Rice Free Classic Red Wine Reduction
Rich, glossy, and deeply savory, this classic red wine reduction is the kind of sauce that makes a simple steak or roasted meat feel like a restaurant-worthy meal. Shallot, garlic, fresh thyme, and a bay leaf build a fragrant base before a generous pour of dry red wine goes in and slowly concentrates into something syrupy and complex. A touch of tomato paste deepens the color and rounds out the flavor, while beef stock adds body and a long, lingering finish. The whole thing gets finished with cold butter whisked in piece by piece, which gives the sauce that signature glossy sheen and silky coating texture. Naturally free of grains and starches, this reduction gets its body entirely from the reduction process itself — no thickeners, no fillers, just technique. It's the kind of foundational sauce worth learning, because once you've made it from scratch, the jarred stuff simply won't cut it anymore.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium shallot, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ cups dry red wine (such as cabernet sauvignon or côtes du rhône)
- 1 ½ cups beef stock
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the foam subsides. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 2
Add the thyme sprig, bay leaf, and red wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook until the wine has reduced by about two-thirds and the liquid is syrupy and concentrated, 12–15 minutes.
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