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The real demi-glace, explained by a French chef: SAUCE vs. BASE
Wine

The real demi-glace, explained by a French chef: SAUCE vs. BASE

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In this video, you’ll discover that there are two different definitions of demi-glace in French cuisine.
You’ll understand why it’s impossible to make demi-glace sauce without first preparing another sauce — and what most recipes leave out.

🥣 STEP 1: Ingredients for Brown Veal Stock
✔️ 2 kg veal bones. Optionally: veal hoof, pork skin
✔️ 2 carrots
✔️ 2 onions
✔️ 2 tomatoes
✔️ 1 tbsp tomato paste
✔️ Herb bundle: leek, bay leaf, thyme, parsley stems
✔️ Cery stalk
✔️ Whole cloves
✔️ 3 garlic cloves
✔️ Black peppercorns
✔️ Approx. 4 L water (135 fl oz)
✔️ Ice

🍅 STEP 2: Ingredients for Espagnole Sauce
✔️ 1 L brown veal stock (33.8 fl oz)
✔️ For roux: 40 g flour (1.4 oz), 40 g butter (1.4 oz)
✔️ 1 carrot
✔️ 1 onion
✔️ 40 g tomato paste (1.4 oz)
✔️ 200 g tomatoes (7 oz)
✔️ 80 g bacon (2.8 oz)
✔️ Herb bundle: leek, bay leaf, thyme, parsley stems
✔️ 1 garlic clove
✔️ Celery stalk
✔️ Optional: 1/2 glass of Madeira wine
✔️ 2 tbsp sunflower oil

🟤 STEP 3: Ingredients for Demi-Glace Sauce
✔️ Espagnole sauce
✔️ 20 g butter (0.7 oz)
✔️ Salt and black pepper (to taste)

⏳ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – What is demi-glace?
0:53 – Brown veal stock
12:11 – Demi-glace base
14:08 – Espagnole sauce
19:30 – Back to the demi-glace base
23:28 – Demi-glace sauce
27:41 – Summary: Brown veal stock vs. demi-glace base vs. Espagnole sauce vs. demi-glace sauce

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#ChefVivien #FrenchCuisine #Sauces

19 Comments

  1. @chefvivienENG

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  3. @FabsWilliams

    Love the tip about the ice 🧊, I can’t say I’ve heard that before, thanks for the explanation as well. Great points on sustainable cooking with the fat & breadcrumbs for the birds 🐦

  10. @IvanIV05

    It's a very long process and it was interesting to watch how it is made, but I think I'll stay with a brown veal stock that I can buy ready-made 🙂

  12. @cprovost820

    Merci, Chef!! I requested this in a previous video, as I am sure others did as well, and you didn’t disappoint. Really well done video, merci beaucoup.

  15. @ddgyt50

    Excellent demonstration with clear instruction. My takeaway is that the stock and demi-glace are not technically difficult, but simply require attention to detain and time/patience. Oh, and quality ingredients.

  17. @RG-gq4nz

    I did a version of this a couple of weeks ago and I’ll try this next time.
    It does take ages, the butcher bones I got were over £10. You try it after 6hrs of bubbling away and you wonder why you bothered. It tastes of slightly floral brown water.
    The next steps totally transform it though. I only got 3 jars of quite rubbery goodness. One got used for French onion soup which was absolutely amazing.
    I had the herbs loose which resulted in quite a strong woody undertone. Chef Vivien’s leek wrap has cleared that problem up for next time.

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