Recipes

Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version)

This French sauce is the king of the sauces for beef or pork steaks. It will add a different element, which will make every meal really special. The original must be made from veal bones and cooked for longer than one day, but my Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version) simplifies this process using a large pot, beef stock, red wine, and tomato paste. You will sear a medium onion and other fresh vegetables, reduce the beautiful liquid on high heat until it can perfectly coat a spoon, and then you can choose to serve hot or cold depending on your dish!

Tom the Chef Tom the Chef Founder
Published:
July 18, 2026

Before You Start

Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…

Welcome to my Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version)

I am so thrilled to share how to make this Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version) with you. This French sauce is truly the king of sauces for beef or pork steaks, and it transforms an ordinary dinner into a fine dining experience. Traditionally, you would need veal bones and over a day of simmering, but I have created a streamlined method using a large pot, rich beef stock, red wine, and a touch of tomato paste. By searing a medium onion with its skin on alongside carrots, celery, and garlic, we build an incredible flavor base. We then boil and reduce the liquid on high heat until it is perfectly thick enough to coat a spoon. The best part is that you can serve hot or cold depending on your dish!

Searing Vegetables for Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version)

The very first step when preparing my Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version) is developing a deep, roasted flavor base. I start by preheating a large pot on medium-high heat with a quarter cup of frying oil. Then, I add one medium onion quartered with the skin on, three carrots cut into large pieces, three celery ribs cut into large pieces, and four cloves of crushed garlic also keeping their skin. Keeping the skin on the medium onion and garlic is crucial for the color and earthy flavor of this French sauce. I sear these vegetables with occasional stirring until a nice sear is reached, which usually takes about three to four minutes. This foundational step is exactly what makes this sauce perfect for beef or pork steaks later on, and sets the stage before we introduce the beef stock, red wine, and tomato paste. We will eventually reduce this on high heat so it can coat a spoon and you can serve hot or cold.

Building the Broth for Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version)

Once the vegetables have a beautiful sear in the large pot, it is time to build the liquid body of this Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version). I carefully add twelve cups of high-quality beef stock, one cup of tomato paste, and two and a half cups of red wine of your choice. This combination mimics the deep flavors of a traditional French sauce without the need to roast veal bones for days. The beef stock provides the meaty backbone, the red wine offers a necessary acidic complexity, and the tomato paste adds a touch of sweetness and rich color. These liquids mix with the seared medium onion and vegetables, creating a magnificent base for beef or pork steaks. We will later reduce this mixture on high heat so it can easily coat a spoon, allowing you to serve hot or cold as you prefer.

Aromatics and Boiling the Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version)

After adding the liquids to the large pot, I incorporate the herbs and spices that give this Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version) its signature aroma. I add one sprig of rosemary, one tablespoon of whole pepper, six bay leaves, half a teaspoon of ground allspice, and a quarter teaspoon of salt. I briefly stir everything together and bring it to a boil with occasional stirring. Once it reaches a boil, I lower the heat to medium and let it gently boil for about sixty minutes, stirring occasionally. This hour-long process allows the herbs to infuse perfectly into the beef stock, red wine, and tomato paste, extracting all the savory goodness from the medium onion and root vegetables. It is the secret to a fast French sauce that tastes incredible on your beef or pork steaks, all before we take it to high heat to thicken it to coat a spoon and serve hot or cold.

Straining the Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version)

When the sixty-minute boiling phase is complete, we move into the finishing phase of my Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version). At this point, the beef stock, red wine, tomato paste, and aromatics have done their job extracting flavor from the medium onion, carrots, and celery in our large pot. I pour the sauce over a strainer into another medium sauce pan or pot to completely remove all the vegetables and herbs. We want this French sauce to be incredibly smooth and velvety for our beef or pork steaks. Once strained, the liquid is ready for the final, crucial reduction step on high heat, which will naturally thicken it until it can beautifully coat a spoon. Whether you decide to serve hot or cold, straining ensures a flawless, professional texture.

Reducing to Coat a Spoon for Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version)

The final and most important step of my Demi-Glace Sauce (easy version) is the reduction. I place the new pot with the strained liquid on high heat and cook it with occasional stirring until it is reduced to one-quarter of its volume. This usually takes about twenty to thirty minutes, but it may take longer. My biggest piece of advice here is do not give up until the thickness is right! The final sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. If necessary, extend the cooking time to reach this result. Once it reaches that perfect consistency, I taste it and add salt and pepper if needed. All the beef stock, red wine, tomato paste, and medium onion flavors from the large pot are now concentrated into a brilliant French sauce for beef or pork steaks. You can serve hot or cold, and it will elevate any meal!

Recipe

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