For years, my mom relied on her own special recipe for a browning and seasoning sauce, a homemade version of “Kitchen Bouquet.” She would lovingly coat beef roasts with it before baking, ensuring they came out of the oven with a rich, deep color and irresistible flavor. This wasn’t just for roasts—it was her secret weapon for adding that perfect touch to soups, stews, and gravies. I’ve been fortunate enough to carry on her tradition, using this very recipe in my own kitchen.
As I’ve become more mindful of what goes into my food, I’ve come to appreciate how my mom’s homemade version avoids preservatives and artificial ingredients, offering a fresh, natural alternative to the store-bought kind. This sauce is more than just a recipe; it’s a family tradition that adds depth, warmth, and that unmistakable homemade touch to every dish it graces. Whether you’re roasting, simmering, or stewing, this DIY Kitchen Bouquet from my mom’s kitchen will make your meals taste like home.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 chopped turnip
- 1 chopped carrot
- 1 chopped celery stalk
- 12 peppercorns
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 quart vegetable broth (I prefer organic, but it’s up to you!)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions:
Prep Your Ingredients:
- Start by getting all your ingredients ready. Chop your onions, turnip, carrot, and celery into similar-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly.
Melt the Butter:
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, then add 2 tablespoons of butter. Let the butter melt completely before moving on to the next step.
Cook the Vegetables:
- Once the butter is melted, add your chopped onions, celery, carrot, turnip, and the 12 peppercorns to the pan. Stir them well to coat everything in the butter.
- Keep cooking and stirring until the vegetables are nicely browned. This will take some time, so be patient—don’t rush the process!
Add the Flour:
- After the vegetables have browned, sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over them. Stir the flour into the vegetables, letting it stick to them and start to brown. This step is key to getting that deep, rich color.
Incorporate the Vegetable Broth:
- Slowly start adding the vegetable broth to the pan, stirring continuously to combine it with the flour-coated vegetables. Be sure to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan—these add a lot of flavor!
- Keep stirring as the broth blends with the vegetables and flour, ensuring there are no lumps. Bring the mixture to a full boil, which will take about 10-15 minutes.
Simmer the Sauce:
- Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer. Set a timer for 1 hour and allow the sauce to cook slowly, stirring occasionally. This will give all those wonderful flavors time to meld together.
Strain and Store:
- After an hour, remove the pan from the heat. Use a sieve to strain the sauce, pressing down on the vegetables with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Pour the strained sauce into a mason jar and store it in the refrigerator. This homemade Kitchen Bouquet can be used to enhance the flavor and color of your gravies, sauces, and stews.
- Enjoy:
This sauce is perfect for adding a rich, savory flavor to dishes like pork chops or mashed potatoes. The aroma in your kitchen will be amazing—too bad we don’t have smell-o-vision yet!
