Quebec Brown Sauce or Sauce Brune/Brune Sauce is a velvety silky smooth sauce made with a Mirepoix, Roux, Broth, Bouquet Garni with a very slight Tomato undertone. It is used across many dishes. But most notably as a base for Poutine sauce. In fact, this is the very first Poutine Gravy used when Poutine was created and later adapted to include Ketchup & Vinegar because customers kept adding it to their poutines. This is the sauce, where it all began, very similar to another sauce that predates this one, called Espagnole Sauce.

Quebec Brown Sauce Ingredients

Water, Beef Bouillon, Lard (optionally Beef Fat/Suet), Flour, Onion, Carrot, Celery, Tomato Paste, Bay Leaves, Parsley, Thyme, Cloves, Black Peppercorn. With Mushroom Soy Sauce for depth of flavor and to darken the gravy. Can also use Worcestershire sauce or Kitchen Bouquet.

Historical Additions:

The below are optional historical additions for Brune Sauce;

• Pinch of ground allspice – used for warmth and depth
• A dash of Madeira or Red Wine (occasionally used, especially in urban households or festive meals)
• A small amount of Paprika is sometimes added
• Mushrooms, sometimes added for depth of flavor and color

In earlier versions, the flour was toasted brown first, then used in brune sauce. To do this, brown flour in a pan over low heat mixing often for even browning. Remove from heat as soon as it is the color you want and spread on a baking sheet to cool the flour fast. Store in a container. Add the Flour to the Mirepoix, there is no need to cook it as it is already brown. You can go straight to adding the tomato paste and liquids.

Modern Additions

The below are more optional modern additions for Brune Sauce;

• Onion Powder & Garlic Powder
• Montreal Steak Spice
• Oregano
• Honey or other form of sweetness
• Shallots — not sure if this is historical or recent addition, but when I have them on hand, I include them.

Beef Stock

The flavor of the Brune Sauce is directly related to the flavor and quality of Brown Stock. While this recipe uses Beef Bouillon. Better flavor is derived from a properly made Beef Stock with roasted Beef/Veal Bones, Caramelized Mirepoix and Roux that has been cooked until brown, resulting in a dark brown gravy.

Hence, the name Brune. Which is a French word meaning “Brown”. That can be applied not only to the color of the sauce. But the cook technique as well. Where everything has to be browned to create a deep, rich and flavorful Brown Sauce/Gravy.

Browning

Browning is the key to develop a good dark brown sauce. Both the Mirepoix & Roux need to go to a brown color. The Mirepoix is caramelized in fat, adding a deeper, rich flavor. The Flour is added after caramelizing the vegetables to mix in, and to achieve better control for browning. Since the flour needs to go a dark brown color and as it darkens you need fine control as to not burn it, which can happen very fast.

Doing a Roux first, you would lose a lot of the control since there is no filler (mirepoix) that the flour can adhere to and is in constant contact with the pan. By adding the Flour to the Mirepoix, it sticks and coats the vegetables and lifts some of it away from the pan. With mixing during cooking, the browning takes a bit longer. But you have better control and the margin of error is much wider.

A Good Brown Sauce also relies on a good and flavorful Brown Stock. The Beef Bones used to make Brown Stock also need to be roasted to develop good browning and flavor, before being simmered to create the Stock. While you can use Beef Bouillon Cubes and I almost always do. Making your own Beef Stock with Roasted Beef and/or Veal Bones is by far superior.

Brown Gravy Sauce

Some form of a Dark Liquid is usually added to create a deeper dark brown color. While in Quebec, it is most typically Worcestershire sauce and even some including mushrooms with the vegetables. Mushroom Soy Sauce is my preference, which really darkens the gravy and adds deep savory flavor. Other ingredients that could be added is Kitchen Bouquet Gravy Browner or other brands that do the same thing.

Brune Poutine Sauce

The Original Poutine Sauce comes from this Quebec Brown Sauce. The Brune Poutine Sauce can be just this Brune Sauce by itself. Typically, the addition of Ketchup, Vinegar, and Starch with Beef Broth is added to the Quebec Brune Sauce. The added Broth can be Chicken Broth as well, resulting in a half Beef & Chicken Sauce/Gravy, you sometimes see. It creates a slightly lighter gravy/sauce. Either way, whenever additional broth is added, cornstarch is used as the thickener. This is what creates that somewhat clear or translucent finish to the sauce.

The below Poutine Sauce has the addition of the following, reheated in the pan until thickened.

• 2 Cups of Brune Sauce
• 2 Cups of Water, add more if needed to adjust consistency
• 2 Tbl Cornstarch
• 1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
• 1 Tbl Ketchup
• Splash of White Vinegar

Feel free to adjust the flavors with added Ketchup, Vinegar, Worcestershire, Kitchen Bouquet, Tomato Paste, Salt, Pepper, Herbs & Spices. Even the consistency of the Gravy/Sauce. By adding more water to thin out, or mixing equal parts of cold water and cornstarch to thicken the gravy more.

How to make Quebec Brune Sauce

This sauce has a roasted veg and distinct taste that you associate with a rich dark brown gravy or even the classic poutine sauce. It really is easy to put together too. Start by coarsely chopping the vegetables.

Diet Type

To make this recipe Kosher/Halal use Beef Suet or rendered Beef fat instead of lard. Also look for Kosher or Halal Mushroom Soy sauce, the same for Worcestershire if using. Kitchen Bouquet is generally considered Kosher/Halal.

Recipes using Brown Sauce or Brune Sauce

It is used for Hot Chicken Sandwiches, Hot Hamburgers, Meat Pies, and for Poutine Sauce or as a base for Poutine Gravy. Over Mashed Potatoes, Fries, Baked Potatoes, Salisbury Steak, Roast Beef, Stew Base and many more other dishes.