Classic Entrecote Bordelaise with Red Wine and Bone Marrow Sauce

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Entrecote Bordelaise is the signature steak dish of the Bordeaux region, featuring a thick-cut ribeye steak topped with a glossy, deeply savory sauce built from Bordeaux red wine, shallots, demi-glace, and bone marrow. The sauce is the star: rich, slightly sweet from the wine reduction, and finished with cold butter for a silky texture. Serve with crisp pommes frites to soak up every drop.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 780 kcalCalories
• 52 gFat
• 22 gSaturated Fat
• 5 gCarbs
• 0 gFiber
• 2 gSugar
• 54 gProtein
• 640 mgSodium
• 820 mgPotassium
• 55 mgCalcium
• 6 mgIron
• 4 mgVitamin C
• 210 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the steaks

• 4 entrecote (ribeye) steaks, about 250 g (9 oz) each, trimmed of excess fat
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (grapeseed or canola)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to finish
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

For the Bordelaise sauce

• 2 cups (480 ml) dry red Bordeaux wine (such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)
• 2 large shallots, finely minced (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 cup (240 ml) beef demi-glace or strong beef stock
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cognac or brandy
• 1 small bay leaf
• 4 small rounds of beef bone marrow (about 30 g each), soaked in cold water
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

To serve

• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Crisp pommes frites or pommes puree, for serving

Directions

1. Prepare the sauce base first: combine the red wine, minced shallots, and bay leaf in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook until the wine has reduced to about 1/2 cup, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. The shallots should be very soft and the liquid syrupy.
2. Add the cognac and demi-glace to the reduced wine and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes more, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing on the shallots, and discard the bay leaf. Keep warm over very low heat.
3. Pat the entrecote steaks thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and cracked black pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, then add the oil and swirl to coat.
4. Place the steaks in the pan and sear without moving for 4 to 5 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms. Flip, add the 2 tablespoons butter and thyme sprigs to the pan, and spoon the foaming butter over the steaks. Cook the second side for 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature 130 degrees F / 54 degrees C). Transfer steaks to a warm plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 8 minutes.
5. While the steaks rest, finish the sauce: bring it back to a gentle simmer. Add the soaked bone marrow rounds and stir gently until they begin to melt into the sauce, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cold butter cubes one at a time, swirling the pan off the heat to keep the sauce glossy and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. To serve, slice each steak against the grain into 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick slices, or leave whole. Arrange on warmed plates and spoon about 1/3 cup of the Bordelaise sauce generously over each steak. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with a lemon wedge and pommes frites or pommes puree on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• Use a wine you would happily drink; a young Merlot, Cabernet, or Cotes de Bordeaux works beautifully and the flavor concentrates as it reduces.
• Bone marrow is traditional and adds luxurious richness, but you can omit it or substitute an extra tablespoon of butter whisked in at the end.
• Do not skip the resting time for the steaks; cutting too early will let the juices run out and dilute the sauce.
• Make the sauce up to a day ahead, then gently reheat and finish with butter and bone marrow just before serving for an easier dinner party.
• For a classic bistro presentation, serve the steak whole (unsliced) on a sizzling hot plate and pour the sauce tableside.

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