Jagersauce

August 26, 2025

Jagersauce - kvalifood.com

Jagersauce (hunter’s sauce) is a German mushroom cream sauce traditionally served over schnitzel or pork chops. It is built on browned mushrooms, bacon, onion, white wine, and cream. The mushrooms are browned separately to develop proper flavor before joining the sauce.

Makes ca. 500 ml

Ingredients

450 g brown mushrooms (cremini), sliced
200 ml beef broth
150 ml dry white wine
120 ml heavy cream
1 medium onion (ca. 100 g), finely diced
50 g smoked bacon, diced
1 tbsp tomato paste
25 g butter
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat half the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and cook without stirring for 2-3 minutes until browned on the underside. Stir and cook another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining butter to the same pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook 2-3 minutes until the fat renders. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits. Let it reduce until nearly evaporated, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
Stir in the cream and the reserved mushrooms with any accumulated juices. Add the paprika. Simmer 5-8 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley. Serve immediately over schnitzel, pork chops, or with Spatzle.

Notes

White wine gives a lighter sauce. Red wine makes it darker and more robust – both are traditional.
For a brown gravy version without cream: omit the cream, increase broth to 350 ml, whisk 1 tbsp flour into the onion-tomato mixture before deglazing, and add 1/2 tsp dried thyme and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Without bacon: use all the butter in step 2. The sauce will be lighter.
If the sauce is too thin, mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water, stir it in, and simmer 1 minute.
For a tangier finish, replace the cream with 3-4 tbsp sour cream stirred in at the very end. Do not boil after adding.