Wabi-sabi is a Japanese philosophy that finds beauty in imperfection and simplicity. This sauce is exactly that.
Inspired by the classical French demi-glace but made entirely on my own terms. Aromatics and vegetables are incorporated into the sauce rather than strained out. Chunks of bacon and beef shin are simmered in red wine and finished with a touch of dark chocolate for a deep, earthy richness and a beautiful velvety thickness.
Not silky smooth. Not a classic beef stew. Somewhere beautifully in between.
Rustic, hearty, and proudly homemade. It pairs beautifully with the Japanese Hamburger Steak, soaking into every juicy bite. That is exactly how I like it.
If you double the quantity of beef, celery, and carrot, cut them into chunky pieces, and add button mushrooms, this sauce transforms into a hearty beef stew. The choice is yours.
Wabi Sabi Chunky Brown Sauce
Ingredients
- 200 g streaky bacon
- 300 g beef shin cut into chunks
- 1 onion
- 6 cloves garlic
- 4 carrots
- 6 stalks celery
- 400 ml Pinot Noir see notes
- 2 cans demi-glace sauce available at Japanese supermarkets such as Meidi-Ya or Isetan
- 800 ml vegetable stock
- 100 ml Worcestershire sauce
- black pepper to taste
- 35 g dark chocolate see notes
Instructions
- Using a food processor, blitz two carrots, three stalks of celery, the garlic, and the onion until finely chopped. You can blitz them together or separately depending on the capacity of your food processor. Set aside.
- Cut the remaining carrot and celery into chunky pieces. Set aside.
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add a little oil. Gently sear the bacon until browned and the fat has rendered.
- Add the beef shin and cook until nicely browned on all sides.
- Add the blitzed vegetables and stir to combine.
- Pour in the red wine, bring to a boil, and let everything simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes.
- Add the vegetable chunks, canned demi-glace sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and vegetable stock.
- Let it simmer for another hour until the sauce is thick and rich.
- Finish with dark chocolate and stir until melted.
- If preparing ahead, reheat gently before serving.
Notes
- Red wine: Follow the drinkability rule. Only use a wine that you would happily drink in a glass. It must taste good on its own. Pinot Noir is recommended as its natural acidity and soft tannins incorporate into the sauce beautifully without overwhelming it.
- Dark chocolate: A small amount of dark chocolate adds a deep, earthy richness and a beautiful velvety thickness to the sauce. Use cocoa content of 75% and above to avoid altering the overall flavour profile of the dish.
- If you double the quantity of beef, celery, and carrot, cut them into chunky pieces, and add button mushrooms, this sauce transforms into a hearty beef stew. The choice is yours.
