How Now Brown Sauce?

Sauce Espagnole - Basic Brown Sauce

Welcome to the fourth mother sauce on our ‘saucesome’ tour! There are thousands of different opinions on how to make Espagnole - in my opinion, there’s no wrong way. My recipe and video show the way I have adapted to quickly make this sauce. I’m sure my Chef instructor would argue that I need a darker roux..sorry chef, I’m a mom to a toddler! 

Typically made with brown beef or veal stock, browned mirepoix, tomato puree, and a dark brown roux, Espagnole is used for the base of demi-glace and sometimes boeuf bourguignon.

Sachet- I’m glad you asked, it’s just small bundle of herbs and spices tied together in cheesecloth to enhance the flavor without having little floating spices:

-2 bay leaves

-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

-6-8 parsley stems

-10 black peppercorns

-1 oz clarified butter

-1/2 cup small diced onions

-1/3 cup small diced carrots

-1/3 cup small diced celery

-1 oz all purpose flour

-3 cups brown stock - I used beef

-2 tablespoons tomato puree - or tomato sauce

Create your sachet by combining bay leaves, thyme, parsley stems and peppercorns and tying together.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat until you start to see froth.

Add in your mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery) and cook until lightly browned.

Stir in flour a little at a time until it’s fully incorporated and creates a paste (here’s your roux).

Move heat to low and cook roux for another 5 minutes until it starts to turn light brown (here’s where I may have some disagreement).

Add in tomato puree or sauce and stir.

Using your whisk and stirring constantly, add in stock.

Bring sauce to a boil and add in your sachet - move heat to low and simmer for 45-50 minutes. (should reduce by about 1/3) stirring every so often.

Turn off heat and remove sachet.

Pour sauce through strainer lined with cheese cloth.