Beef Reduction Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat; cook and stir the yellow and red onion, shallots, garlic, tomato, carrots, and mushrooms until the onions are translucent and the carrots have softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour in the beef broth and 1 cup of Merlot, and bring to a boil, scraping and dissolving any browned bits of flavor from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat, and simmer until the vegetables are very soft and the pan juices have reduced by half, about 20 minutes.
• Strain out and discard the vegetables from the sauce. Return the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, stir in 1/4 cup of Merlot wine, and reduce heat. Simmer the sauce until it is reduced to 1/4 of its original volume, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallot in hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Pour wine into saucepan; cook, stirring regularly, until reduced in volume by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir beef broth with the wine. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir butter and Italian seasoning into the sauce; cook until butter is completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.)
• 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.

Steps:

• Arrange on a heavy-duty baking sheet or in a roasting pan: 3 pounds beef bones, preferably a mixture of meaty bones and knuckles.
• Roast in a 400°F oven until quite brown, about 40 to 50 minutes. While the bones are roasting, put a heavy stockpot over medium heat. When hot, add: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 pound beef, such as shank, shin, or chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Brown the meat well, stirring now and then. When well browned, pour off most of the fat and add: 1 carrot, peeled and cut into large pieces, 1 onion, peeled and cut into large pieces, 1 celery stalk, cut into large pieces, A pinch of salt.
• Cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are wilted. Be sure to not let the bottom of the pan burn. Add: 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 whole clove, 2 allspice berries, 3 thyme sprigs, A few parsley stems, 1 cup dry red wine.
• Stir well, scraping up any brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Cook the wine until it has reduced significantly. Add the browned bones and: 5 cups chicken or beef broth.
• Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and skim any foam that has collected on the surface. Pour off the fat from the pan the bones were browned in. If there are any brown bits sticking to it, add a bit of broth from the pot, scrape them up, and tip the liquid back into the pot. Cook, at a simmer, for 3 to 4 hours. Strain, pressing well on the meat and vegetables to extract all the juices. Skim off any fat and pour into a shallow pan to reduce. Cook at a rapid boil until reduced to 1 cup. Season with salt to taste.
• Use white wine instead of red.
• Use 3 pounds lamb bones (1 pound of which is meaty neck bone) and 1/4 pound lamb meat instead of beef bones and meat.
• Use 3 pounds pork bones and 1/2 pound pork meat instead of beef.
• Use 1 chicken carcass and 2 or 3 whole legs instead of beef bones and meat. Chop up the carcass before browning for maximum flavor extraction.
• Instead of beef, use 1 duck carcass and about 1/2 pound meaty duck scraps such as tenderloins or legs. Chop up the carcass before browning.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush heavy large roasting pan with olive oil. Place shank pieces in prepared pan; scatter carrots and onion around shanks. Roast until meat is brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer beef and vegetables to heavy large saucepan. Place roasting pan over medium heat. Add brandy and stir 1 minute, scraping up browned bits, then add to beef and vegetables. Add 4 cups water, beef broth, and thyme sprigs. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until liquid is reduced to 2 cups, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Strain broth. Chill uncovered until cool, then cover and keep chilled. Remove fat from surface. DO AHEAD:Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place bones in a large roasting pan; add oil and toss to coat. Transfer to oven and roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 1 hour.
• Spread onions, carrots, celery, and garlic over the bones. Spread tomato paste over vegetables and return to oven; roast for 45 minutes more.
• Remove from oven and transfer bones and vegetables to a large stockpot; drain and discard fat from roasting pan, reserving juices in roasting pan. Add 24 cups water to stockpot, along with bay leaves, thyme, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over two burners set to medium-high heat. Add wine to pan to deglaze and stir, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pan; transfer liquid to stockpot and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 8 hours, skimming occasionally to remove any foam on the surface of stock.
• Set a fine mesh strainer over a large pot. Remove bones from stockpot and discard. Ladle stock through the strainer and into the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, uncovered, until reduced to 6 cups, about 1 hour. Let cool completely, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Remove any congealed fat from surface of stock.

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Heat oven to 450°F.
• Rub beef with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with salt. Heat 12-inch ovenproof skillet over high heat until hot. Add beef and sear on all sides until well browned.
• Place skillet in oven and roast beef 15 minutes. (If you don't have an ovenproof skillet, place beef in shallow roasting pan.) Remove from oven and flip beef. Roast 10 to 15 minutes longer or until meat thermometer inserted in center reads 135°F. Remove beef from skillet and place on warm platter. Cover tightly with foil (temperature will rise to 145°F for medium-rare).
• Place skillet (or roasting pan) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and the shallots. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shallots brown slightly.
• Increase heat to high and add wine and vinegar. Heat to boiling. Boil uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced so about 1/4 cup liquid remains. Scrape up any browned bits from bottom of skillet, then add broth, cranberries and rosemary. Heat to boiling. Boil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and remove and discard rosemary sprig. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, with wire whisk, adding the next piece only after the first has been completely beaten in and melted.
• To serve, cut beef into 1 1/2-inch slices. Divide sauce among serving plates and layer slices of beef on top.

Steps:

• Sprinkle freshly ground pepper over both sides of each steak, and sprinkle with salt to taste.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place steaks in hot pan, and cook for 1 minute on each side, or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add balsamic vinegar and red wine. Cover, and cook for 4 minutes on each side, basting with sauce when you turn the meat over.
• Remove steaks to two warmed plates, spoon one tablespoon of glaze over each, and serve immediately.