Sauce Epsagnole is one of the Five French Mother Sauces, and is the classical precursor to modern day sauces such as Demi-Glace. It goes great with any sort of roasted red meat, and is the base for many popular classic French Sauces including Sauce Robert and Sauce Bordelaise, (see below).
Before we get into how to make Sauce Espagnole, first, a little clarification about Demi-Glace.
Classical demi glace is one part Brown Sauce (Espagnole) and one part Brown Stock (Such as Roasted Veal Stock), combined in a pot and reduced by half. However, modern day menus that list a “Demi-Glace” as their sauce are usually referring to a stock that has been reduced by at least half, or until it coats the back of a spoon. The gelatin contained in the stock itself is what thickens the sauce. No other thickening agent such as roux is used.
Modern chefs preffer “full reduction” sauces over a classical demi-glace becuase they have a much more intense flavor, and the classical thickening agent of a roux makes the sauce heavy and effects its taste.
Recipe For Classical Sauce Espagnole (Brown Sauce)
- Mirepoix: 4 oz/112g onions, 2 oz/56g celery, 2 oz/56g carrots
- 2 oz/56g butter
- 2 oz/56g flour
- 2 oz/56g Tomato Puree
- Sachet Containing: 1/2 Bay Leaf, 2-3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme, 2-3 Sprigs Parsely
- 1.5-2 qts/1.5-2L Roasted Veal Stock
- Start by roasting your mirepoix over medium heat, in the bottom of a heavy bottom sauce pot with the butter, until the mirepoix turns a nice golden brown.
- Once your mirepoix has browned, add in your tomato puree and continue roasting for 2-3 more minutes.
- Sprinkle in your flour, and cook until the flower is well incorporated into the other ingredients (about 5 more minutes).
- Add your roasted veal stock and sachet.
- Bring to a simmer, and gently simmer for about 2 hours, reducing the entire sauce down to 1qt/L. If necessary, add more stock if too much evaporates during the cooking process. Skim sauce as needed.
- Tip: While simmering your sauce, pull it half way off the burner, so that all the scum will collect on one side of the pot, making it easier to skim.
- Once your sauce is finished cooking, pass it through a fine chinois a couple of times to insure a smooth, consistent texture.
Secondary Sauces (Derivatives) Made From Espagnole
Classical Demi-Glace
- Combine Sauce Espagnole and Roasted Veal Stock at the Ratio of 1:1, and reduce by half.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer (chinois).
Sauce Bordelaise
To yield 1 qt/L combine in a sauce pan:
- 1 cup/236ml red wine
- 2 oz/56g chopped shallots
- Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 a bay leaf
Reduce these ingredients by half, and then stir in 1 qt of demi-glace (see above) and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Strain through a chinois and then finsih by swirling in 2 oz of raw butter. Sauce Bordelaise was traditionally garnished with diced bone marrow that had been poached in salted water.
Sauce Robert
To yield 1 qt/L:
- Sweat 4oz/112g of diced white onion with some butter over medium low heat for 5-10 minutes, or until soft and tender.
- Deglaze with 1 cup/236ml of dry white wine, and reduce by two-thirds.
- Add in 1 qt/L of demi glace and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- Strain sauce through a chinois and finish with 2 teaspoons of dry mustard, a pinch of sugar, and squeez in the juice of half a lemon.
- Check seasoning for salt and pepper.
For more information on Sauce Espagnole and its derivates, as well as a lesson on modern sauce makings, listen to The Free Culinary School Podcast Episode 12.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Chef,
I just discovered this website this afternoon and must give you full marks for it. Truly phenomenal; articulate, well written, and full of information that cuts right to the fundamental principles of gastronomy.
Now, my questions. Regarding your recipes for sauce espagnole , and demi glace… I see that you call for tomato pure’ in the former, however I have been “raised” to use quartered fresh plum tomatoes added towards the end of the roasting period for the mirepoix, what is your opinion on that? And, for the latter — I see that your demi glace recipe does not call for any wine (cabernet, or madeira usually)?
Respectfully, Phil.
@ Phil,
Glad you found the site, and you ask two very valid questions. First, a lot of the content on this site is used as a reference for my podcasts. The podcast that talks about stocks is Episode 2, and is quite popular.
The reason why I call for tomato puree instead of fresh tomatoes is because the puree is a more consistent product and is made from ripe tomatoes. Even though the tomatoes at your local grocer look ripe, most of them are actually picked green and then forced ripened in warehouse by using Etheline gas. Plus, the Espagnole recipe is extremely classic, and although there are modern variations, I think its important to first understand the classic mother sauces in its original form first. This podcast is still in its infancy, and this is something that I plan to expand on in the future.
However, with that said, I often will reinforce my sauces with roasted mirepoix and tomatoes, and it does produce a better, more flavorful sauce.
In regards to demi-glace; yes it is very classical to add wine. But when making demi I approach it in its purest sense, a base or foundation to be built apon. Demi isn’t ever an end product; its used to make a reduction sauce, to braise meats, to make soups, and it is during these applications that I will add wine and other flavors. Adding something like madeira to your stock during the initial cooking process will limit its uses, because you are adding another layer of flavor structure. I like to always leave my options open when making stock, and then will add wine and other flavors when turning the stock into its end product such as soup, stew or sauce.
Do you actually go as far as to make demi glace or derivatives at home? If so, what do you think is the minimum quantity of veal stock from which it’s worth to try these recipes. I love my veal stock, but so far I tend to only use it for simple reduction pan sauces, I feel that way I use it most efficiently.
Chef,
How does a Rouge differ from Hollindaise, besides using red wine verses white?
Thanks,
Aspiring Chef Joe
All “Rouge” means is “red,” so it depends on how the word is used. Most commonly you’ll see it used as a “beurre rouge,” which is a beurre blanc that uses red wine instead of white wine. The difference between a beurre blanc and hollandaise is that a beurre blanc is liquid emulsified with whole butter and a hollandaise is a liquid emulsified with clarified butter and enriched with slightly cooked egg yolks.