Beef Bordelaise is a classic French dish of broiled rib steaks finished with a silky red wine reduction infused with shallots, thyme, and bay leaf. The sauce—named for Bordeaux's prestigious wine region—reduces to just 6 tablespoons of concentrated, elegant flavor.
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Heat skillet over medium heat and melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in skillet. Add the shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes or until almost soft. Add the wine, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns and mace. Boil until sauce is reduced, about 10 minutes.
Add water to sauce and continue to reduce until 6 tablespoons of liquid remains. Remove from heat and discard thyme, bay leaves and large peppercorn chunks.
Meanwhile, preheat broiler.
While broiler is preheating, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan.
Season each steak with a pinch of sea salt. Then brush melted butter over steaks, and place under broiler for 3 to 6 minutes each side (3 minutes for rare, etc, or as preferred).
Spoon sauce over each steak, garnish each serving with a sprig of fresh thyme, and serve immediately.
Store leftover sauce refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days; reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat. Steaks are best served fresh off the broiler.
broiler · skillet · saucepan
Use a dry red wine, ideally from Bordeaux or a similar full-bodied red. The wine reduces by half, concentrating its flavor, so quality matters.
Yes. Prepare the sauce through step 2, cool, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat gently before serving over freshly broiled steaks.
Broil 3 minutes per side for rare, 4–5 for medium-rare, 5–6 for medium. Use a meat thermometer: 125°F rare, 135°F medium-rare, 145°F medium.
The sauce pairs well with lamb, venison, duck, or sautéed mushrooms as a vegetarian option.
Yes. The recipe suggests using 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup beef broth for added depth, or all water works fine.
