When discussing French cuisine, sauces are an indispensable element. Among them, Velouté sauceis in French ‘Velvet’A classic that has served as the foundation of countless dishes with its soft and smooth texture, just like its name. Mother Sauceall.
The charm of velouté lies in its wide range of uses across chicken, fish, and veal dishes, yet it is not flashy on its own, allowing the main ingredients to quietly stand out.
The flavor of velouté sauce varies depending on the broth used; if chicken broth is used, it is warm and rich, with a texture thick like corn soup and a subtle buttery aroma that lingers in the mouth. Fish broth-based velouté features a mild, clear broth with a rich, savory flavor from melted butter.
Rather than enjoying velouté sauce on its own, adding ingredients such as fresh cream, egg yolks, white wine, and mushrooms to create a more complex flavor in dishes Base (drawing paper) It plays a role.
The calorie content is approximately per 100g. 90~144kcal It is relatively light compared to cream-based sauces.
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What is Velouté Sauce? — Meaning of the Name and History
The difference between velouté sauce and béchamel sauce
Velouté sauce derivative sauce
What is Velouté Sauce? — Meaning of the Name and History
Velouté is French for 'silky,' that is ‘Soft as velvet’This means... As the name suggests, the biggest feature of this sauce is its smooth and glossy texture, and it is considered one of the five major French mother sauces.
The person who first organized the mother sauce system was the legendary 19th-century French chef Antonin Carême (1784–1833). Carême created a system that allowed for efficient cooking even amidst the reduced manpower and resources following the French Revolution, the core of which was classifying sauces by 'family unit.'.
He established four basic sauces—Espagnol, Velouté, Allemande, and Béchamel—and built a system that allows for the creation of dozens of sauces by simply adding variations and seasonings.
Later, Auguste Escoffier 1903 Guide CulinaireThis system was further refined. Escoffier reorganized the system, including incorporating Allemande as a sub-sauce of Velouté, organizing nearly 200 sauces, and described the status of sauces in French cuisine as follows.
“The sauce is the most important part of the dish.partie capitale”It is sauce that created and has maintained the global dominance of French cuisine to this day.” — Auguste Escoffier
In the system organized by Escoffier, velouté is White stock(to a clear broth made from unroasted veal, chicken, or fish bones and vegetables) Blonde LouIt is defined as a sauce that combines (butter and flour sautéed to a light golden color).
Español, which is the same roux-based sauce, and brown stock and Brown LouIn contrast to using, béchamel with milk and White RougeIt is also distinguished from using .
Velouté is divided into chicken, fish, and veal velouté depending on the type of broth used, and if you add ingredients such as cream, egg yolks, and wine to it Allemande나 Supreme A derivative source of the same but completely different nature is created.
As Carême puts it, velouté is the core of a sauce system that can be described as “the highest level of convenience food.”.
How to make velouté sauce
Velouté sauce is one of the simplest among French mother sauces. It requires only three ingredients—butter, flour, and stock—and anyone can try making it if they understand the basic principles.
Basic ingredients (about 2 cups)
| ingredient | quantity | role |
|---|---|---|
| butter | 30g (about 2 tablespoons) | Fat components of the roux impart flavor. |
| flour | 30g (about 3 tablespoons) | Concentration formation through starch |
| Chicken (or fish/veal) stock | 500ml | Flavor base of the sauce |
| Salt and white pepper | a little | Liver control |
cooking process
Step 1: Making a Blonde Roux
Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is completely melted, add the flour all at once and stir continuously with a wooden spatula or whisk.
The roux used in velouté ‘Blonde Lou’You should roast it a little longer than a white roux until it turns a light golden color. When roasted for about 2 to 3 minutes, the raw flour smell disappears and a nutty aroma begins to rise; this is the right time.
A lightly cooked blonde roux harmonizes the nutty aroma of baking bread produced as the flour cooks with the flavor of butter. If cooked for too long and turned brown (brown roux), it will taste burnt and fail to produce the characteristic ivory color of velouté, so the key is to adjust the heat just before the color deepens.
Step 2: Insert Stock
When the roux is completed Cold or lukewarm stockPrepare the roux. If you pour hot stock into a hot roux, the starch will clump together instantly, making it easy for lumps to form.
The secret to making a smooth sauce without lumps is to create a temperature difference by letting the roux cool for a while or chilling the stock.
Add the stock one ladleful at a time while stirring rapidly with a whisk. At first, it looks like a thick batter, but as you continue stirring while increasing the amount of stock, it reaches a consistency similar to soft paste.
After dissolving the roux in the stock, it must be boiled over low heat for a considerable amount of time.
Traditional velouté is sometimes boiled for up to about two hours; during this process, water evaporates and the flavor is concentrated, and, starch particlesIt expands and breaks down sufficiently in the broth Gelatin ingredientIt combines stably with the tongue, making the sensation smooth rather than rough.
At home, it is sufficient to simmer slowly over low heat with the lid open for about 40 minutes to an hour. If the amount of sauce is reduced by about one-third during this time, it will reach the appropriate consistency.
Step 3: Finishing Up
Skim off any foam or scum rising to the surface with a spatula while boiling. This film consists of coagulated gluten proteins from the flour and impurities from the stock; this process is necessary to ensure the sauce is free of off-flavors and becomes clean.
If you strain the finished sauce through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, you can achieve a silky smooth texture, true to its name. The ideal consistency is a "nappé"—that is, a thin coating when applied to the back of a spoon—where a clear mark remains when swiped with a finger.
Escoffier cited 'decided taste,' 'a smooth, light, and not watery texture,' and 'a glossy appearance' as the three conditions for sauce.
It is good to keep these three things in mind when making velouté. In particular, since the thick consistency caused by starch tends to dull the saltiness and flavor perceived by the tongue, you must After adjusting the concentration You need to adjust the final seasoning with salt and pepper.
The difference between velouté sauce and béchamel sauce
Velouté and béchamel are both representative French white sauces based on a roux. Although they look similar on the outside, the ingredients mixed into the roux LiquidIt is different, and accordingly, the taste, color, texture, and even the uses are completely different.
| division | Velouté sauce | Bechamel sauce |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid-based | White stock (chicken, fish, calf) | milk |
| Types of roux | Yellow Roo (Blonde Roo) | White Roo (no color change) |
| color | pale golden ivory | Opaque pure white |
| Taste characteristics | Umami and depth from the stock | The smooth and neutral flavor of milk |
| texture | Translucent and light coating | Opaque and creamy consistency |
| Main uses | Chicken and fish dishes, blanquettes, fricassées | Lasagna, Gratin, Cream Pasta |
| Cooking time | 50 minutes to 2 hours (traditional) | 30 minutes to 1 hour |
Béchamel achieves a thick consistency with less roux than velouté, and the milk contains Protein (casein) and fat beadsThis is because it gets stuck between these expanded starch particles, hindering the flow of water molecules and making the sauce denser.
On the other hand, velouté stock is mostly water and low in fat, so it relies solely on starch and gelatin to form viscosity, giving it a relatively lighter and more transparent feel than béchamel.
For this reason, there is also a difference in the cooking process. Since béchamel uses opaque milk, there is no need to make the sauce clear, so it only needs to be boiled until the flour taste disappears (about 30 to 40 minutes).
On the other hand, Velouté is ‘'Gloss' and 'transparency'‘This is the lifeblood. Only by simmering gently for a long time to coagulate the gluten proteins in the flour and impurities in the broth to the surface and skim them off can a velvety smooth texture be achieved.
When you need to bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients, such as chicken or fish, the umami of the stock supports it. VeloutéIt pairs well, and when you want a rich and creamy taste that blends with cheese, like in lasagna, gratin, or mac and cheese BechamelThis is more suitable.
Interestingly, the early 17th and 18th centuries Bechamel The sauce is not made using only milk as it is now, A dish made by adding cream to a rich meat broth (veal broth) and reducing it.It is said that it was. In other words, it was inherently very similar to velouté. Over time, béchamel became milk-based and velouté became stock-based, clearly separating their respective identities.
Velouté sauce derivative sauce
Adding ingredients such as cream, egg yolks, wine, and herbs to basic velouté transforms it into a sauce of a completely different character, which is the core of the sauce system established by Carême and Escoffier.
Representative velouté derivative sauces
| Derivative source | Additional materials | Features and Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Suprême sauce | Chicken Velouté + Cream + Butter | The signature sauce for chicken dishes. Rich and silky flavor |
| Allemande Sauce | Calf velouté + egg yolk + mushroom + lemon juice | For meat dishes. Finish thickened with liaison. |
| Normande Sauce | Fish velouté + cream + butter + egg yolk | The quintessential seafood dish. You can also add mushroom juice or oyster broth. |
| Ravigote Sauce | Velouté + White Wine + Vinegar | ‘Meaning 'to give vitality'. Characterized by a refreshing acidity. |
| Sauce Vin Blanc | Fish velouté + white wine + butter + egg yolk | Mainly used for poached fish |
| Poulette Sauce | Velouté + Mushrooms + Parsley + Lemon Juice | Used in mushroom or shellfish dishes |
The common characteristic of these derivative sources is that, based on the fundamental foundation of Velutera Finishing thickenerThe point is that it enhances the flavor and texture by adding it.
Especially used in Allamande and Normande sauces egg yolkIt is noteworthy. Egg yolks are a natural emulsifier with a moisture content of about 501 TP3T and a balanced mixture of lipids and proteins, giving sauces a smooth consistency and a golden sheen.
However, since the protein in the egg yolk begins to coagulate at around 65°C to 70°C, there is a risk that if you simply put it into boiling sauce, it will cook instantly like scrambled eggs.
To prevent this, chefs ‘Liaison’ The technique is used. Hot sauce is added one ladleful at a time to a mixture of egg yolks and fresh cream (liaison) to gradually raise the temperature, and then (this process ‘Tempering’(This is called [name]), and this lukewarm mixture is poured back into the saucepan and gently combined.
Velouté sauce with roux (flour)Eggs do not cook easily in this way. This is because starch particles spread throughout the sauce block the spaces between the egg proteins, preventing them from clumping together. Thanks to this, chefs can simmer the sauce slightly after adding the liaison to eliminate the eggy smell and sterilize it.
Mix in cold butter at the end ‘Monte au beurre’ The technique is also an essential part of the velouté derivative source.
If you add pieces of cold butter with the heat turned off and shake the pot to melt them, the fat droplets of the butter will not separate but will be evenly dispersed (emulsified) within the moisture of the sauce. This process masks the starchy taste of the sauce and creates a luxurious texture that melts in your mouth.
Representative dishes using velouté sauce
Velouté-based sauces play a key role throughout classic French cuisine. Depending on which stock is used and which derivative sauce is applied, a completely different dish is created.
Blanquette de Veau — It is the quintessential French home-style dish. It is characterized by boiling veal in water (or stock) rather than sautéing it. After removing the meat, velouté is made using the broth (white stock), and finally, cream and egg yolks (liaison) are added to complete the sauce.
This dish, with its light yet deep flavor, is an indispensable menu item in French households during the winter, and it best showcases the 'enveloping softness' of velouté.
Chicken Fricassée — It looks similar to blanquette, but there is a crucial difference in the cooking method. While blanquette is a 'boiled' dish, fricassé is a dish in which chicken is 'sweat' in butter without browning, then stock is poured in and cooked.
The liquid from cooking the meat itself becomes a rich chicken broth, to which a roux is dissolved or flour is sprinkled early in the cooking process (Singer) to naturally create a velouté consistency. It is the most ideal form of stew where “the cooking liquid becomes the sauce.”.
Sole à la Normande — It is a traditional seafood dish from the Normandy region. Sole is cooked in fish stock, white wine, and mushroom broth. Poaching (cooking gently at a temperature just before the boiling point)And, with that broth infused with the flavor of the fish Fish VeloutéMake and pour.
It is served with a generous amount of fresh cream and butter in a 'Normande sauce,' which is a staple at high-end French restaurants and is the dish that best showcases the elegance of fish velouté.
Seafood Vol-au-vent — It is a dish made by filling crispy puff pastry with shrimp, scallops, fish fillets, etc. The sauce used to toss the seafood is fish velouté (or its derivative, nantois sauce).
The creamy texture of the sauce contrasts with the crispy pie crust, and it frequently appears as an appetizer in parties or multi-course meals.
Chicken Pot Pie It can be described as a practical variation of velouté. It is a dish made by mixing chicken, potatoes, carrots, and peas into a thickened chicken velouté, covering it with pie dough, and baking it in an oven.
Although it is not an authentic French dish, the savory base of velouté serves to bring together the ingredients instead of cream soup, making it a widely loved 'comfort food' in the English-speaking world.
