how to make a sauce reduction | Family Cuisine

How to make a sauce reduction can be tricky. If you're not careful, the sauce will become too thick and cloying. The best way to avoid this is to use a roux, which is a mixture of flour and fat

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27/08/2021 06:47 398

Table Of Contents

How to Make a Simple Reduction Sauce
The Difference Between a Simple Reduction & Reduction Sauce
My Top Choices for Demi Glace

How to make a sauce reduction

pan sauce recipe

How to Make a Simple Reduction Sauce

A reader wrote to me to say that he cannot make a reduction correctly. He said that it never reaches a saucy consistency unless he uses a slurry or a roux to thicken it. He wants to know if he is missing something.

Reading: how to make a sauce reduction

I love reductions and reduction sauces, so several years ago I read everything I could find about how to make them, and now I can make a really good reduction. The most important things to remember about reductions are that you have to start with a flavorful liquid.

You can reduce water all day long and never end up with a sauce, right? Also, the texture of a reduction is generally thinner than a roux or slurry-thickened sauce. A reduction will just coat a spoon-think the consistency of real maple syrup or cough syrup.

The Difference Between a Simple Reduction & Reduction Sauce

A simple reduction is made by keeping a flavorful liquid or mixture of liquids at a temperature that will allow a lot of the water to evaporate, leaving behind a syrupy sauce and concentrated flavor.

They are very easy to make. You simply leave a pan of liquid, like Port or balsamic vinegar, over very low heat for several hours, or until the volume is reduced by about 3/4.

So, if you start with 2 cups of liquid, your final reduction should measure around 1/2 cup. If you like your reduction a bit thicker, reduce it some more. Just don’t let them boil, because your reduction can become bitter. These types of reductions are great for garnishing a plate, drizzling on a cheese plate or fruit or as the base of a vinaigrette.

A reduction sauce is a sauce that is made from the fond left in the pan after cooking a protein; usually some aromatic vegetable such as onion, shallot or garlic; a bit of acid in the form of wine, fruit juice or vinegar; and some stock. The volume of the sauce is reduced through simmering to encourage rapid evaporation.

That definition sounds a little complicated. Here’s a basic recipe for a red wine reduction sauce that might help to clear things up.