Beef Coulis (Jus de Boeuf) contemporary demiglace

[paulraphael]

Beef Coulis (Jus de Boeuf) contemporary demiglace

This is my substitute for classical demiglace; it's useful when the flavor of a meaty, clean, naturally thickened beef jus is appropriate. It combines the intense flavor of 18th century meat coulis with the improved science of contemporary jus infusions. Time requirements are similar to a classical demiglace; food cost is much less. It's not a neutral sauce base; this version will have a strong beef flavor. To make other versions, you can start with a white veal stock and use different meats (pork, veal, etc.) to make meat-specific jus.

The recipe is a substitute for demiglace, not glace de viande. It is based on a reduction to roughly a third the original stock volume. I prefer it more lightly bound than most demiglace, with greater intensity of flavor, but a thinner consistency, bound by gelatin. It can be thickened further at the end with arrowroot, if you like, or left loose, for individual sauces to be thickend a la minute.

I haven't included a stock recipe. It will work with any standard bone stock, using beef or veal bones, as long as it contains adequate gelatin. I make mine with roasted knuckle bones, half beef, half veal.

Yield is about 3 quarts. Total time (not including stock making!) is around 8 hours.

• 9 qt brown bone stock
  
• 6 lb defatted beef trimmings, beef chuck, or beef stew meat
  
• 2-1/2 oz butter (5TB)
  
• 1/2 medium onion
  
• 1/2 celery root
  
• 2 sprigs thyme
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 1 small bunch parsley
  
• 1-1/2 tsp arrowroot starch
  
• 2 T cold water (aprox. for arrowroot slurry)
  

This is easiest with two pans: a 10 to 12" sauté pan, and 6 or 7 quart saucepan or dutch oven.

- divide meat into three equal 2lb portions. meat will be incorporated in three stages; vegetables and garni will be incorporated in the last two of these.

- consolodate stock into one container and place near stove

Stage 1:

-cut the first portion of the meat into rough 1" cubes

-sear in a very hot sauté pan in brown butter (pan should be hot enough to brown the butter by the time the meat goes in). be sure to brown on all sides. it's ok if beef renders juices and starts to steam; let it cook until juices reduce and brown.

-add 1 to 2 cups stock to meat, and thoroughly scrape bottom to deglaze drippings. keep heat high and reduce stock until it browns again.

-with tongs, transfer meat to saucepan. cover meat with approx. 3 quarts of the stock. crank heat. do not wash sauté pan between stages (any remaining fond on bottom will help brown the meat on following stages).

-pour off fat frome sauté pan. deglaze with a small amount of water and pour into saucepan.

-when stock starts to simmer, turn heat low to maintain simmer, and slide pot back so flame strikes off center.

-simmer about 2 hours.

-skim every 5 minutes for the first 20 mintues, and every 20 minutes thereafter. rotate pan 1/4 turn every 20 minutes.

-periodically add more stock to maintain the stock level. it's done when you've used all but 3-1/2 quarts of the stock.

-turn the heat very low while preparing for stage 2.

-remove meat from stock; allow to cool and then freeze. stage should take about 2-3/4 hours.

Stage 2:

-cut the second portion of the meat into rough 1" cubes

-sear as before in brown butter.

-deglaze as before with 1 to 2 cups stock; reduce and brown; transfer meat to saucepan and ad to the saucepan with the partially prepared coulis. turn up heat.

-defat and deglaze sauté pan as before with a small amount of water and pour into saucepan.

-add 1/2 of the thyme and 1/2 of the bay leaf.

-coarsely chop 1/2 of the onion (1/4 onion) and 1/2 of the remaining celery root (1/4) celery root).

-reheat sauté pan over medium flame, being careful not to burn any remaining pan drippings.

-cook onion and celery root until onion is translucent.

-add a small amount of water to pan with vegetables and deglaze; add contents to saucepan.

-simmer as before for about 2 hours, skimming often in the beginning and every 20 minutes thereafter. continue to rotate pan and replenish stock to maintain level. it's done when you've used all but 1/2 quart of the stock.

-turn the heat very low while preparing for stage 3.

-remove meat from stock; allow to cool and then freeze. stage should take about 2-3/4 hours.

Stage 3:

-add the rest of the thyme and bay leaf, and add parsely (pin parsely under some of the meat so it stays out of the way)

-coarsely chop the remaining onion and celery root.

-reheat sauté pan over medium flame, being careful not to burn any remaining pan drippings.

-cook onion and celery root in butter until onion is translucent.

-add a small amount of water to pan with vegetables and deglaze; add contents to saucepan.

-cut the second portion of the meat into rough 1" cubes

-sear as before in butter.

-deglaze pan with water (enough to cover the meat halfway). reduce and brown.

-repeat with another portion of water

-deglaze pan with half the remaining stock, and any added water needed to cover the meat half way. reduce and brown. transfer meat to the saucepan. defat if necessary, and deglaze the sauté pan with with the last of the stock. pour into saucepan.

-simmer only 20 minutes or so, this time very gently. start checking flavor and consistency after 10 minutes. skim and rotate pan as before.

-remove meat as before. freeze this batch of meat separately; it's going to taste better than the more overcooked batches.

- test thickness of coulis on cold plate. if you want to thicken it more, make a slurry with 1-1/2 tsp arrowroot powder and some cold water (1/2 tsp arrowroot per quart of coulis). whisk in and simmer for 3 minutes. strive for a bit less thickness than traditional demi. test thickness by spooning onto a cool plate. add more arrowroot if needed, the same way, 1/2 tsp at a time. simmer a few minutes, and check again.

- strain through fine chinois or strainer lined with 2 thicknesses of cheesecloth

- cool in stainless bowls in a water bath, as before, and refrigerate overnight. stage should take about 2-1/2 hours.

- defat and warm (to liquefy), and distribute in small increments increments in ziplock bags. for very small portions of sauce, freeze some coulis in an ice cube tray. freeze. freeze ice cube tray covered in plastic wrap. then store several cubes each in ziplock bags. ice cubes are a little over a half ounce—1 cup per tray.

Keywords: Beef, Expert, Sauce

( RG2081 )