Poivrade sauce is a vinegar-based preparation requiring 55 minutes and careful attention. Built in three stages: first a vegetable and bacon mirepoix sweated in butter, then reduction with white vinegar and wine, finally two additions of veal stock with raw chopped mushrooms. Crushed black pepper at the end defines its character. The classic companion to marinated game.
1 Cut into small mirepoix 1 carrot, 1 large onion and a small celery branch and 20g (0.7 oz) of blanched lardons, a little thyme flowers and 1 bay leaf, sweat in a little butter covered for 15 minutes, stirring.
2 Then moisten with 30 cl (1.25 cups) of alcohol vinegar and 10 cl (0.4 cup) of white wine, reduce by about half, then add 50 cl (2.1 cups) of bound veal stock and let cook for 20 minutes, then add 50g (1.75 oz) of raw chopped mushrooms and another 20cl (0.8 cup) of veal stock and let cook for another 10 minutes/
3 With the bottom of a saucepan, crush a dozen black peppercorns then add them to the sauce, let cook for another 5 minutes, then blend the sauce for 3 minutes and pass it through a fine sieve pressing as much as possible and taste!
If you make this poivrade for marinated game, take half of the marinade with half of the stock. There you have it, as you can see it's a sauce that requires care and patience but the result will be, I'm sure of it, beyond your expectations
Poivrade sauce is for autumn and winter, when you have game on the table. born from the need to lift hunted meat with vinegar and pepper. It also works on roasted duck, braised beef cheek, even poultry terrine. For ingredients, find fresh button mushrooms at market in November-December when they're firm and full. Bacon should be good quality, not thin slices. White alcohol vinegar matters: it gives the clean sharp edge that defines the sauce, nothing like balsamic. With wine, choose a dry white with body and structure to stand up to acidity and spice. Try a Sancerre, premier cru Chablis, or Côtes du Jura white. If you're serving high game, a light Beaujolais villages works too. Avoid light reds, the sauce's acidity overwhelms them. Serve alongside simple purées (leek-potato, celery root), mushrooms turned in butter or creamy polenta. With game birds, a side of lingonberry compote helps. Always taste as you cook: each vinegar has its own strength, so season to balance salt and pepper.
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