to die for vinegar/wine reduction sauce

Wichita, KS
Updated on Apr 12, 2014

This sauce is a variation on a sweet sauce that I do for my chicken in a cilantro sauce. The big difference is that this particular sauce has a very intense sour side to it. It kind of hits you in the back of your mouth… if you know what I mean. Instead of leaning on the old cream sauces, we're going to have fun with an interplay of sweet and sour. This sauce is at home with chicken, beef or even fish, and will leave you wishing you had made more. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.

prep time 20 Min
cook time 50 Min
method Stove Top
yield 6 serving(s)

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
  • 3 tablespoons sweet butter, unsalted
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/3 cup shallots
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 - bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup red wine, dry
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar, granulated variety
  • 1 cup chicken stock, not broth

How To Make to die for vinegar/wine reduction sauce

  • Step 1
    Gather your ingredients.
  • Step 2
    Rough cut the veggies, and place them into a food processor, fitted with an S-blade.
  • Step 3
    Pulse on high speed until the veggies are finely blended, about 5 or 6 pulses.
  • Step 4
    Chef’s Note: If you lack a food processor, you can always chop the veggies by hand.
  • Step 5
    Add 1 tablespoon of the butter, and the grapeseed oil to a sauté pan, over medium heat, and wait until the butter is melted, and the foam subsides.
  • Step 6
    Add garlic, shallots, carrot, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves to the pan.
  • Step 7
    Cook over medium-high heat until the veggies are starting to brown, 4 to 8 minutes.
  • Step 8
    Add the tomato paste to the pan.
  • Step 9
    Stir the tomato paste into the veggies, and cook for an additional minute.
  • Step 10
    Add the wine, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper, and bring back to the boil,
  • Step 11
    Reduce to a slow simmer, and stir, until reduced by half, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Step 12
    Chef's Note: Question... How do we reduce this sauce by half, and not burn the sugars... The answer is LOW and SLOW. You want a slow simmer here, and patience. Let the sauce reduce slowly, and you'll be glad that you did.
  • Step 13
    Add the chicken stock to sauce and bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.
  • Step 14
    Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Step 15
    Remove the pan from the heat, and pour the contents through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids.
  • Step 16
    Return the sauce to the pan, and continue to simmer until you have about 3/4 of a cup of liquid. This could take another 15 minutes or longer... be patient, and keep an eye on the pan.
  • Step 17
    To finish the sauce, remove from heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and then stir to combine.
  • Step 18
    Chef’s Note: The sauce should be a bit thickened like syrup.
  • Step 19
    Chef’s Tip: If you want a more concentrated sauce, continue to reduce until a spoon dragged through the pan leaves trails.
  • Step 20
    Chef's Tip: Use the sauce on chicken, steak, and even fish. Enjoy.
  • Step 21
    I like to add the sauce to a squeeze bottle and allow to cool.
  • Step 22
    Then put the top back on and use it to decorate your plate.
  • Step 23
    Just like this.
  • Step 24
    Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

Discover More

Category: Other Sauces
Keyword: #sauce
Keyword: #sour
Keyword: #piquant
Keyword: #Kicking
Keyword: #chicken
Keyword: #beef
Keyword: #fish
Culture: American
Method: Stove Top

Comment & Reviews

ADVERTISEMENT
Just A Pinch Sweepstakes