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Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,648
1,773
I'm even less cultured than I thought. I don't even know what that is, except that it's some sort of "half" glaze? :dunno:
It is a reduction of Veal Stock plus a little bit.
This will give you a better understanding:
One of the great classic French sauces, demi-glace is a rich brown sauce that is itself a base for many other sauces. Making it is not exactly a walk in the park, for it is a combination of an Espagnole or brown sauce, beef or veal stock, and Madeira or sherry, which is reduced by half.

So the first order of business is the Espagnole sauce. A couple of carrots, celery and onions are chopped into a mirepoix, and saut?ed in butter until the onions are golden brown. Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and continue cooking gently. Make a brown roux over low heat in a heavy pan with 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of flour. When the roux is a hazelnut color, add 6 cups hot stock, and whisk together. Add the vegetables, as well as a bay leaf, a little thyme and some parsley stems. Simmer the mixture for 2 to 3 hours, skimming off the scum that rises to the surface. Strain it through a fine strainer, and press the mirepoix gently to extract their juices. (For step-by-step instructions, follow this Espagnole sauce recipe).

Then, for the demi-glace, add an equal amount of beef or veal stock, bring it to a boil, and simmer until the sauce is reduced by half, again skimming the surface as necessary. Off the heat, add 2 tablespoons Madeira. The sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for 6 to 8 months.

Having said that, these sauces are seldom made any more, even in restaurants. The more common alternative is Jus Li?, a stock quickly thickened with cornstarch, potato starch, or arrowroot. (Heat 3-1/2 cups of stock to the boil. Mix 5 teaspoons of starch with 1/2 cup of cold stock, and mix it into the simmering stock. Simmer the mixture until thickened and clear.) The quality of your stock is what will make your jus li? work or not. That is also true of the traditional sauces, but it has more to hide behind in the demi-glace.

If you're looking for the middle ground, here is another demi-glace recipe — an alternative that falls somewhere between the traditional sauce and the quick-and-dirty jus li?.
 
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Miss Kitty

Meow
Jun 10, 2005
47,017
1,131
70
:lolabove: ...this is getting saucey!!!
 

elgordoboy

Beach Fanatic
Feb 9, 2007
2,513
887
I no longer stay in Dune Allen
I'm even less cultured than I thought. I don't even know what that is, except that it's some sort of "half" glaze? :dunno:

Brown stock that has been reduced to make a sauce. :D tasty. I keep some cubed in the freezer for adding flavor to dishes. Oops didn't see the answer up there already, and very well explained. Don't worry about eating the veal, stock is made from the bones--someone else ate the meat--probably doesn't help though.
 
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Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,068
1,973
Brown stock that has been reduced to make a sauce. :D tasty. I keep some cubed the freezer for adding flavor to dishes.


Yeah it sucks if they make it into a margarita by mistake.:yikes: :wave: Be careful fixing cocktails!!
 

NoHall

hmmmm......can't remember
May 28, 2007
9,042
996
Northern Hall County, GA
It is a reduction of Veal Stock plus a little bit.
This will give you a better understanding:
One of the great classic French sauces, demi-glace is a rich brown sauce that is itself a base for many other sauces. Making it is not exactly a walk in the park, for it is a combination of an Espagnole or brown sauce, beef or veal stock, and Madeira or sherry, which is reduced by half.

So the first order of business is the Espagnole sauce. A couple of carrots, celery and onions are chopped into a mirepoix, and saut?ed in butter until the onions are golden brown. Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and continue cooking gently. Make a brown roux over low heat in a heavy pan with 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of flour. When the roux is a hazelnut color, add 6 cups hot stock, and whisk together. Add the vegetables, as well as a bay leaf, a little thyme and some parsley stems. Simmer the mixture for 2 to 3 hours, skimming off the scum that rises to the surface. Strain it through a fine strainer, and press the mirepoix gently to extract their juices. (For step-by-step instructions, follow this Espagnole sauce recipe).

Then, for the demi-glace, add an equal amount of beef or veal stock, bring it to a boil, and simmer until the sauce is reduced by half, again skimming the surface as necessary. Off the heat, add 2 tablespoons Madeira. The sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for 6 to 8 months.

Having said that, these sauces are seldom made any more, even in restaurants. The more common alternative is Jus Li?, a stock quickly thickened with cornstarch, potato starch, or arrowroot. (Heat 3-1/2 cups of stock to the boil. Mix 5 teaspoons of starch with 1/2 cup of cold stock, and mix it into the simmering stock. Simmer the mixture until thickened and clear.) The quality of your stock is what will make your jus li? work or not. That is also true of the traditional sauces, but it has more to hide behind in the demi-glace.

If you're looking for the middle ground, here is another demi-glace recipe ? an alternative that falls somewhere between the traditional sauce and the quick-and-dirty jus li?.

Never mind my last post. I don't know what the heck half that stuff is, and even though I can install irrigation or hang a ceiling fan I'm sure that I would make a mess of your recipe. That said, it sounds amazing. :drool:

Thanks a lot, SJ. I just started running again tonight, and just gained 5 pounds reading your post!;-)
 
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