How to cook a Red Wine Reduction Sauce (Bordelaise)

red wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic red wine

💰Cheaper: grape juice

Non-alcoholic wine maintains flavor without alcohol.

beef stock

🥗Healthier: vegetable stock

💰Cheaper: chicken stock

Vegetable stock is lower in calories and suitable for vegetarians.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier and provides similar richness.

shallots

🥗Healthier: onions

💰Cheaper: green onions

Onions are more common and provide a similar flavor.

Roughly dice 2 shallots and 2 garlic cloves.

Chop a handful of beef trimmings until roughly minced, being careful not to over-process.

Add the beef trimmings to a cold pan to render out the fat without burning it.

Set the heat to medium-high and cook the beef trimmings until they begin to brown.

Add the diced shallots and garlic to the pan and continue to cook, adjusting the heat to prevent burning and allow caramelization.

Add fresh thyme and 2 bay leaves to the pan.

Deglaze the pan by adding 1 cup of red wine, scraping up the brown bits for flavor.

Reduce the wine until there's hardly any liquid left in the pan, watching closely to prevent burning.

Once reduced, add 2 cups of chicken stock and bring it to a simmer.

Lower the temperature and let the mixture slowly reduce for up to an hour to an hour and a half until reduced by half.

Strain the sauce to separate the shallots and trimmings from the liquid, pressing out every last drop.

Let the strained liquid sit for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the fat to rise to the top.

Skim the fat off the top of the liquid.

Cook your steak, seasoning with salt and pepper, and let it rest tented with foil after cooking.

Add the strained liquid back to the pan and bring up the heat to reduce and thicken it perfectly.

Turn off the heat and stir in a couple of knobs of butter, seasoning with salt to taste.

Check the consistency; it should stick to the back of a spoon.

Pour the sauce over the steak and serve.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens