Sauce Base

Name: Sauce Base
Yield: Makes 1/2 cup
Ingredients: 1 , small onion, peeled and cut into rough 1/2-inch pieces; 1 , small carrot, peeled and cut into rough 1/2-inch pieces; 8 ounces, cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and caps wipes clean and halved; 2 , medium garlic cloves, peeled; 1 tablespoon, vegetable oil; 8 ounces, 85 percent lean ground beef; 1 tablespoon, tomato paste; 2 cups, dry red wine; 4 cups, low-sodium beef broth (see note); 4 sprigs, fresh thyme; 2 , bay leaves; 2 teaspoons, whole black peppercorns; 2 packages (5 teaspoons), unflavored powdered gelatin

7 comments

Appears in Cook's Illustrated March/April 2011

Sauces

Could we bring the ultra-rich flavor and glossy consistency of a classic French demi-glace to steak sauce without spending all day roasting bones and reducing stock?

SERVESMakes 1/2 cup

TIME1¼ hours

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

In our Sauce Base recipe for Pan-Seared Steaks, roughly chopping the aromatics increased their surface area, which offered more opportunity for flavorful browning when we sautéed them. Mushrooms ramped up the savory flavor, and browning gro...

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