Made two gallons of veal stock with a nice body and taste and then
went on to make Sauce Espagnol.
The instructions were to reduce by half or simmer for an hour.

An hour passed and it wasn't reduced by half and the taste just didn't
seem finished, so I continued.

I reduced six cups of stock to two cups of Sauce. I like the taste,
but don't know if I went too far.

Any guideline for how much to reduce? - Mike

Michael Horowitz wrote:
> Made two gallons of veal stock with a nice body and taste and then
> went on to make Sauce Espagnol.
> The instructions were to reduce by half or simmer for an hour.
>
> An hour passed and it wasn't reduced by half and the taste just didn't
> seem finished, so I continued.
>
> I reduced six cups of stock to two cups of Sauce. I like the taste,
> but don't know if I went too far.
>
> Any guideline for how much to reduce? - Mike
>

Given those instructions, I'd reduce by half, however long that took.
That is, I'd reduce six cups of stock to three cups of sauce. But I
think if it tastes good, you're good to go, and you can always thin it
with stock/water/whatever.

Serene

--
"I tend to come down on the side of autonomy. Once people are grown up,
I believe they have the right to go to hell in the handbasket of their
choosing." -- Pat Kight, on alt.polyamory

Michael Horowitz wrote:
> Made two gallons of veal stock with a nice body and taste and then
> went on to make Sauce Espagnol.
> The instructions were to reduce by half or simmer for an hour.
>
> An hour passed and it wasn't reduced by half and the taste just didn't
> seem finished, so I continued.
>
> I reduced six cups of stock to two cups of Sauce. I like the taste,
> but don't know if I went too far.
>
> Any guideline for how much to reduce? - Mike
>


If you have a large wok, they work extremely well for quickly
reducing stock or juice or whatever, over full heat. (I know that's
not what you asked, but this is Usenet ;-)

Bob

Michael Horowitz > wrote:

> Made two gallons of veal stock with a nice body and taste and then
> went on to make Sauce Espagnol.
> The instructions were to reduce by half or simmer for an hour.
>
> An hour passed and it wasn't reduced by half and the taste just didn't
> seem finished, so I continued.
>
> I reduced six cups of stock to two cups of Sauce. I like the taste,
> but don't know if I went too far.
>
> Any guideline for how much to reduce? - Mike

What you describe does not sound like sauce espagnole at all. It
appears to be something between demi-glace and glace, judging by the
ratio of the reduction. How much reduction a demi-glace requires
depends on its further use, particularly on how delicate or
strong-tasting further ingredients are.

Sauce espagnole is made with stock, brown roux and tomato paste. Making
it involves multiple skimmings and strainings to get rid of the fat and
impurities added by the roux. Jacques Pépin considers it outdated and
suggests using starch like arrowroot instead of roux, resulting in an
almost instant, clear sauce.

Victor

Michael Horowitz wrote:
> Made two gallons of veal stock with a nice body and taste and then
> went on to make Sauce Espagnol.
> The instructions were to reduce by half or simmer for an hour.
>
> An hour passed and it wasn't reduced by half and the taste just didn't
> seem finished, so I continued.
>
> I reduced six cups of stock to two cups of Sauce. I like the taste,
> but don't know if I went too far.
>
> Any guideline for how much to reduce? - Mike

Only you know what went into the pot, you cooked it on your stove, so
only you can decide... if you like the taste then that's all that
matters.

Michael Horowitz wrote:
> Made two gallons of veal stock with a nice body and taste and then
> went on to make Sauce Espagnol.
> The instructions were to reduce by half or simmer for an hour.
>
> An hour passed and it wasn't reduced by half and the taste just didn't
> seem finished, so I continued.
>
> I reduced six cups of stock to two cups of Sauce. I like the taste,
> but don't know if I went too far.
>
> Any guideline for how much to reduce? - Mike
>

According to Escoffier's "Guide Culinaire"

"The time required for the preparation and refining of this sauce cannot
be indicated exactly as it depends to a large extent on the quality of
the stock used in its making.

The refining of this sauce will be quicker if the stock is of very good
quality in which case an excellent Espagnole can be prepared in five hours."


He also encourages the spreading of the tomato puree on to a flat tray
to be cooked in the oven until it turns a light brown color, "this will
destroy most of the excess acidity found in tomato purees, and when
prepared in this way, the puree assists in clarifying the sauce and at
the same time gives it a smoother taste and a more agreeable color."

If you have a copy of the Larusse Gastronomique available there is an
interesting entry for Espagnole that describe the version recommended by
Careme, and which Escoffier simplified.
--
JL

On Apr 4, 5:56*pm, (Victor Sack) wrote:
> Michael Horowitz > wrote:
> > Made two gallons of veal stock with a nice body and taste and then
> > went on to make Sauce Espagnol.
> > The instructions were to reduce by half or simmer for an hour.
>
> > An hour passed and it wasn't reduced by half and the taste just didn't
> > seem finished, so I continued.
>
> > I reduced six cups of stock to two cups of Sauce. I like the taste,
> > but don't know if I went too far.
>
> > Any guideline for how much to reduce? - Mike
>
> What you describe does not sound like sauce espagnole at all. *It
> appears to be something between demi-glace and glace, judging by the
> ratio of the reduction. *How much reduction a demi-glace requires
> depends on its further use, particularly on how delicate or
> strong-tasting further ingredients are.
>
> Sauce espagnole is made with stock, brown roux and tomato paste. *Making
> it involves multiple skimmings and strainings to get rid of the fat and
> impurities added by the roux. *Jacques Pépin considers it outdated and
> suggests using starch like arrowroot instead of roux, resulting in an
> almost instant, clear sauce.
>
> Victor


Victor-
th
you're suggesting simply thickening the veal stock?-Mike

"Michael Horowitz" > wrote in message
...
> Made two gallons of veal stock with a nice body and taste and then
> went on to make Sauce Espagnol.
> The instructions were to reduce by half or simmer for an hour.
>
> An hour passed and it wasn't reduced by half and the taste just didn't
> seem finished, so I continued.
>
> I reduced six cups of stock to two cups of Sauce. I like the taste,
> but don't know if I went too far.
>
> Any guideline for how much to reduce? - Mike

1 Follow the recipe for volume not time
2. Be sure the base is uncovered so steam can escape
3. In my experience a low fire seems to reduce more quickly then a rapid
boil ..
4. Watch the bubbles the size and speed will indicate how close you are
to burning. very small very rapid = ready to burn



--
Dimitri

Chicken Loaf

http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.

Mike > wrote:

> On Apr 4, 5:56*pm, (Victor Sack) wrote:
> >
> > Sauce espagnole is made with stock, brown roux and tomato paste. *Making
> > it involves multiple skimmings and strainings to get rid of the fat and
> > impurities added by the roux. *Jacques Pépin considers it outdated and
> > suggests using starch like arrowroot instead of roux, resulting in an
> > almost instant, clear sauce.
>
> Victor-
> th
> you're suggesting simply thickening the veal stock?-Mike

Basically, yes - once the stock has been reduced to meet your taste
requirements, unless it already meets them with no further reduction.

I'd better quote from the highly recommended _Complete Techniques_ by
Jacques Pépin.

<quote>
On occasion a stock will reduce and intensify in flavor but will lack
the gelatinous element to thicken to the right consistency. If you feel
your sauce has reached the right taste but is too thin in texture,
thicken it lightly with arrowroot. At one time a brown sauce used to be
heavily thickened with flour. The classic sauce _Espagnole_, made with
stock, brown _roux_ and tomato paste, though rarely made nowadays, is an
example. Carème explains that the _roux_, the binding agent, separates
after long, slow cooking, and the fat and the scum from the cooking of
the _roux_ rise to the top and should be skimmed off. The sauce
clarifies and purifies through the long cooking until only the "binding
elements" of the flour (the glutinous part) remain to hold the sauce
together. Although this sauce works with practice and care, it is more
logical and faster to use a starch such as arrowroot - which is like a
purified flour (binding element only) and has no taste, cooks instantly
and doesn't "dirty" the sauce.
</quote>

Victor