Espagnole sauce (brown sauce)
10 servings
240 minutes
Espagnole sauce is a classic of French cuisine and one of the five mother sauces established by the great Auguste Escoffier. Its rich flavor comes from slow simmering meat bones, vegetables, and wine, creating a deep, caramelized aroma with delicate notes of thyme and bay leaf. The sauce has a thick, silky texture and pairs perfectly with red meats, game, and braised dishes. In culinary arts, it serves as the base for many derivative sauces like demi-glace and bordelaise. Due to its versatility, espagnole is used as a foundational element to enrich dishes with flavor. This sauce requires patience but rewards with exceptional gastronomic pleasure reflecting the traditions of French haute cuisine.
1
Place meat, vegetables, garlic, and herbs in a large, shallow pot. Drizzle all ingredients evenly with olive oil. Put the pan in a preheated oven at 230 degrees for 30 minutes to brown the meat evenly.
- Beef shanks: 500 g
- Veal shank: 1 kg
- Lean veal: 1 kg
- Chicken wings: 500 g
- Pig skin: 1 piece
- Carrot: 2 pieces
- Leek: 2 pieces
- Celery stalk: 1 piece
- Garlic: 5 clove
- Thyme: 2 stems
- Bay leaf: 1 piece
- Olive oil: 4 tablespoons
2
About halfway through the process, mix the ingredients thoroughly to achieve a more even color. Remove the pan, sprinkle the contents with flour, mix, and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
- Wheat flour: 4 tablespoons
3
Place the pan over medium heat, pour in the wine, and scrape off anything stuck to the bottom with a spatula. Increase the heat and quickly evaporate the liquid.
- Dry white wine: 0.75 l
4
Transfer the contents of the frying pan to a pot and pour in the broth. Cover the pot with a lid, bring to a boil, and simmer on very low heat for at least 3 hours.
- Veal broth: 2 l
5
Transfer the meat to a sieve set over a deep bowl. Remove and discard all bones. Squeeze all the broth from the meat into the bowl and then strain it. Let the sauce cool and skim off all the fat from the surface.
6
Strain the sauce in small portions into another pot through a sieve, place the pot halfway on medium heat, and simmer for about 1 hour, removing foam and sediment from the surface. Salt shortly before it's done.
- Salt: to taste