Bordelaise Sauce Recipe
This classic Bordelaise sauce combines reduced dry red wine, shallots, and rich beef broth with a butter-flour finish for a smooth, glossy glaze tailored for steaks and roasts.
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry red wine
- ½ cup minced shallots (1 large or 2 medium shallots)
- ¼ tsp dried thyme (or ½ teaspoon fresh thyme)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups beef bone broth or stock
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the dry red wine, shallots, thyme, and bay leaf in a small saucepan and bring them to a boil over medium heat; cook for about 10 minutes, until reduced by half. The bubbles will become smaller and more syrupy, and the pan will smell fragrant with wine and herbs.
- Pour in the beef bone broth or stock, return the pan to a boil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half again. The sauce will turn a deeper brown and taste more concentrated as the broth reduces.
- Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer, discard the solids, and return the strained liquid to the saucepan over medium-low heat. The strained sauce should look clear and smooth, without visible shallot pieces or herb fragments.
- Stir the melted butter and flour together in a small bowl, then whisk the mixture into the warm sauce until thickened; season with kosher salt and pepper to taste. The finished sauce should have a glossy sheen and coat the back of a spoon in a thin, even layer.
Notes
Texture tip: If the sauce remains thin after straining, whisk in a little additional melted butter and flour paste over gentle heat, allowing a moment for the flour to hydrate and thicken.
Balancing acidity: If the reduced wine tastes too sharp, whisk in an extra touch of butter or a tiny pinch of brown sugar to soften the tartness.
Fixing a broken sauce: If the sauce separates or turns oily due to excess heat, remove the pan from the stove and whisk vigorously with a splash of cold broth or water until glossy.
Reheating: Warm leftovers gently in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring in a small splash of broth or water if the sauce becomes overly thick.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.