Name: Veal or Beef Demi-Glace
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 30 min
Yield: About 8 cups
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 10 lb beef, veal or chicken bones; 4 large white onions; 2 large celery (ribs or stalks); 6 jumbo carrots; Mushroom scraps (optional); Fresh bay leaves (as listed); Fresh rosemary; Fresh sage; Whole black peppercorns; Sea salt; 1 gallon wine (red for beef, white for veal/chicken), pre-boiled to drive off alcohol; Tomato paste (optional tint)

Introduction

A proper demi-glace is clarity, depth, and sheen: roasted bones, slow extraction, careful skimming, and a patient reduction. Use the controls below to scale batches, choose stovetop vs pressure, and tune style.

Active ~30 min · Total 8–12 h stovetop (or ~2 h pressure + reduction) · Base yield ~8 cups

📌 Pin ↗ Share

Yield / Batch Calculator

Desired final yield (cups)

…or batches (base = ~8 cups)

Cooking Mode

Style Tuning

💧 Lighter stock ✨ Rich & glossy

Adjusts reduction target (final yield) and optional tomato-paste tint.

Tomato-paste tint

Tomato Paste % (relative to base) Base = 1 Tbsp per 4 cups starting liquid (only applied if checked).

Tip: Keep the simmer gentle and skim often. Start with cold water after deglazing.

Ingredients (auto-scaled)

Ingredient	Amount

This scales bones, mirepoix, herbs, wine and optional paste to your final demi yield target.

Preparation

Roast bones at 425°F / 220°C until deeply browned. Drain excess fat.
Combine mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot), bay, rosemary, sage, and peppercorns in a stockpot.
Transfer bones to pot. Deglaze roasting pans with pre-boiled wine (to drive off alcohol) and add to the pot.
Cover with cold water. Bring up gently; simmer 8–12 h, skimming. Add tomato paste if using for a darker hue.
Strain through a chinois; pass again through fine mesh. Return liquid and reduce slowly to nappé (coats the spoon).
Cool rapidly. Portion; refrigerate a few days or freeze for long storage.

Derivative Sauces

🍷 Bordelaise (red wine & marrow) — ~1 to 1½ cups

Pairs with: grilled ribeye, bavette, roast beef, beef cheeks.

1 cup dry Bordeaux-style red wine
2 Tbsp finely minced shallots
1 small bouquet garni (thyme, bay, parsley stems)
1 to 1¼ cups demi-glace
2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter (for mounting)
2 Tbsp diced bone marrow, poached (optional, classic)
1 tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

Sweat shallots in a dab of butter until translucent (no color).
Add red wine and bouquet garni; reduce to à sec (nearly dry, syrupy).
Add demi-glace and simmer 3–5 min to glaze consistency.
Remove bouquet. Off heat, whisk in cold butter; season.
Fold in poached marrow (optional). Finish with parsley; nap over meat.

🫗 Green Peppercorn (au poivre vert) — ~1 to 1¼ cups

Pairs with: steak au poivre, pork tenderloin, duck breast.

2 Tbsp brined green peppercorns, drained and lightly crushed
2 Tbsp minced shallots
1 Tbsp unsalted butter (plus 1 Tbsp to finish)
2 Tbsp Cognac or brandy
½ cup heavy cream (optional, classic bistro style)
¾ to 1 cup demi-glace
Sea salt, to taste

Sweat shallots in 1 Tbsp butter; add crushed green peppercorns.
Deglaze with Cognac; simmer briefly to soften alcohol (flambé optional).
Optional cream: add and reduce until lightly thickened.
Add demi-glace; simmer 2–4 min until glossy and nappant.
Off heat, whisk in final 1 Tbsp cold butter; adjust salt. Serve immediately.

Sauce Suggestions

Use demi-glace for:

🥩 Pan sauces & au jus 🍄 Mushroom & porcini glazes 🍷 Red-wine reductions 🧈 Butter-mount finishes

Classic variations:

Madeira Green peppercorn Bordelaise Marsala