Description

A velvety, bold, and glossy pan sauce made by reducing dry red wine with beef or mushroom broth, shallots, and finished with cold butter. It adds sophisticated flavor to steaks, vegetables, and more.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
2 medium shallots, finely minced
1 cup low-sodium beef or mushroom broth
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter (for sautéing)
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
Optional: 1 teaspoon honey or balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Prep ingredients: Mince shallots, measure wine and broth, and cube cold butter.
Heat olive oil or butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add minced shallots and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent, not browned.
Add fresh thyme sprigs and sizzle for 30 seconds to release oils.
Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer vigorously until the wine reduces by half (8-10 minutes).
Add the beef or mushroom broth. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half again and coats the back of a spoon (10-15 minutes).
Remove the pan from the heat and discard thyme sprigs. Immediately add cold butter cubes and whisk constantly until emulsified and glossy (2 minutes).
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. If too acidic, add a pinch of sugar or honey. Serve immediately.

Notes

Do not use ‘cooking wine’ from the vinegar aisle as it tastes metallic. Control heat to prevent burning; medium-low is ideal. Add butter off the heat to ensure a smooth emulsion. The sauce thickens significantly when cold; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth. Do not freeze if butter is included as it may separate.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Sauce
Cuisine: French

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Calories: 90
Sugar: 2
Sodium: 150
Fat: 6
Saturated Fat: 3.5
Carbohydrates: 4
Fiber: 0.5
Protein: 0.5

Keywords: red wine reduction, pan sauce, steak sauce, easy dinner, date night recipe, wine sauce, gourmet cooking