1. In a saucepan, reduce 1 cup of decent red wine until reduced by half. If the alcohol flames off that is good.
Kenny’s Favorite Red Wine Reduction Sauce Final
2. Add 2 cups of rich stock. I prefer beef or veal stock, but you can use chicken stock. Store bought stock doesn’t work well as it is too thin and has too much salt when reduced. Homemade stocks are easy, delicious, and freeze well so make a large batch. In a pinch, use Better Than Bouillon but watch the salt!
3. Add 1 clove smashed garlic, a pinch of favorite herbs if available. This isn’t needed but adds an extra dimension.
4. Reduce to a glaze (coats the back of a spoon. On low flame, whisk in 3+ tablespoons +/- butter to thicken the sauce.
5. To serve, taste for salt and pepper, add acid if desired ( lemon or vinegar) and strain over food
This is a fabulous basic red wine reduction sauce that is wonderful on meats, chicken, and even grilled salmon. You can dress this up by adding some sautéed mushrooms. I like adding fruit such as blackberries, fig, or whatever is dark and use this with duck.
Wine Pairing: 2016 Best Barrels Right Bank Blend
It’s hard to go wrong trying to match this beauty that has a predominance of Cabernet Franc (slight herb) and Merlot (silky feel). However, there are some flavors to avoid that apply to matching rich, dark, Cabernet based wines.
First, avoid anything with too much sweetness as the residual sugar will contrast negatively with the tannins. Cabernet can handle some spice, such as pepper, but can be overwhelmed if the spices too bold. Why cover up and compete with the wine’s nuances.
Matching this blend is a joy because we get to pair it with some of our favorite meats. Let’s start with lamb because it is slightly gamey and pairs well with garlic and rosemary. Steak is an obvious choice because the fat and the tannins are a perfect pairing. However, I like to be more creative and offer you one of my favorite recipes, a red wine sauce, that you can pair with a variety of meats or fowl.
