Skip To Main ContentMasterClass logo
|Articles
At Work
Log In
Sign Up
Food

Sauce Chasseur Recipe: How to Make French Hunter's Sauce

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Dec 11, 2024 • 1 min read

Sauce chasseur is a classic French mushroom sauce that goes just as well with chicken as it does with wild game.

Learn From the Best

Sign Up

What Is Sauce Chasseur?

Sauce chasseur, also known as chasseur sauce or hunter's sauce, is a rich brown sauce made with wine and mushrooms. Its name comes from the French word chasseur, which means “huntsmen,” a reference to its origins as a sauce for wild game. Dishes served with sauce chasseur often include chasseur in the name, such as chicken chasseur.

In traditional French cookery, sauce chasseur is one of several brunes (brown sauces) that uses a base of demi-glace or sauce espagnole, a mother sauce made by reducing meat stock until very thick. Modern versions of sauce chasseur often use cornstarch, all-purpose flour, heavy cream, and/or tomato paste as thickening agents, or opt for a lighter sauce made with beef stock.

Chef Thomas Keller on Making Sauce Chasseur

3 Ways to Serve Sauce Chasseur

You don't need to hunt wild game to enjoy sauce chasseur. Classic serving options include:

  1. 1. Chicken chasseur: Sauce chasseur is often served with sautéed chicken. Sauté the chicken in a large skillet and use the fond (the brown bits left behind in the pan) to add flavor to your sauce.
  2. 2. Jägerschnitzel: This German dish consists of schnitzel topped with sauce chasseur and is traditionally served with späetzle noodles.
  3. 3. Omelet: Turn a classic French omelet aux fines herbes into a hearty meal by topping it with some sauce chasseur.

Classic Sauce Chasseur Recipe

email recipe
41 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

1 cup

prep time

15 min

total time

30 min

cook time

15 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a sauté pan over medium heat.

  2. 2

    Add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté until lightly browned.

  3. 3

    Add the shallots and sauté until translucent.

  4. 4

    Deglaze the pan with white wine and let it simmer until the alcohol has evaporated and the wine is reduced by half.

  5. 5

    Add the tomato sauce and demi-glace. Bring to a simmer and skim off any fat that floats to the surface.

  6. 6

    Whisking constantly, add the remaining three tablespoons of butter one tablespoon at a time.

  7. 7

    Season the sauce with pepper and salt to taste and whisk in fresh herbs.

  8. 8

    Serve immediately.

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by culinary masters, including Chef Thomas Keller, Gabriela Cámara, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and more.