Learn how to make Bordelaise sauce with this easy recipe. A classic French sauce that is tangy and flavorful. Perfect to drizzle on top of grilled steak or beef tenderloin.
Table of Contents
Bordelaise sauce is a classic French sauce, much like Bearnaise sauce, usually made with red wine and shallots. Traditionally, this sauce uses dry red wine from the Bordeaux region in Southwest France. Bordeaux tend to be some of the most expensive wines in the world, however, and can be subbed with cabernet sauvignon or merlot.
This tangy and savory sauce is perfection drizzled on top of sous vide ribeye steak, Traeger smoked steak or filet mignon. (Just a small portion goes a long way!) It is also an excellent addition to roasted or crispy smashed potatoes.
This particular recipe does not go the traditional route with bordelaise sauce – using veal or marrow. Preferring to use beef bone broth or stock instead. This makes the recipe not only quicker to make but it also does not lose any flavor.
Interested in more sauce recipes? Try out my Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe, Bearnaise Sauce Recipe or Butter Roasted Tomato Sauce.
Ingredient notes
- Dry Red Wine – Here are my 13+ favorite red wines for cooking.
- Shallots – You’ll typically find shallots near the garlic in your grocery store. If you can’t find shallots, you can substitute a small amount of onion in its place.
- Thyme – I used dried thyme, but you can also use fresh thyme. Substitute 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme for the dried thyme.
- Bay Leaf – This is optional, but adds additional flavor to your sauce.
- Beef Bone Broth or Stock – See my notes below.
- Butter
- Flour
- Salt & Pepper
Note: This recipe is non-traditional, since we are not using veal or demi glace. Instead, I swapped in some beef bone broth or stock since it is more readily available. I like to make bone broth in the slow cooker or instant pot.
How to make bordelaise sauce
- Reduce Wine with Aromatics: To a small saucepan, add wine, shallots, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the mixture reduces by half, about 10 minutes.
- Add Broth: Add the broth and bring to a boil again. Continue cooking until this mixture reduces by half, 15-20 minutes.
- Strain: Pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids. Return the strained sauce to the saucepan and heat over medium-low heat.
- Thicken: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and flour until smooth. Add this mixture to the saucepan and whisk until thickened. Enjoy immediately.
How to make ahead and store
- This sauce can be made up to three days ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, add to a saucepan and heat over medium-low until warmed through.
How to use bordelaise sauce
This sauce is delicious drizzled over any steak. Try one of these favorites:
Side dishes for steak
Erin’s wine pairings for steak
- Bordeaux
More homemade sauce recipes
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Full Recipe
Bordelaise Sauce Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry red wine
- ½ cup minced shallots ((1 large or 2 medium shallots))
- ¼ tsp dried thyme ((or ½ teaspoon fresh thyme) )
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups beef bone broth or stock
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To a small saucepan, add wine, shallots, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the mixture reduces by half, about 10 minutes.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil again. Continue cooking until this mixture reduces by half, 15-20 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids. Return the strained sauce to the saucepan and heat over medium-low heat.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and flour until smooth. Add this mixture to the saucepan and whisk until thickened. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
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This sauce can be made up to three days ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, add to a saucepan and heat over medium-low until warmed through.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2021. It was updated in 2024 to add new information. The easy bordelaise sauce recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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