A sauce can make or break a dish. And there are some sauce recipes that go with almost everything. This jager sauce recipe is one of them. A creamy mushroom sauce that goes so well with meats (such as Frikadellen and Turkey Schnitzel) but equally goes with vegetarian dishes, such as Semmelknödel (Bread Dumplings), spätzle or pasta.
Most Germans abroad, I included when I lived in the UK, will simply buy the jager sauce instant powder mix from Maggi or Knorr. (Affiliate Link). It’s ok until you have tried the original homemade version. Let me show you how to make German hunter sauce from scratch. Once you’ve tasted the real deal, there’s no going back!
What is Jager Sauce?
Jager sauce is a mushroom-based brown sauce that is traditionally served with meat. In Germany, it is one of the most popular sauces. In German, it is called “Jager Soße“ – Jäger meaning „Hunter“ in German. “Soße” is the word for sauce. It is pronounced – YAY-GER SO-SE (the last “S” is pronounced sharp.) It has gained worldwide fame for being THE mushroom sauce for schnitzel. Schnitzel served with this sauce is called Jägerschnitzel (translated Hunter Schnitzel). However, the pairing of this German mushroom gravy is not limited just to Schnitzel.
Origins of German Jäger Soße
Jager Sauce comes from the French Sauce “Chasseur”. “Chasseur” means “Hunter” in French – and was traditionally served with game meat such as venison, rabbit, or fowl. The mushrooms were picked by the hunters in the woods, while they were returning from their hunt.
The inventor of the chasseur sauce was Philippe de Mornay. The “Sauce the Chasseur” (translated sauce of the hunters) gained popularity in Germany.
How to make Jager Sauce
You will not find just one recipe of hunter sauce in Germany. There are variations with cream and without cream. Sometimes onions are used and sometimes shallots. Often the onions are deglazed with some white wine, other recipes use red ones.
The classic chasseur sauce uses shallots and deglazes them with some dry white wine.
I like my sauces simple, so this German hunter sauce is made without wine and ordinary onions. As the consistency of sauces is often controversial and up to the eater's preference, this sauce gets thickened at the end with some corn starch. Let’s get started.
Ingredients:
- 400 g / 14 oz mushrooms (I used champignons)
- 150 ml /5 fl oz cream. (Germany Schlagsahne and UK and US whipping cream - at least 30% fat)
- 150 ml /5 fl oz beef stock / or broth (alternatively you can use vegetable stock (affiliate link)/ broth)
- 1 small yellow onion (around 60 g)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoon butter or oil or lard
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (to taste)
Jager Sauce Recipe
- Wash the mushrooms and slice them into 0.5 cm thick slices. Peel and finely chop the onion. Chop the parsley finely.
- In a frying pan heat up 1 tablespoon butter/oil/lard. Fry the mushrooms until they start to brown. Mushrooms tend to lose water quickly so remove them before they start to "shrink". Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set them aside.
- Using a further tablespoon butter/oil/lard fry the onions. Add the tomato paste just when they begin to brown, and fry for a further minute. Roasting the tomato paste will add to the "brown" color of the sauce. Deglaze with the vegetable stock (affiliate link)/broth and cream.
- Add the mushrooms back in and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the thyme, parsley, and balsamic vinegar, and cook the sauce until you achieve the desired consistency.
- If you like the sauce to be thicker, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoon of water. Add to the sauce. Bring the liquid back to a boil. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can add more vegetable broth or milk.
Which dishes go well with Hunter Sauce
- Schnitzel with jager sauce is called Jägerschnitzel and it is a famous dish.
- Semmelknodel (German Bread Dumplings) – a delicious vegetarian dish.
- Spätzle and Huntersauce
- Frikadellen (German Meatballs)
- Roast Beef or Pork
- Steak
- Noodles or Pasta
How to store leftover Jägersoße?
The sauce should be best prepared the day you intend to serve it. Dishes with mushrooms do not keep well, so you can reheat them the day after. I would not advise you to keep it any longer.
Can I freeze the sauce?
I would not advise freezing the sauce, as the cream will change consistency when defrosting.
More German Sauce Recipes
Recipe
Jager Sauce (German Hunter Sauce)
Ingredients
- 400 g mushrooms 14 oz - I used champinons but any variety works
- 150 ml whipping cream 5 fl oz - at least 30% fat
- 150 ml beef broth / beef stock 5 fl oz - beef broth has a stronger taste, and will add to the brown colour of the sauce. Alternativley use vegetable stock (affiliate link) /broth for a vegetarian variety.
- 1 onion around 60 g/ 2 oz
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme you can also use fresh thyme if available
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley finley chopped
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- Wash the mushrooms and slice them into 0.5 cm thick slices. Peel and finely chop the onion. Chop the parsley finely.
- In a frying pan heat up 1 tablespoon butter/oil/lard. Fry the mushrooms until they start to brown. Mushrooms loose water quickly, so remove them before they start to "shrink" . Set them aside for later.
- Using a further tablespoon butter/oil/lard fry the onions. Add the tomato paste just when they begin to brown, and fry for a further minute. The roasted tomato paste will add to the brown colour of the sauce. Deglaze with the stock/broth and cream.
- Add the mushrooms back in and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the thyme, parsley and balsamic vinegar and cook the sauce until you achieve the desired consistency.
- If you like the sauce to be thicker, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch/corn flour with 2 tablespoons of water to a thick paste. Add to the sauce. Bring the liquid back to a boil. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can add more broth.
Nutrition
Dietrich Rother
Good recipe. I find 2 things wrong though. Never wash mushrooms. They absorb the moisture and get mushy. Brush off any dirt with a "mushroom" brush (short bristles) or paper towel. Secondly, Germans (Bavarians) don't use corn starch to thicken gravy, only a thick flour slurry (flour and water). P.S. I'm German.
Heather G
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I made this recipe today, so easy. I did substitute the thyme with tarragon and used brandy instead of vinegar. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
Marita Sinden
Thank you Heather for the feedback! I am so glad you enjoyed it. Marita
Viv
Hi Marita, I made the Jager sauce, it was really lovely, thank you so much for sharing.
Marita
Hi Viv,
thanks I am glad you enjoyed it!
Heather O'Bryant
I made this tonight and my 80 year old German mom inlaw LOVED it. I made it with pan sautéed pork tenderloin medallions and Semmelknödel with broccoli. My husband definitely approved and my 7 and 9 year olds couldn’t stop eating it with the meat. Mom was so happy and surprised, she approves! Great recipe! And easy!!!
Marita
Thanks for the feedback! I am glad you all enjoyed it!
Chris
Super recipe! creamy and full of flavour.
I used a mix of flat and chestnut mushrooms. Brilliant with any Schnitzel,and also worked wonderfully with beef wellington.
Thanks Marita.
Marita
Hi Chris, thanks for your comment, I am glad you enjoyed it. Best Wishes Marita
McVeezy
I tried the sauce tonight, it was flavorful but it did not make as much sauce as I expected... then realized altho I bought the whipping cream I never added it 🙁 -- can you please advise at what stage I should add the whipping cream, please? At very end when recipe mentions milk? I will try again!!
Marita
HI McVeezy, thanks for your comment. I am glad you enjoyed the recipes. If you look at the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Next to the ingredients, on the right, there is a button and you can adjust the quantities there so you can make more sauce.
The cream gets added in step three with the broth. And the milk is an optional ingredient you can add to thin out the sauce if you want to. Hope this helps.
Connecticut Mom
Excellent sauce enjoyed by everyone in the family.
I served it over fried and breaded porkchops and egg noodles. Started the sauce using a large saucepan with the bit of leftover oil and juices from the meat. No need to remove the mushrooms; both they and the onions can be sautéed together to remove a step/shorten the time. I used 1/2 cup of stock, as the sauce tightened up fast, then used half & half instead of heavy cream and this didn't affect the thickening. The addition of a tsp of good-quality balsamic vinegar at the end is a must. Will definitely be making again. Thank you for a great, accessible recipe.
Marita
Thanks for your feedback! I am glad everybody enjoyed the sauce!
Marga Dice
I have made this sauce several times--by far THE best Jaeger Sauce I've tried. I do add a few squirts of liquid MAGGI and 1 Tbsp of Cognac or Bourbon at the end (totally optional).
LOVE this recipe, thank you!
Marita
Hi Marga! Great I am so glad to hear that. Adding a bit og cognac or Bourbon sounds intriguing. I will try that next time.
Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist
This is not a sauce I've come across before. But it looks delicious, flavoursome... and so creamy. I imagine it would be delicious poured over pasta too!
Thanks for sharing with #CookBlogShare xx
Sisley White - Sew White
I've not heard of this before but I am so very tempted to try it.
Marga Dice
Try it, you’ll love it!
Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/
I was actually looking for a new sauce and I'm glad I saw this one; I will make it soon!
Marita
Great, I hope you will like it x
Christina's Bread Bakes
I love Jaeger sauce! This recipe was really easy and goes so well with spaetzle for a yummy vegetarian dish (made with veggie stock).
Marita
Thanks for the pointer - yes you can use veggie stock as well x
Gregory Halpen
Um delicious! This looks so good. I can see eating this with pasta!