Demi Glace

This step three in the making of Demi Glace. The two previous steps are Beef Stock and Espagnole. Once you have these, the demi glace is a breeze...if that breeze is a deep, rich, complex ambrosia.

Demi Glace

• 1 gallon espagnole sauce, hot (recipe here)
• 1 gallon brown stock, hot (recipe here)
• Fresh parsley, handful
• Fresh thyme, 3 sprigs
• 3 bay leaves
• Salt
• Fresh cracked pepper

In a stock pot, combine the espagnole sauce and brown stock. Turn the burner up to high. Use kitchen twine to tie together the parsley and thyme and toss into the pot along with the bay leaves. Bring up to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and a simmer until the liquid reduces by half. This will take about 90 minutes. Skim the liquid occasionally, if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Strain through a strainer. I use freezer bags to divide this in one-cup portions and freeze them.

Here are a few options for the use of demi glace:

Bordelaise - In a saucepan, add 1 cup red wine and 2 tablespoons minced shallots and reduce to 1/2 cup.  Add 1 cup demi glace and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Strain, then add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Salt and pepper as needed.  Finish with 2 tablespoons Cognac, 1 tablespoon Madeira and 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, and a 2 tablespoons of butter.  Serve with grilled steaks..

Chateaubriand - In a saucepan add 1 cup white wine, 8 chopped mushrooms, 3 shallots minced, 1 tablespoon. fresh lemon thyme, a bay leaf and bring to boil and reduce to 1/4 cup.  Add 1 cup demi glace, and simmer for about 30 minutes, strain and salt and pepper as needed.  Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons Cognac, 1 tablespoon Madeira, and 2 tablespoons of butter.  Serve over grilled steaks with fresh chopped parsley.

Chasseur - In a chunk of butter, sauté 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 2 minced shallots for about 2 minutes.  Add 1/4 cup white wine, reduce liquid completely, and stir in 1 cup demi glace.  Add 2 tablespoons Cognac, 1 tablespoon Madeira, and 3 tablespoons of butter.  Serve over game or poultry and top with fresh chopped parsley over the sauce.

Diane Sauce - You will need 1 chilled hardboiled egg, and 1 chopped truffle.  In a saucepan, add 1/4 cup white vinegar, 10 crushed peppercorns, bring to boil and reduce to 2 tablespoons.  Strain liquid into 1 cup demi glace and stir. Add to the demi glace 1/4 cup crème fraîche with a few drops of hot sauce.  Slice the egg and add only the whites, along with the truffles, to the demi glace. Salt and pepper as needed. Heat and serve with broiled or gilled meats.

Lyonnaise Sauce - In 2 tablespoons of butter, sauté 1 cup minced onions.  Add 1/4 cup white wine, 1/4 cup white vinegar and reduce liquid completely, add to 1 cup demi glace sauce and simmer 20 minutes.  Add 2 tablespoons Cognac, 1 tablespoon Madeira, 2 tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper as needed.  Serve with grilled and sautéed meats.

Madeira - Bring 1 cup Madeira wine to a boil, reduce to 1/4 cup, stir in 1 cup demi glace and add 2 tablespoons Cognac.

Robert Sauce - In 2 tablespoons of butter, sauté 2 minced onions.  Add 1/4 cup white wine, 2 tablespoons white vinegar and reduce liquid completely, add 1 cup demi glace and simmer 30 minutes.  Combine 1 teaspoon confectioners sugar, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard. Salt and pepper as needed. Serve with grilled steaks or chops.

Citrus Demi Glace - Bring 1 cup orange juice to a boil, reduce to 1/4 cup. Stir in 1 cup demi glace and add 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier and 2 tablespoons butter. Salt and pepper as needed. Serve over roast beef.