# Julia’s Brown Sauce

> Julia’s Brown Sauce (ready in 2 hours 25 minutes, makes 8 servings), laid out as Shop It, Mise It and Make It: shop once, prep everything, then cook.

Published: 2026-04-10
Posted by Suzanne Lejeune

- **Yield:** 8 servings
- **Total time:** 2 hours 25 minutes
- **Cuisine:** French
- **Course:** Sauces and Dressings
- **Est. cost:** ~$10–$16 CAD (at time of writing)

Julia’s Brown Sauce | SIMM

## Shop It

### Produce

- 1 small carrot
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 bunch celery
- 1 bunch parsley
- 4 sprigs thyme

### Pantry

- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste

### Dairy

- 8 Tbsp butter

### Meat & Seafood

- 3 Tbsp diced ham

### Broth, Stock & Soup

- 6 cups beef stock

### Oils, Vinegars & Spices

- Salt and pepper, to taste

## Mise It

### Heavy bottomed 2-quart saucepan (butter)

- Measure 8 Tbsp butter into the saucepan.

### Small bowl (vegetable base)

- Measure 3 Tbsp diced ham into a small bowl.
- Buzz 1/3 cup celery into the same bowl.
- Buzz 1/3 cup carrot into the same bowl.
- Buzz 1/3 cup yellow onion into the same bowl.

### Mini bowl (flour)

- Measure 1/4 cup all-purpose flour into a mini bowl.

### Large measuring cup (stock)

- Measure 6 cups beef stock into a large measuring cup.

### Mini bowl (tomato paste)

- Measure 2 Tbsp tomato paste into a mini bowl.

### Plate (herbs)

- Place 4 sprigs thyme on a plate.
- Place 3 sprigs parsley on the same plate.
- Place 1 bay leaf on the same plate.

## Make It

1. **MELT** the butter in the heavy bottomed 2-quart saucepan over low-medium heat until white foam starts to float to the top or white liquid falls to the bottom.
2. **SKIM** off and discard the white foam and liquid, leaving the clarified butter in the saucepan.
3. **INCREASE** the heat, add the prepared diced ham, celery, carrot, and yellow onion, and cook.
4. **ADD** the prepared all-purpose flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour turns a gold nut-brown color.
5. **ADD** the prepared beef stock and whisk until blended with the vegetables and flour.
6. **BRING** the liquid to a boil over high heat.
7. **ADD** the prepared tomato paste, using the whisk to blend it into the sauce.
8. **ADD** the prepared thyme, parsley, and bay leaf.
9. **REDUCE** the heat and simmer the brown sauce, partially covered, for 2 hours.
10. **STRAIN** the brown sauce through a mesh strainer, pressing as much sauce as possible from the vegetables and ham into a large glass measuring cup.
11. **DISCARD** the vegetables and ham.
12. **TASTE** and season with salt and pepper.
13. **SERVE!** Use the brown sauce on its own, or as a base for gravies and sauces such as Robert Sauce.

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