Ingredients

• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprig fresh thyme
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 pound veal bones, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 pound veal knuckle, cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 stalk celery, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, quartered
• 3 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 8 cup beef stock
• 2 tablespoon butter, cold

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Place veal bones and veal meat on a large baking sheet in a single layer.
3. Roast bones and meat in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until deeply browned, stirring halfway through.
4. ⚠️ CAREFUL: Remove from oven—pan is extremely hot. Transfer roasted bones and meat to a large stockpot using tongs.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
6. Add chopped carrots, celery, and onion to the hot oil and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are caramelized and brown.
7. Add tomato paste to the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes to caramelize the paste.
8. Deglaze the sauté pan with red wine, scraping up all browned bits with a wooden spoon for 1 minute.
9. Pour the wine and vegetable mixture into the stockpot with the roasted bones.
10. Cover bones with beef stock, ensuring they are submerged by about 2 inches.
11. Bring the stock to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to low heat.
12. Skim off all gray and white foam that rises to the surface for the first 5 minutes of simmering.
13. Add bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and black peppercorns to the pot.
14. Simmer gently for 3 hours, uncovered, skimming occasionally. The liquid should reduce by about half.
15. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place over a clean pot.
16. Carefully pour the stock through the cheesecloth strainer, discarding solids and herbs.
17. Return strained stock to the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
18. Simmer the stock for 1 hour, reducing it until it coats the back of a spoon and reaches approximately 2 cups.
19. If using cornstarch for thickening, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to form a slurry.
20. If thickening, slowly whisk the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce and cook for 2 minutes until thickened and glossy.
21. Remove from heat and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt and pepper as needed.
22. If finishing with butter, whisk in 2 tablespoons cold butter until fully incorporated for a silky texture.
23. Strain the demi-glace once more through a fine-mesh strainer for a perfectly smooth finish.
24. Cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition