There is nothing quite like Demi-Glace, a rich, silky sauce that gives steak, short ribs, and other meats a restaurant-quality taste. I used to make batches of it in professional kitchens, and now I get to teach you how to make it at home.
Demi-Glace Sauce is a finishing sauce you will find in every fine dining kitchen, the one that delivers that wow factor. It takes time, so pick a rainy day and make a big batch, then let my step-by-step instructions walk you through a foolproof version.
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What is Demi Glace?
A classic Demi Glace is when you use equal parts Espagnole sauce (French mother sauce) and veal stock, and then reduce it down by half. The name "demi-glace" means half glaze.
Today, we are going to simplify the process by reducing veal stock with vegetables and red wine to concentrate the flavor and to remove the water, resulting in a beautiful sauce.
We will start by making our own Veal Stock, or if you can't find veal bones, try my Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth. Once your sauce is ready, spoon it over Red Wine Braised Short Ribs, pair it with an Air Fryer Filet Mignon, or drizzle it onto a perfectly cooked Sous Vide Ribeye Steak.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Veal Stock - Follow my veal stock recipe, or if you can't find veal bones, make my Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth.
- Vegetables - Finely diced celery, onions, and carrots were cooked in a small amount of canola oil. I have seen some chefs use finely diced shallots instead.
- Tomato Paste - A small amount of tomato paste is used to help caramelize the vegetables.
- Sugar - ½ teaspoon of sugar helps caramelize the vegetables; this step is optional.
- Red Wine - Use a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Demi-Glace
Step 1. Caramelize Vegetables
Place canola oil in a large saucepan (I use a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until lightly browned (1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and cook until caramelized (not burnt).
Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for another couple of minutes to remove the acidity and add flavor.
Step 2. Deglaze with Wine
Pour in the red wine and scrape up all those browned bits (the fond) and cook until reduced by 75 percent (3 to 4 minutes).
Step 3. Add the Veal Stock
Pour in the veal stock and bring to a gentle simmer
Step 4. Reduce
Let simmer and reduce for 2 hours over a medium-low heat.
Step 5. Strain
Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and pour reduced veal stock through it to catch the mirepoix (finely diced vegetables).
Step 6. Reduce Again
Return the liquid to the pot, bring to a slow simmer, and reduce until you have 2 cups of demi-glace left (it will coat the back of a spoon).
Serve: Use the sauce right away or cook it to room temperature and freeze it in ice cube trays.
Chef Tips
- Skim often: Skim every 15 to 20 minutes to remove impurities and keep the sauce clear.
- Caramelize Vegetables: Lightly caramelize the diced vegetables and avoid burning them because scorched veg will ruin the entire batch.
- Choose a good wine: You want to deglaze with a red wine that won't break the bank, but something you would drink.
- Reduce low and slow: Let the veal stock reduce over a medium-low heat for 2 hours for that rich flavor.
- Spoon coat test: Dip a spoon into the sauce. It should coat the back of the spoon, and when you swipe a finger through it, the line should stay put.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate: Transfer cooled demi-glace to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Freeze: Pour the cooled sauce into ice cube trays (affiliate link), freeze, then pop them out and store in ziplock bags for up to 6 months.
Reheat: For a quick pan sauce, remove 1-2 cubes of frozen demi-glace from the freezer into a pan and slowly reheat.
Recipe FAQ's
No, demi-glace is a sister sauce to Espagnole, which is a veal stock thickened by a roux.
Demi-glace of a reduced veal stock that is made from roasted veal bones, vegetables, and aromatics.
Demi-Glace is versatile and can be turned into classic sauces like Bordelaise, Robert, and Madeira. It's a great finishing sauce over top braised short ribs, filet mignon, or pan-seared duck breast.
Your demi-glace didn't have enough collagen in the bones. When making your veal stock, use a mix of veal marrow, neck, and knuckle bones for a gelatinous stock.
If you tried this Classic Demi-Glace Recipe or any other sauce recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Demi-Glace Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ¼ cup chopped onion small dice
- 2 tablespoons carrot, chopped small dice
- 8 ounces celery, chopped small dice
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 10 cups veal stock
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion, carrot, and celery, then cook until lightly browned. Add sugar and tomato paste, then cook until caramelized.
- Pour in red wine, scrape the bottom of the pot, and reduce by 75%.
- Stir in veal stock and bring to a gentle simmer, and reduce for 2 hours over a medium-low heat.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove vegetables.
- Return liquid to the pot and simmer until reduced to about 2 cups, thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Use immediately or cook and freeze in ice cube trays.
Notes
- I recommend skimming every 15-20 minutes for a clear sauce.
- Burnt vegetables will ruin your sauce, so caramelize them gently.
- Reduce the veal stock low and slow for the best flavor.
- Demi-Glace should be reduced to 2 cups and coat the back of the spoon.
- Freeze cooled Demi-Glace into ice cube trays for proper storage.
Mike Cleavenger says
This Demi-Glace is perfect over braised short ribs.