Sauce Bordelaise

November 23, 2019

Sauce Bordelaise - kvalifood.com

Sauce Bordelaise is a classical French brown sauce from the Bordeaux region, traditionally served with grilled beef (entrecôte, tournedos, filet mignon). It belongs to the “derivative sauce” family in Escoffier’s system - a variation of demi-glace enriched with red wine reduction and finished with bone marrow. Historical note: Escoffier’s original sauce Bordelaise actually used white wine.

Makes ~250 ml / 1 cup of sauce, serves 2-3

Ingredients

250 ml full-bodied red wine, preferably Bordeaux
250 ml demi-glace (or very concentrated brown veal/beef stock)
50 g shallots (~2 medium), finely diced
60 g beef bone marrow, diced into ~1 cm cubes
20 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed - plus 10 g, for sweating shallots
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp cracked black peppercorns
Salt, to taste
3 drops lemon juice (optional, for brightness)
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional, classical finish)

Directions

Prepare bone marrow. Soak marrow bones in cold salted water for 1-2 hours if whole (to draw out blood). Extract marrow, dice into ~1 cm cubes. Poach gently in barely simmering salted water for 1-2 minutes until the marrow is just set but still soft - it should hold its shape but remain creamy inside. Drain on a plate lined with paper towel. Set aside.
Sweat shallots. Melt 10 g butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Add diced shallots and cook gently for 2-3 minutes until soft and translucent. Do not brown.
Add wine and reduce. Pour in the red wine. Add thyme, bay leaf, and cracked peppercorns. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a steady simmer. Reduce by about two-thirds - the liquid should be syrupy and concentrated, roughly 80-90 ml remaining. This takes 10-15 minutes.
Add demi-glace. Stir in the demi-glace. Bring back to a gentle simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon (nappant consistency). Skim any impurities that rise to the surface.
Strain. Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer (chinois) into a clean saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract all flavor. Discard the solids.
Mount with butter. Over low heat, whisk in the cold butter cubes a few at a time. Swirl the pan rather than stirring vigorously - this creates a glossy emulsion. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Add a few drops of lemon juice if desired.
Finish with marrow. Gently fold in the poached bone marrow dice. Let them warm through in the sauce for 30 seconds - do not boil or they will melt completely.
Serve immediately. Spoon over grilled or pan-seared beef. Scatter a pinch of finely chopped parsley if desired.

Notes

Demi-glace: If you do not have demi-glace, reduce 500 ml of strong brown veal or beef stock by half. The richer and more gelatinous the stock, the better the sauce. Store-bought demi-glace concentrate (e.g., More Than Gourmet) works in a pinch.
Wine choice: Use a wine you would drink. A young, full-bodied Bordeaux (Merlot-dominant blends like Saint-Emilion work well). Avoid cooking wines or anything too tannic - the reduction concentrates tannins.
Bone marrow: This is what makes bordelaise bordelaise. Without it, you have marchand de vin. Ask your butcher to cut marrow bones into 5-7 cm segments for easy extraction.
Make-ahead: The sauce can be made through step 5 and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently and finish with butter and marrow just before serving.
Flambé variation: Some French cooks flambé the wine after adding it to the shallots. This burns off alcohol quickly and adds a slight caramelized note. Not essential but traditional in some kitchens.