Bordelaise Sauce

What is Bordelaise Sauce?

Bordelaise sauce is a classic French sauce traditionally made with red wine, shallots, herbs, stock, and demi-glace. If you’ve ever wondered what is bordelaise sauce, it is known for its deep, savory flavor and is most often served with steak for an elegant restaurant-style finish.

Ingredients for this Bordelaise Sauce Recipe

• 2 large shallots diced very fine
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 2 cups red wine (such as Beaujolais or Bordeaux)
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 cup demi-glace

Directions

1. Over medium-low heat add 1 tablespoon of the butter to a D5 1.5 qt saucepan and melt completely. Add the shallots and cook briefly for 2 minutes.
2. Pour in the red wine and add the bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns.
3. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat to low and let reduce to a third in size. Strain the liquid, remove the solids, and add the liquid back to the saucepan. This process should take roughly 15-20 minutes.
4. Add the beef stock and demi-glace. Bring to a simmer over medium heat to let the liquid gently reduce and thicken for 15-20 minutes.
5. Strain the liquid and add it back to the saucepan. Whisk in the last cold tablespoon of butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting the seasoning if needed.
6. Serve the sauce immediately over your favorite steak dinner.
7. This bordelaise sauce recipe pairs especially well with filet mignon, ribeye, or other tender cuts of beef.

Pro Tip

There are a couple of points to keep in mind here. If you do not have access to store-bought demi-glace you can use 3 cups of beef stock. But, prior to starting this recipe, you will need to simmer the liquid down to reduce it by a third. A demi-glace is a concentrated stock that is usually cooked down for a very long period. If the end result is too thin of a sauce, you can add 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour to the liquid. Using your immersion blender at high speed, incorporate fully into the sauce. For the best bordelaise sauce, make sure the wine reduces properly before adding the stock and demi-glace.