Red Wine Reduction | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae
Yield: 1 Cup of glossy sauce.
Time Estimate: 30 Minutes.
Storage Notes: Can be bottled and refrigerated for 1 week.
Difficulty: Easy.
Time Estimate: 30 Minutes.
Storage Notes: Can be bottled and refrigerated for 1 week.
Difficulty: Easy.
A richly glossed, buttery red wine reduction may be the ultimate condiment for a seared steak. Bring the steakhouse home with this simple recipe, and learn how to mount your sauce - it's an easy technique that instantly takes your sauce from good to great.
Ingredients
- 1 Large white onion
- 1 Cup red wine (a big California Cab is perfect)
- 1 Cup low sodium beef stock
- 2 Tbs Taste of Provence
- 1 1/2 Tbs California Sea Salt
- 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 6 Tbs unsalted butter
- Peel and finely mince onion, and bring a medium sauce pan up to high heat.
- Add olive oil, and just before it begins smoking, add onions and California Sea Salt.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the edges of the onions begin to brown - about 4 minutes.
- Add Taste of Provence, and pour in both red wine and beef stock.
- Deglaze and scrape up the fond as you do, incorporating it into the sauce.
- Once the liquid is boiling, reduce heat to a low simmer, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
- Cut the butter into small cubes, and place in the freezer while your sauce reduces.
- Give your sauce the spoon test - it should be thick enough that when a spoon is dipped in, you can make an 'X' on the back that will mostly stay free from the sauce.
- Remove from direct heat, and pour though cheesecloth or thin strainer.
- Return sauce to still warm saucepan, and and whisking as quickly as you can, drop in frozen butter cubes.
- This is called mounting, and will give your reduction a lovely mouthfeel and super lustrous gloss.
- Taste for seasoning, and add more California Sea Salt as desired.
- Serve with your steak, or bottle it and refrigerate for up to a week until desired.