Basic Reduction Sauce Recipes

RED WINE REDUCTION SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallot in hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Pour wine into saucepan; cook, stirring regularly, until reduced in volume by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir beef broth with the wine. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir butter and Italian seasoning into the sauce; cook until butter is completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt.

BASIC REDUCTION SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove the roast and pour off all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat (if there are nonfatty juices in the skillet or roasting pan, leave them there). Place the roasting pan over high heat. (Use two burners if the pan is large.) Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 1 minute.
• Add the liquid and cook, stirring and scraping to loosen the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Allow the liquid to boil for about 5 minutes, or until about a third of it evaporates. (This is a good time to carve the meat; the boiling liquid needs only occasional stirring.)
• Turn the heat to medium-low and add the butter or oil, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Taste and season if necessary with salt and pepper, then serve with the meat.

BALSAMIC REDUCTION SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally and simmer 20-30 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let sauce thicken as it cools.

BEEF REDUCTION SAUCE

Steps:

• Arrange on a heavy-duty baking sheet or in a roasting pan: 3 pounds beef bones, preferably a mixture of meaty bones and knuckles.
• Roast in a 400°F oven until quite brown, about 40 to 50 minutes. While the bones are roasting, put a heavy stockpot over medium heat. When hot, add: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 pound beef, such as shank, shin, or chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Brown the meat well, stirring now and then. When well browned, pour off most of the fat and add: 1 carrot, peeled and cut into large pieces, 1 onion, peeled and cut into large pieces, 1 celery stalk, cut into large pieces, A pinch of salt.
• Cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are wilted. Be sure to not let the bottom of the pan burn. Add: 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 whole clove, 2 allspice berries, 3 thyme sprigs, A few parsley stems, 1 cup dry red wine.
• Stir well, scraping up any brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Cook the wine until it has reduced significantly. Add the browned bones and: 5 cups chicken or beef broth.
• Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and skim any foam that has collected on the surface. Pour off the fat from the pan the bones were browned in. If there are any brown bits sticking to it, add a bit of broth from the pot, scrape them up, and tip the liquid back into the pot. Cook, at a simmer, for 3 to 4 hours. Strain, pressing well on the meat and vegetables to extract all the juices. Skim off any fat and pour into a shallow pan to reduce. Cook at a rapid boil until reduced to 1 cup. Season with salt to taste.
• Use white wine instead of red.
• Use 3 pounds lamb bones (1 pound of which is meaty neck bone) and 1/4 pound lamb meat instead of beef bones and meat.
• Use 3 pounds pork bones and 1/2 pound pork meat instead of beef.
• Use 1 chicken carcass and 2 or 3 whole legs instead of beef bones and meat. Chop up the carcass before browning for maximum flavor extraction.
• Instead of beef, use 1 duck carcass and about 1/2 pound meaty duck scraps such as tenderloins or legs. Chop up the carcass before browning.