Basic Reduction Sauce Recipe - NYT Cooking

Maybe your like

Total Time15 minutesRating5(18)CommentsRead comments

Here is the basic recipe for a reduction sauce, the easiest, most malleable sauce a cook can make. It’s followed by a variation for those who want a thicker, more traditional gravy, and a few ideas for jazzing it up. The basic recipe can be doubled or tripled, something to consider for larger feasts.

Featured in: THE MINIMALIST; A Sure Cure for the Gravy Jitters

Save
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Give
Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
SubscribeLog In
Share this recipe
- Copy link
- Email
- Pinterest
- Facebook
- X
- WhatsApp
- Reddit
Print this recipe
Include recipe photo
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Yield:2 cups

2tablespoons minced shallot, onion or scallion
3cups stock or water
2tablespoons softened butter or olive oil (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add ingredients to Grocery ListIngredient Substitution GuideNutritional Information

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

130 calories; 9 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 447 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Preparation

Step 1
Remove the roast and pour off all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat (if there are nonfatty juices in the skillet or roasting pan, leave them there). Place the roasting pan over high heat. (Use two burners if the pan is large.) Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 1 minute.
Step 2
Add the liquid and cook, stirring and scraping to loosen the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Allow the liquid to boil for about 5 minutes, or until about a third of it evaporates. (This is a good time to carve the meat; the boiling liquid needs only occasional stirring.)
Step 3
Turn the heat to medium-low and add the butter or oil, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Taste and season if necessary with salt and pepper, then serve with the meat.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Similar Recipes

Basic Pot Roast
Florence Fabricant
Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast Chicken
Ina Garten
Pot Roast
Brett Anderson
Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto)
Florence Fabricant
Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Sam Sifton
Mississippi Roast
Sam Sifton
Off-Oven Roast Beef
Sam Sifton
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Sarah DiGregorio
Slow-Roasted Beef
J. Kenji López-Alt
Slow-Cooker Beef Stew
Sarah DiGregorio
Beef Tenderloin Stuffed With Herb Pesto
David Tanis
Spicy Marmalade Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
Melissa Clark
Turkey Gravy
Sam Sifton
Roast Chicken
Mark Bittman
Mississippi Chicken
Kia Damon
Easy Turkey Meatloaf
Melissa Knific
Roasted Chicken With Vinegared Grapes
Melissa Clark
Pot Roast With Cranberries
Mark Bittman
Sheet-Pan Chicken With Potatoes, Arugula and Garlic Yogurt
Melissa Clark
Pressure Cooker Pot Roast
Sarah DiGregorio

Ratings

5 out of 518 user ratingsYour rating1 star2 stars3 stars4 stars5 starsSubmit

Have you cooked this?Mark as Cooked

Comments

Add CommentPublicPrivateSubmit

All Comments
Private

With good homemade stock, the oil or butter was not needed. A small splash of soy sauce enhanced both flavor and color.

Is this helpful? 5

I used 1 T of EVOO then 1 T of butter, and about half the liquid (beef stock.) Absolutely delicious, so yummy over any roast or even a pan-seared steak.

Is this helpful? 1

With good homemade stock, the oil or butter was not needed. A small splash of soy sauce enhanced both flavor and color.

Is this helpful? 5Private comments are only visible to you.

More Recipes From Mark Bittman

Pasta With Morels, Peas and Parmesan
Mark Bittman
748 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
748
30 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Indian-Style Rice Salad
Mark Bittman
252 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
252
30 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of rice
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Hainanese Chicken With Rice
Mark Bittman
504 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
504
1 1/2 hours, plus resting
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Rick Easton's Pizza With Potatoes
Mark Bittman, Rick Easton
104 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
104
1 hour, plus rising
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Japanese-Style Rice Salad
Mark Bittman
329 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
329
30 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of rice
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Rice and Red Beans With Coconut Milk, Chile and Garlic
Mark Bittman
1070 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
1,070
About 1 hour
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Tomato Jam
Mark Bittman
1683 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
1,683
1 hour 30 minutes, plus chilling
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Pasta With Winter Squash and Tomatoes
Mark Bittman
274 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
274
30 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Walnut Tart
Mark Bittman
231 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
231
40 minutes (with premade crust), plus chilling
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Sichuan Chicken With Chiles
Mark Bittman
446 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
446
40 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Shrimp With Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Mark Bittman
719 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
719
20 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Crisp-Braised Duck Legs with Aromatic Vegetables
Mark Bittman
906 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
906
About 2 hours
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Pasta With Mint and Parmesan
Mark Bittman
1373 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
1,373
20 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Easy
Shrimp in Chardonnay Sauce
Mark Bittman
100 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
100
20 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Hummus With Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Mark Bittman
65 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
65
20 minutes, plus at least 2 hours' soaking
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Grilled Pork Escabeche
Mark Bittman
112 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
112
About 1 hour
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.

Trending on Cooking

Spicy Vinegar Chicken Over Artichokes
Andy Baraghani
357 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
357
45 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Spring Minestrone With Kale and Pasta
Kay Chun
1985 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
1,985
20 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Easy
Miso-Maple Sheet-Pan Chicken With Brussels Sprouts
Carolina Gelen
3603 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
3,603
35 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Easy
Spiced Tomato and Eggplant Pasta
Zaynab Issa
192 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
192
45 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Baked Lemon Pudding
David Tanis, JR Ryall
5500 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
5,500
1 hour
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Quinoa Salad With Chicken, Almonds and Avocado
Genevieve Ko
1457 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
1,457
20 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Bean and Vegetable Japanese Curry
Eric Kim
28 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
28
45 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Chicken Fajitas
Ali Slagle
4054 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
4,054
40 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Easy
Éclair Cake
Naz Deravian
494 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
494
40 minutes, plus at least 9 hours’ chilling
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Avgolemono Chicken Soup With Gnocchi
Carolina Gelen
2154 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
2,154
20 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Easy
Lazy Daisy Cake
Melissa Clark
1515 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
1,515
1 hour
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Easy
Chicken With Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice
Julia Moskin, Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi
2346 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
2,346
1 hour, plus 30 minutes’ cooking and 10 minutes’ resting
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Pesto Chickpea Soup
Carolina Gelen
506 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
506
20 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Easy
Mustard-Braised Pork
Christian Reynoso
92 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
92
1 hour 55 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Crispy Chickpeas With Beef
Mark Bittman
4217 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
4,217
30 minutes
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.
Easy
Hot Honey Chicken
Farideh Sadeghin
573 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
573
1 hour
Log in or sign up to save this recipe.