Red Wine Sauce Recipes
Bordelaise and Madeira

These French red wine sauce recipes are made in the same fashion as a brown sauce recipe, substituting red wine for part of the bouillon.

madeira One of these wine sauce recipes is made with Madeira wine, from the Portuguese islands of the same name. This fortified wine is strengthened by adding grape brandy and exposing the wine to high temperatures, which has the effect of making a wine that lasts a long time even after opening it.

You will find several different types of Madeira. The drier type can be savored as a before dinner drink (apéritif) and the sweeter types served after dinner as a digestif. You can use a less expense Madeira for this sauce.

Madeira sauce tastes great with roasted chicken or turkey. I usually serve it with our holiday bird.

Sauce Madère

1 cup chopped mushrooms
4 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup Madeira wine
1 cup beef bouillon
mixed dried herbs
salt and pepper

Cook the mushrooms in the butter for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the shallots and cook a few more minutes. Mix in the flour with a wooden spoon and brown the mixture for several minutes, stirring with the spoon.

Add the wine and the bouillon and bring to a boil, stirring all the time.

Add the herbs, salt (may not be needed) and pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Makes about 2 cups of sauce.

Print Recipe

Sauce Bordelaise

Here is another popular red wine sauce that you may have heard of. Serve it with red meat

3 shallots, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef bouillon
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper

Cook the vegetables in the butter just until softened (do not brown). With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and brown for five minutes while stirring.

Stir in the wine, bouillon and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 2 cups.

Print Recipe