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Red Wine Sauce for Pan-Seared Steaks

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2007

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes enough for 4 steaks)

Red Wine Sauce for Pan-Seared Steaks

Ingredients

Wine Reduction

1 small carrot peeled and chopped fine (about 2 tablespoons)1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons )2 medium white mushroom chopped fine (about 3 tablespoons)1 bay leaf 6 parsley stems1 cup red wine

Sauce

1 medium shallot minced (about 2 tablespoons)½ cup low-sodium chicken broth ½ cup low-sodium beef broth 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Before You Begin

Start cooking the steaks when the wine has almost finished reducing, then keep the steaks warm on a plate in a 200-degree oven as you make the pan sauce. Use a smooth, -medium-bodied, fruity wine, preferably made from a blend of grapes, such as a Côtes du Rhône.

Instructions

    for red wine reduction

  1. Heat carrot, shallot, mushrooms, bay leaf, parsley, and wine in 12-inch nonstick skillet over low heat; cook, without simmering (liquid should be steaming but not bubbling) until entire mixture reduces to 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer and return liquid (about ½ cup) to clean skillet. Continue to cook over low heat, without simmering, until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer reduction to bowl.
  2. for the sauce

  3. Follow recipe for Pan-Seared Steaks, transferring plate with steaks to 200-degree oven to keep warm. To same skillet used to cook steaks (do not clean skillet or discard accumulated fat), add shallot and cook over low heat until softened, about 1 minute. Turn heat to high; add chicken and beef broths. Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits on pan bottom with wooden spoon until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 6 minutes. Turn heat to medium-low, gently whisk in reserved wine reduction and any accumulated juices from plate with steaks. Whisk in butter, one piece at a time, until melted and sauce is thickened and glossy; add thyme and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve immediately.

Red Wine Sauce for Pan-Seared Steaks

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Yield

Serves 4 (Makes enough for 4 steaks)

Ingredients

Wine Reduction

1 small carrot peeled and chopped fine (about 2 tablespoons)
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons )
2 medium white mushroom chopped fine (about 3 tablespoons)
1 bay leaf
6 parsley stems
1 cup red wine

Sauce

1 medium shallot minced (about 2 tablespoons)
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup low-sodium beef broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Ingredients

Wine Reduction

1 small carrot peeled and chopped fine (about 2 tablespoons)
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons )
2 medium white mushroom chopped fine (about 3 tablespoons)
1 bay leaf
6 parsley stems
1 cup red wine

Sauce

1 medium shallot minced (about 2 tablespoons)
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup low-sodium beef broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Ingredients

Wine Reduction

1 small carrot peeled and chopped fine (about 2 tablespoons)
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons )
2 medium white mushroom chopped fine (about 3 tablespoons)
1 bay leaf
6 parsley stems
1 cup red wine

Sauce

1 medium shallot minced (about 2 tablespoons)
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup low-sodium beef broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Before You Begin

Start cooking the steaks when the wine has almost finished reducing, then keep the steaks warm on a plate in a 200-degree oven as you make the pan sauce. Use a smooth, -medium-bodied, fruity wine, preferably made from a blend of grapes, such as a Côtes du Rhône.

Instructions

    for red wine reduction

  1. Heat carrot, shallot, mushrooms, bay leaf, parsley, and wine in 12-inch nonstick skillet over low heat; cook, without simmering (liquid should be steaming but not bubbling) until entire mixture reduces to 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer and return liquid (about ½ cup) to clean skillet. Continue to cook over low heat, without simmering, until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer reduction to bowl.
  2. for the sauce

  3. Follow recipe for Pan-Seared Steaks, transferring plate with steaks to 200-degree oven to keep warm. To same skillet used to cook steaks (do not clean skillet or discard accumulated fat), add shallot and cook over low heat until softened, about 1 minute. Turn heat to high; add chicken and beef broths. Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits on pan bottom with wooden spoon until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 6 minutes. Turn heat to medium-low, gently whisk in reserved wine reduction and any accumulated juices from plate with steaks. Whisk in butter, one piece at a time, until melted and sauce is thickened and glossy; add thyme and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve immediately.

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