My last 3 batches of demi-glace broke on me this week

I've been making demi-glace for 15 years and never had this problem until now. Three batches in a row at the bistro, all broke during the final reduction on Tuesday. I think my new burner from the supplier runs too hot even on low. Has anyone else had issues switching equipment and messing up a basic sauce?

3 comments

3 Comments

miles_roberts2d ago

Three batches in one week? That is just brutal. I've been cooking for over twenty years, and losing one batch of demi is bad enough, but three in a row would have me ready to throw my stockpot through a window. The new burner theory makes a lot of sense to me. Even on a low setting, if that thing is putting out way more heat than your old one, it'll scorch the natural sugars and gelatin before the reduction really gets going. You might need to start pulling it off the heat sooner, or maybe even do the final part of the reduction in a different pot to spread out the heat better.

ryantorres2d agoTop Commenter

At least your sauce breaks are more dignified than my pastry cream disasters.

casey_wood21d ago

Three batches of pastry cream in one week sounds more like a punishment than a cooking project. At least with sauce breaks you can still salvage the flavor even if the texture goes weird. Pastry cream just sits there looking like scrambled egg pudding and mocking you. I bet your kitchen smelled like a custard factory exploded though so not a total loss.