Go Back
Print Recipe

Wabi Sabi Chunky Brown Sauce

Sllowcook's take on the classic French demi-glace — not silky smooth, not hearty and chunky like a beef stew. Somewhere beautifully in between.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 10

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.