A while back, I posted a bit of a cheater’s recipe for the Black Pelican’s Citrus Rosemary Brined Chicken. I saw it on Diner’s Drive Ins and Dives and had to recreate it. The first time I made it, I didn’t use the Demi-Glace; I couldn’t buy it in my small town, where I was helping out my folks. It wasn’t until later that I came across Cheater’s Demi-Glace by Cook’s Illustrated.
It wasn’t until the next time I made the Black Pelican’s dish and used the Demi-Glace that I realized what it was missing! The Cheater’s Demi-Glace has opened a whole world of possibilities for me, and maybe, now, for you?
About Demi-Glace:
Demi-glace (pronounced deh-mee glahs) is a rich, deeply concentrated brown sauce used in classical French cooking. It’s traditionally made by slowly reducing equal parts brown stock (usually made from roasted beef or veal bones) and espagnole sauce until thick, glossy, and intensely flavorful.
It is flavor turned all the way up: savory and umami goodness, with notes of roasted beef, caramelized vegetables, and a gentle balance of sweet and acid.
Its texture is lush and velvety, and the richness lingers, with subtle herbal undertones, but it doesn’t overwhelm. It amplifies whatever it accompanies, adding depth, gloss, and a long, satisfying finish.
And real Demi-Glace is not by any means a frugal item. It requires bones and a lot of them! Pounds and pounds. And wine! And lots of time! And the store-bought? Iffy tasting and pricey.
About Cheater’s Demi-Glace:
But would a Cheater’s Demi-Glace fit the bill? After making it several times, I’d take this any day over a store-bought demi-glace – it was so much better than anything I’ve ever bought. (I wasn’t always in a small town!).
- The recipe is approachable, but I have to admit it doesn’t outshine a real, classically made demi-glace – but then very few home cooks are making one.
- I’ll be keeping this on hand for when I serve the Rosemary Citrus Brined Chicken with my Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes.
- And I’ll be keeping it on hand for other dishes that I thought were out of my reach because they called for demi-glace, and I thought my only option was the pricey and not so great jarred stuff.
Where and How to Use Demi-Glace:
Demi-Glace is a classic French reduction and adds a rich, deep note to many dishes, giving them that elusive restaurant-quality finish so many of us home cooks miss. Even as little as a tablespoon added to a dish can elevate it.
- It will shine in steak sauces, like Bordelaise or Peppercorn sauces, but quickly upgrades everyday pan sauces. Add a spoonful to Pan-seared Chicken Breast or Thighs, Pork Chops with a Quick Sauce, and your Skillet-roasted, Steakhouse-style Mushrooms.
- Try a bit in any Beef Poutine Gravy, fancy Burger Sauce, Gravy for Mashed Potatoes or Meatloaf.
- A touch of it will deepen and add rich umami flavors to Caramelized Onions and dishes made with them. It will do the same with Glazed Roasted Vegetables and will deepen the flavors of earthy Lentil or Bean Dishes.
- Add just a little to finish the final reductions for your fancier meals: Tenderloin, Short Ribs, Rack of Lamb, or Roasted Duck. A spoonful can deepen the flavors of Coq au Vin, Osso Buco, and Beef Bourguignon.
Making Cheater’s Demi-Glace:
The most important thing is to take your time with slowly making the sauce and working through each step. It will take about 20 minutes just to properly brown the vegetables and another 20 to 25 minutes for the first reduction of the stock and wine.
From there, the sauce is strained, gelatin is added, and you’re home free. Reduce another five to seven minutes. Here I took a departure:
- I noticed that when reduced to 1/2 cup called for in Cook’s Illustrated recipe, it was really way too strong, so I reduced it to about 3/4 cup.
- This could simply be a matter of the ingredients used, maybe the strength of the broth, or the wine. Check it at 3/4 cup, and if the taste isn’t there for you, reduce further to 1/2 cup.
Note:
The first time I made it, the Cheater’s Demi-Glace was salty, even with no added salt. I blame the stock. I made it a second time with a low-sodium stock, and it was much improved. Darned good, I’d say.
See my further notes, below, about the stock and wines to use.
Storing the Demi-Glace:
- Three to five days in the fridge is the standard option, although up to a week is usually fine before the flavor fades. Discard if there are any off colors or cloudiness/fizziness (which indicates fermentation)
- A better option is to freeze for three to six months in a refrigerator/freezer combo or up to a year in a deep freeze. Tightly sealed is better than freezing in ice-cube trays.
Gibson Says Hi!
Preventing Waste:
The ground beef strained from the sauce was so flavorful, but it was nothing more than waste. And although it was only eight ounces, I hate waste – especially at today’s prices!
The peppercorns almost melted into the ground beef, and if you’ve ever bitten into a peppercorn? Well, it was unusable and had to be tossed. It couldn’t even go to Gibs, pictured above, because dogs and grapes (and wine) don’t mix.
The second time, I gathered the herbs and peppercorns into a bit of cheesecloth and was able to repurpose the ground beef from the Cheater’s Demi-Glace. I just mixed it with a little Greek yogurt (I didn’t have sour cream in the fridge) and served it over noodles. It was a little ugly but tasty, Beef Stroganoff meets Beef Bourguignon.
About the Ingredients For Cheater’s Demi-Glace:
Stock:
More important than the wine is the stock. It’s crucial. A stock that is too salty will ruin the Demi-Glace, so if buying, choose low-sodium. If you make your own, bonus. Cook’s Illustrated recommends:
- Better than Bullion (because you can mix it slightly stronger).
- Swanson Low Sodium (consistent among taste testers).
- Kitchen Basics (a slight upgrade over Swanson)
Wine:
- For the wine, it doesn’t have to be expensive, but it shouldn’t make you grimace. The old “cook with what you’d drink” was to turn people away from heavily salted grocery store “cooking wine” which was legal to sell before wine was allowed to be sold at the grocery stores. Don’t use anything fancy or sugary.
- Acidity will be much more pronounced when reduced. A good descriptive term to look for is “jammy”. I’ve used an inexpensive fresh Beaujolais and was surprised at the results. A reader suggests Cotes du Rhone. A cheaper Merlot, Cabernet blend, or Pinot are good picks. Consider store brands (Trader Joe’s, Costco, Kirkland) and box wines.
Cheater’s Demi-Glace, Cook’s Illustrated
Cheater’s Demi-Glace, Cook’s Illustrated
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1/2 to 3/4 cup 1x
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, roughly, chopped
- 1 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms, halved
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8 ounces ground beef
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine
- 4 cups beef broth
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 1 package unflavored powdered gelatin
Instructions
Process onion, carrot, mushrooms, and garlic in food processor into 1/8-inch pieces, 10 to 12 one-second pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until simmering; add beef and tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until beef is well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add vegetable mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until any released moisture has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
Add wine and bring to simmer, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Add beef broth, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns; bring to boil. Reduce heat and gently boil, occasionally scraping bottom and sides of pot, skimming fat from surface, until reduced to 2 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.
Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over small saucepan, pressing on solids with rubber spatula to extract as much liquid as possible (you should have about 1 cup stock). Sprinkle gelatin over stock and stir to dissolve. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring stock to boil. Gently boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 3/4 to 1/2 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
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I’m posting Cheater’s Demi-Glace, Cook’s Illustrated at Fiesta Friday 90 hosted by Effie @ Food Daydreaming and Lindy @ Lindy Mechefske.
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