Beef demi glace is a staple in classic French cooking, valued for its deep, concentrated flavor and velvety texture But what exactly is this rich brown sauce, and why is it such an integral component of French cuisine? In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into demi glace to understand how it’s made, its purpose in the kitchen, and why it adds that extra dimension of taste in a variety of dishes.
A Brief History of Demi Glace
To understand beef demi glace, we must first look to its origins in the development of French haute cuisine. Demi glace has its roots in sauce Espagnole, one of the five “mother sauces” codified by French chef Antonin Carême in the 19th century. Espagnole, made with brown stock, is enriched with tomatoes, onions, and herbs.
Later, legendary chef Auguste Escoffier refined Carême’s techniques and created demi glace as we know it today. Demi glace builds on the flavors of Espagnole, combining it with additional brown stock and simmering the mixture down to a concentrated, glossy glaze. Through this lengthy reduction, demi glace develops layers of deep, meaty flavors.
Demi Glace Ingredients – It’s All About the Stock
At its core, demi glace contains just two main components – Espagnole sauce and brown stock. The ingredients for the stock provide the foundation of flavor. For traditional demi glace, stock is made by simmering beef or veal bones, meat scraps, mirepoix ( carrots, onions, celery), tomatoes and aromatics like thyme and bay leaves.
The resulting brown stock has a deep concentrated meatiness. When reduced even further into a demi glace those meaty notes become even more intense. The richness of the veal bones also impart the sauce with body and that coveted lip-coating texture.
So in short, demi glace is all about letting the best ingredients – namely high-quality bones and stock – shine through. The sauce showcases the natural flavors developed through lengthy simmering and reduction.
The Process of Making Demi Glace at Home
Now let’s walk through the hands-on process of actually crafting demi glace at home While lengthy, it’s quite straightforward
First, make the veal or beef brown stock. Simmer bones, aromatics and tomatoes for 6-8 hours, skimming impurities. The longer you simmer, the deeper the flavor.
Next, prepare Espagnole sauce. Make a brown roux, sauté mirepoix, deglaze with the brown stock, simmer, and strain.
Combine the stock and Espagnole. Mix equal parts of each in a pot along with some herbs.
Reduce slowly to thicken. Gently simmer the mixture uncovered until reduced by half. This can take a few hours.
Strain and finish. Once thickened to a glaze-like consistency, strain through a fine sieve. Season to taste.
The process requires patience, but the payoff is a sauce with layer upon layer of rich flavor. With demi glace on hand, so many dishes instantly elevate to restaurant quality.
How to Use Demi Glace Like the French Do
In French cuisine, demi glace is ubiquitous. It can transform a plain steak into a culinary masterpiece or give braises and stews that finishing touch. Here are some classic ways to harnesses the power of demi glace:
- Drizzle over grilled meats like steak, lamb, and duck breast
- Add depth and umami to pan sauces, such as a sauce marchand de vin
- Stir into hearty slow-cooked braises like boeuf bourguignon or short ribs
- Mix with mustard and crumbs as a topping for roast chicken or pork
- Whisk in some to finish risottos, mushroom dishes or lentil stews
- Swirl into soups and tomato sauce for added richness
- Combine with wine reductions to make restaurant-quality steak sauces
A little demi glace can go a long way in elevating flavors. Keep some on hand in the freezer, and infinite flavor-boosting possibilities open up in your own kitchen.
Demi Glace Alternatives for Vegetarians
Traditionally made with veal or beef stock, demi glace is not vegetarian or vegan. However, there are alternatives that can mimic the rich, umami depth of demi glace:
- Make stock with roasted mushrooms stems and dried shiitakes for a deep “meaty” flavor
- Simmer stocks with kombu seaweed; the natural glutamates enhance savory notes
- Choose a high-quality store-bought mushroom or vegetable stock
- Add umami flavor boosters like soy sauce, tomato paste or nutritional yeast
- Deglaze with red or white wine and reduce to concentrate flavors
- Thicken and enrich with cornstarch, arrowroot or vegetable roux
While not exactly the same as classic demi glace, these tips can help give vegetarian dishes that satisfying, mouth-coating richness.
Storing and Freezing Demi Glace
One of the beauties of demi glace is that it stores well for a long time. Here are some tips:
- Store in fridge up to 1 week
- Freeze in ice cube trays, then transfer to bags; keeps 6 months
- Freeze in ready-to-use portions so you can grab and defrost as needed
- Avoid constant refrigeration and re-heating; can cause flavor degradation
- If reducing store-bought demi glace, freeze first for food safety
With proper freezing technique, you can keep a batch of homemade demi glace on hand for months, ready to add its magic touch whenever needed!
What’s the Difference Between Demi-Glace and Stock?
Stock or broth is much more watery than demi-glace, which is a concentrated stock. All demi glaces have stock elements to them—usually those made from scratch—but not all stocks are demi glace. You can substitute demi-glace for stock if you have some of this shortcut stock stored in the freezer, but youll need to dilute it with either more store-bought stock or water.
Is Demi Glace the Same as Gravy?
Though both can be made from meat and tend to be rich, savory, and flavorful, gravy is typically made from pan drippings along with stock and/or wine along with flour or cornstarch to thicken it. A demi-glace is a much longer, more involved process typically (with the exception of our recipe here): its a reduced espagnole sauce typically comprising cooked down vegetables, tomato puree, a meat stock (veal, beef, or chicken), and wine.
“If you’re looking for an easy-to-follow recipe for homemade demi-glace that doesnt take a good portion of your hard-earned Saturday, this one’s for you! It uses store-bought beef stock, cutting out a huge chunk of time, and provides clear instructions for sautéing the mirepoix and creating a roux. You need cheesecloth, so have it handy.” —Victoria Heydt
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For the Sachet dÉpices:
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 to 8 fresh parsley stems
- 8 to 10 whole peppercorns
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons (or 1 ounce) clarified butter
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup chopped carrots
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 cups low-sodium beef stock, divided
- Kosher salt, to taste
Demi-glace | The Vivaldi Way
FAQ
What is a substitute for beef demi-glace?
What is demi-glace sauce made of?
Demi-glace is made with a brown stock that begins with roasted ox, veal, or beef bones, to which are added tomato puree, red wine, mirepoix, other aromatic vegetables such as garlic and leeks, and herbs and spices such as thyme, pepper, and bay leaves.
What’s the difference between beef stock and demi-glace?
Stock is the liquid you get from boiling meat; demi glacé is stock that’s been seriously reduced and concentrated. Since glacé is thicker and less watery it’s got a richer flavor, and traditionally it was made by mixing stock with a veal sauce.
What is beef flavor demi-glace?
Demi glace is a rich, brown French sauce that’s made by combining espagnole sauce (a tomato-beef sauce) with beef stock and wine. The mixture is then simmered and reduced until it’s a thick glaze.