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Madeira Sauce Recipe
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5 from 1 vote

Madeira Sauce Recipe

A Great Sauce Featuring Madeira Wine
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Sauces
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Madeira, sauce
Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 1 oz butter or 1/4 stick
  • 3 tablespoons shallots finely chopped
  • ½ pound mushrooms white or crimini, sliced
  • ½ teaspoon black cracked peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme 1/4 teaspoon dried
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • ¾ cup Madeira wine
  • 1 cup demi glace
  • ¼ cup heavy cream optional
  • salt and pepper to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, then the shallots.
  • Sauté the shallots until translucent, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and turn tender, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.
  • Add the red wine and reduce by half, 3–5 minutes.
    • This step strips out the wine's rawness before the Madeira goes in.
  • Add the Madeira, bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer.
  • Whisk in the demi-glace until fully blended. 
    • Start with 3/4 cup if you're unsure how concentrated your demi-glace is — see "What Most Cooks Get Wrong" above.
  • Add the optional cream for extra richness.
  • Reduce until the sauce coats the back of a metal spoon and holds a clean line when you run your finger through it — not just until it "looks thicker."
  • Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  • Serve over your meat or poultry of choice.