I am all about sauces when I cook. I have no problem spending an hour or more creating a sauce. A good sauce can make any meal something special. I wanted to raise the bar a bit and make the ultimate sauce—demi-glace.
For a demi-glace recipe, I looked to the master of cooking, Julia Child. Alas, my copy of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” didn’t include a demi-glace recipe with the disclaimer that it wasn’t practical for the everyday cook. So, I was left to find my own recipe.
First, I tried More than a Gourmet’s Classic French Demi-Glace. If you have done a reduction sauce, you can appreciate the consistency and texture of a demi-glace. The color was beautiful. I tried a recipe using it with wonderful results. Of course, the next challenge was making my own.
I found a demi-glace recipe online that looked promising. Fortunately, I stumbled upon this the weekend we received 20 inches of snow. Making a demi-glace seemed the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Of course, most of the recipe is hands off which is ideal if you’re at home. I followed the recipe to the letter, except I also added a crushed clove of garlic, 1/4 cup of celery, and 1 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns.
Now, I can’t go back to a simple brown sauce. The richness of a beef demi-glace is out of this world. The best way I can think to describe it is complex. There are so many flavors that tasting it is truly a gastronomic experience.
My packaged demi-glace will be my fallback ingredient when I’m pressed for time. If I have some free time, I’m going to make the demi-glace recipe a regular part of my routine.
