Sauce Chasseur (Hunter's Sauce)
Sauce Chasseur (Hunter’s Sauce) - kvalifood.com
Sauce chasseur (“hunter’s sauce”) is a classical French brown sauce built on demi-glace or sauce espagnole. The name refers to its traditional pairing with game meats – venison, rabbit, wildfowl, and boar – though it is now most commonly served with chicken (poulet saute chasseur). Escoffier codified it in Le Guide Culinaire.
Makes about 400 ml / 1 2/3 cups – serves 4
Ingredients
- 20 g unsalted butter (for sauteing)
- 150 g button mushrooms, sliced 5 mm thick
- 30 g shallots (~1 medium), finely diced
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 25 ml cognac (or brandy, optional)
- 300 ml demi-glace
- 60 ml tomato sauce (or 2 tbsp tomato concassee)
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped (or chervil if available)
- 10 g cold unsalted butter, cubed (optional, for finishing)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Melt 20 g butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms in a single layer and saute without stirring for 2-3 minutes until they begin to brown. Stir, cook another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until softened but not browned.
- If using cognac, pour it in and let it bubble vigorously for 20-30 seconds (flambe if desired). Add the white wine and increase heat. Let it reduce by about three-quarters, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add the demi-glace and tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Skim any fat that rises.
- Remove from heat. If finishing with butter, whisk in the cold butter cubes until melted and emulsified.
- Stir in the tarragon and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately over chicken, veal, game, or beef.
Notes
- Demi-glace substitute: If making without demi-glace, reduce 600 ml good beef or veal stock by half to get 300 ml concentrated stock. Add 1 tbsp tomato paste while reducing. The result is lighter than true demi-glace but workable.
- Mushroom choice: Button mushrooms are classical. Cremini or a mix of wild mushrooms (chanterelles, porcini) make a richer sauce, appropriate for game dishes.
- Herb timing: Add herbs at the very end, off heat, to preserve their freshness. Tarragon loses its character when cooked too long.
- Classical vs modern: The classical version (Escoffier) does not include brandy or monter au beurre, but both are widely adopted in modern French cooking and improve the sauce.
- Straining: In a professional kitchen, the sauce may be strained for a smooth finish. For home cooking, leaving the mushroom pieces in is standard and adds texture.
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