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What is Chasseur Sauce?

Kasey James
Kasey James

Chasseur sauce is a French brown sauce that is usually served with chicken or beef. The sauce is also referred to as hunter's sauce. It is a fairly easy sauce to create and often contains fresh ingredients. Even though it has a French origin, this sauce is used in dishes all over the world.

This sauce is thought to have been created by Duke Philippe De Mornay. This French governor of Saumur, France, lived in the 1600s. He was a Protestant writer and was called the Protestant pope. De Mornay has also been credited with other French culinary sauces, such as mornay sauce and sauce porto.

Chasseur sauce often includes shallots.
Chasseur sauce often includes shallots.

The word sauce itself is a French word that means a relish to make food taste better. The word chasseur is a French word that means "hunter," which is why chasseur sauce is sometimes called hunter's sauce. The French called the sauce "hunter's" because it was originally used to make tough game birds taste better. They also called it hunter's because the vegetables used to make the sauce were found by the men while hunting.

Mushrooms, which is used to make chasseur sauce.
Mushrooms, which is used to make chasseur sauce.

Chasseur sauce is often made from a demi-glace base. Demi-glace is a thick brown sauce used in French cuisine. Sometimes it is used by itself as a glaze or as a base for other sauces. Veal stock was the original stock used, but now it is mostly made with even parts of beef and chicken stock. Demi-glace is very rich and one of the five mother sauces used in classical French cooking.

De Mornay is also credited with adding cheeses to a traditional bechamel sauce to create mornay sauce.
De Mornay is also credited with adding cheeses to a traditional bechamel sauce to create mornay sauce.

Fresh ingredients are added to chasseur sauce's meat stock base. This sauce most often contains fresh mushrooms, shallots and tomatoes. It also has a good portion of white wine added to it. Chasseur can be very rich, as it often contains a good amount of butter as well.

Many meat dishes use chasseur sauce. It pairs well with chicken and beef, but can be used with any other type of meat. Two of the most common dishes that use this sauce are coq au vin and cacciatore. Coq au vin is a French dish that combines chicken, vegetable, and brown sauce. Cacciatore is an Italian dish that is also made with chicken, vegetables and brown sauce.

Even though chasseur sauce contains healthy vegetables, it may be high in fat and calories depending on how it is made. Some recipes for this sauce contain a high amount of oil or butter, which will add extra fat. Most dishes that use this sauce only require a small amount per serving.

Discussion Comments

bear78

It's not necessary to use broth in chasseur sauce. It might not be ideal, but the chicken or beef bouillion cubes work too. I don't have beef and chicken broth lying around at home most of the time, so I prefer the bouillion cubes. If I am going to use broth though, I will make the broth myself because the store-bought ones have little flavor.

By the way, has anyone tried using cognac instead of the wine for chasseur? I've heard about this but I have never tried it. I'm not sure if it will come out good.

serenesurface

@turkay1-- You're absolutely right. The rich flavor of chasseur sauce comes from the beef stock and butter. If you don't use one of these, it's not going to taste right, even though I don't deny that there are many variations of the recipe and it's a personal preference.

I make a healthier chasseur sauce with a very small amount of butter, some olive oil, white wine, beef stock, shallots, mushrooms, tarragon and black pepper. I skip the parsley because I think it's ill-fitting in this recipe.

Chasseur is best on steak, and with a side of fries or garlic mashed potatoes. I think is is the best meal ever.

candyquilt

My mom makes chausseur sauce with tomato paste instead of stock. She makes it for grilled steak. It's very delicious, but now that I know the original recipe, I think it would be better with beef stock.

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    • Chasseur sauce often includes shallots.
      Chasseur sauce often includes shallots.
    • Mushrooms, which is used to make chasseur sauce.
      By: Aaron Amat
      Mushrooms, which is used to make chasseur sauce.
    • De Mornay is also credited with adding cheeses to a traditional bechamel sauce to create mornay sauce.
      By: Lucky Dragon
      De Mornay is also credited with adding cheeses to a traditional bechamel sauce to create mornay sauce.