Demi-Glace — Rich Reduction
Unlock the secrets of French cuisine with this intensely flavorful demi-glace. Transform simple dishes into culinary masterpieces with its rich, savory depth.
minimal dishes, leftovers hold 3 days
Demi-Glace — Rich Reduction
Unlock the secrets of French cuisine with this intensely flavorful demi-glace. Transform simple dishes into culinary masterpieces with its rich, savory depth.
minimal dishes, leftovers hold 3 days
Key move
Roast the bones deeply and deglaze the pan thoroughly to extract maximum flavor.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
The Setup
- Roasting PanLarge
- Stockpot8 quart
- Fine-Mesh Sieve
- Cheesecloth
The Mise en Place
5 of 10Your prep station before cooking begins
The Protein (0/1)
The Aromatics (0/2)
The Spice Blend (0/2)
Bones are burning during roasting.
Reduce the oven temperature slightly and check more frequently.
Stock is not reducing.
Ensure the heat is low enough to simmer gently, but high enough to evaporate liquid.
Chef's Notes
Roast bones until deeply browned for maximum flavor. Don't rush this step; it's crucial for a rich demi-glace.
Skim fat diligently during simmering. This ensures a clean, intensely flavored sauce, not a greasy one.
Demi-glace freezes beautifully. Portion into ice cube trays for convenient, single-serving flavor boosters.
Serve as a base for pan sauces, gravies, or enrich soups and stews. A little goes a long way!
The Method
PREHEAT
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Uneven heating: Avoid overcrowding the oven with other items, which can cause temperature fluctuations.
Oven is preheated to 400°F (200°C).
TOSS
Toss beef bones (8 lb) with olive oil (¼ cups) and spread them in a single layer on a roasting pan.
Uneven roasting: Overlapping bones will steam rather than roast, preventing the deep color needed for the foundation of the sauce.
Beef bones are coated in olive oil and spread evenly on the roasting pan.
ROAST
Roast bones for 1-1.5 hours, flipping halfway through, until deeply browned.
Uneven browning: If bones overlap, they will steam rather than roast. Arrange in a single layer.
Bones are deeply browned.
ADD
Add carrots (2 cups), celery (2 cups), and onion (2 cups) to the roasting pan with the bones. Stir in tomato paste (½ cups).
Tomato paste scorching: Tomato paste burns easily; ensure it is mixed well with the vegetables and not sitting in dry spots on the pan.
Vegetables and tomato paste are added to the roasting pan with the bones.
ROAST
Continue roasting for another 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are caramelized.
Burnt vegetables: Small vegetable pieces may char before the bones are done. Remove smaller items if they darken too quickly.
Vegetables are caramelized.
TRANSFER
Transfer the bones and vegetables to a large stockpot.
Splash hazard: Roasted bones are heavy and hot; place them gently into the pot to avoid splashing hot fat.
Bones and vegetables are in the stockpot.
DEGLAZE
Deglaze the roasting pan with red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Pour the wine into the stockpot.
Incomplete fond extraction: Leaving browned bits behind results in a weak, pale sauce missing depth.
Roasting pan is deglazed and the wine is in the stockpot.
ADD
Add beef stock (8 cups), bay leaf (2 leaves), and peppercorns to the stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 6-8 hours, skimming off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
Cloudy stock: Boiling the stock vigorously will emulsify the fat and turn the liquid cloudy rather than clear.
Stock is simmering gently and impurities are being skimmed.
STRAIN
Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Discard the solids.
Filtering failure: If the cheesecloth is not layered thick enough, fine bone fragments may pass through into the finished liquid.
Stock is strained and solids are discarded.
RETURN
Return the strained stock to the stockpot and simmer over low heat until reduced by half, about 2-4 hours.
Scorching: The high sugar and gelatin content makes the sauce prone to burning; maintain a gentle simmer.
Sauce is reduced by half and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
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