar of demi-glace in the background

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!

Ingredients for recipe separated into individual bowls and ramekins, as seen from above on a white marble countertop

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.

Chopped vegetables added to a silver saucepan with a wooden spoon for stirring, as seen from above on a white marble countertop

Step 3: Add the wine and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, about 5 minutes or so.

Wine added to the saucepan with vegetables, as seen from above on a white marble countertop

Step 4: Add the stock and tomato paste, then mix until well-combined.

Stock and tomato paste added to silver saucepan, as seen from above on a white marble counter top

Step 5: Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce decreases in volume by one-quarter, about 25 minutes.

Overhead view of all ingredients simmered together in a silver saucepan on a white marble countertop

Step 6: Remove the sauce from heat, allow it to cool, and then strain it into a measuring jar or container.

Mixture poured through a silver strainer that still holds all the chopped veggies while the liquid has drained into a glass Pyrex measuring glass below

That’s it! You can either use the sauce immediately or store it for future use.

Golden spoon of brown sauce held over short mason jar with more sauce in it on a wooden serving tray

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.

Closeup of brown sauce in a short glass mason jar on a wooden serving tray with a larger glass jar of brown sauce in the background

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.

Closeup of brown sauce in a short mason jar on a wooden serving tray with a gold spoon dripping sauce back into the jar

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:

  • Marinara Sauce with Red Lentils (Instant Pot)
  • Light Tartar Sauce
  • Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce

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!

Recipe Card
Closeup of demi-glace in a short glass mason jar on a wooden serving tray with a larger glass jar of demi-glace in the background
5 from 2 votes

Demi-Glace

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.
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:40 minutes
Total Time:45 minutes
Author:Diabetic Foodie
Servings:5 servings
Review Print

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
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
    2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 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.
    1 cup celery, 1 cup onion, 1 cup carrots
  • Add the wine and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, about 5 minutes or so.
    1 cup dry red wine
  • Add the stock and tomato paste, then mix until well-combined.
    4 cups unsalted or low-sodium beef stock, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 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.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is for 5 servings of demi-glace. Each serving is a 1/2 cup.
This sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Nutrition Facts
Demi-Glace
Amount Per Serving (1 half cup)
Calories 98 Calories from Fat 17
% Daily Value*
Fat 1.9g3%
Saturated Fat 0.3g2%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.3g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 60.8mg3%
Potassium 335.7mg10%
Carbohydrates 8.4g3%
Fiber 1.7g7%
Sugar 4.6g5%
Protein 2.6g5%
Net carbs 6.7g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Sauces & Condiments
Cuisine: French
Diet: Diabetic
Keyword: demi glace, dinner recipes
Did you make this recipe?Click here to leave a comment & star rating!

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  1. Norm says

    July 20, 2019 at 1:39 pm

    5 stars
    Outstanding

    Reply
  2. The Food Hunter says

    September 25, 2012 at 4:25 pm

    really…you don’t keep veal knuckles on hand?? 🙂

    Reply
  3. Nelly Rodriguez says

    September 22, 2012 at 7:40 am

    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!

    Reply
  4. sunithi says

    September 21, 2012 at 10:56 pm

    Never made this before ! Interesting. Beats regular gravy for sure ! Must be bursting with flavor !

    Reply

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