Demi-glace

This thick brown sauce is commonly used in French cuisine both as a standalone sauce and as a base for other sauces. It is a combination of brown stock and espagnole sauce simmered for a long time until its volume has reduced by half – thus the name demi-glace (French for “half glaze”).

The original recipe for demi-glace was recorded and codified by Georges Auguste Escoffier, a famous French chef and food writer, however it is unclear as to whether Escoffier can be credited as having invented the sauce. Today, this flavorful sauce is mainly used as an accompaniment for meat, but it can also be used as a flavoring for various soups and stews.

Extremely versatile in combination with other ingredients, this sauce serves as the foundation for other sauces such as Chausseur, Poivrade, Robert, and Bordelaise.