Help with Red Wine pan sauce

[PanchoHambre]

Maybe someone can help me figure out where I went wrong

I pan fried 2 thin T-Bone steaks and attempted to make a quick pan sauce by deglazing with red wine. The result was ok in taste (edible but a shake of A1 would have been easier and maybe better) and not very attractive.

Here is what I did...

Quickly seared 2 thin T-Bones (simple olive oil S&P rub)in SS skillet cook each side just until the pan released it (they came FINE)

I added about 1 cup Shiraz and deglazed the pan with a wooden spoon stirring... added a tocuh of mustard and worchestershire


As the liquid reduced I added thin slices of shallots and white mushrooms

the taste was NASTY at this point so I quickly added a lump of improvised beurre manié.

This helped alot and brought the sauce into the category of edible.

Still this is not something I would serve to guests... it was UGLY (too reddish) and tasted too strongly of the wine even though I reduced it quite a bit.


I have some thoughts of things that could have been a problem

1 not enough fond in the pan as I only cooked 2 thin steaks

2 too "wet" a wine

3 I should have cut the wine with something else (maybe stock but I did not have any on hand)

4 should have used larger pieces of shallot and mushroom as they were swallowed by the sauce

5 could have used a more meaty earthy shroom

Ultimately I would have been better off sauteing the muchrooms and shallots seperately and eating it all with A1

I was hoping for a browner earthier taste that would work with the shallots and shrooms better...

Advise for next time appreciated

[GotGarlic]

I think the wine needs to be diluted a bit. With wine only especially, the more you reduce it, the stronger the wine taste becomes.

Try this: After cooking the steaks, pour off any fat and add 1 tbsp. oil. Saute the shallots and mushrooms for a couple of minutes, then add the wine and 1/2 cup stock or water and your other seasonings; you could add some herbs, like 1 tsp. thyme or rosemary, if you like. Bring to a boil and reduce to about 1 cup. Finish with a tbsp. of butter and S&P to taste. HTH.

[PanchoHambre]

thanks garlic... I will cut the wine with stock next time... also sounds like a better idea to saute before deglazing

[ironchef]

Originally Posted by PanchoHambre

Maybe someone can help me figure out where I went wrong

I pan fried 2 thin T-Bone steaks and attempted to make a quick pan sauce by deglazing with red wine. The result was ok in taste (edible but a shake of A1 would have been easier and maybe better) and not very attractive.

Here is what I did...

Quickly seared 2 thin T-Bones (simple olive oil S&P rub)in SS skillet cook each side just until the pan released it (they came FINE)

I added about 1 cup Shiraz and deglazed the pan with a wooden spoon stirring... added a tocuh of mustard and worchestershire


As the liquid reduced I added thin slices of shallots and white mushrooms

the taste was NASTY at this point so I quickly added a lump of improvised beurre manié.

This helped alot and brought the sauce into the category of edible.

Still this is not something I would serve to guests... it was UGLY (too reddish) and tasted too strongly of the wine even though I reduced it quite a bit.


I have some thoughts of things that could have been a problem

1 not enough fond in the pan as I only cooked 2 thin steaks

2 too "wet" a wine

3 I should have cut the wine with something else (maybe stock but I did not have any on hand)

4 should have used larger pieces of shallot and mushroom as they were swallowed by the sauce

5 could have used a more meaty earthy shroom

Ultimately I would have been better off sauteing the muchrooms and shallots seperately and eating it all with A1

I was hoping for a browner earthier taste that would work with the shallots and shrooms better...

Advise for next time appreciated

You added too much wine for the amount of steak/sauce being used. A half cup would more than suffice, because you'll have to mount it with butter anyway. Next time, after removing the steaks, saute the shallots and mushrooms first BEFORE deglazing. That will bring out a better flavor in each component than simmering it the pan sauce without sweating them. Some acid like balsamic would also balance the wine as well. I would not use the mustard and worchestershire. Try this next time.

1. Sear steaks and remove along with most of the excess grease.
2. Add shallots and mushrooms, season with salt, and saute about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add wine to deglaze, reduce by half.
4. Emulsify with 1/4 cup unsalted butter off the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

[Jeekinz]

Some Shriaz's are pretty strong. A reduced fruitier wine like Merlot or a lighter Cabernet can make for some nice pan sauces.

[auntdot]

IC's fix sounds great. Like GotGarlic I usually add some chicken stock (I rarely have a good beef stock available).

Totally agree with cooking the shrooms and shallots prior to the addition of the liquid.

The stock may not make it as tasty as the butter, but it would be less of a shock to my diet and arteries.

[fireweaver]

i'm agreeing 100% with ironchef; in fact, that's pretty much what i generally do. and what i'll be doing for dinner tonight. sear steak, pop in oven, remove steak to rest, saute onion/garlic/mushroom/etc in frond (add butter or olive oil if not enough fat in pan), deglaze with healthy splash of wine. i don't ever measure the wine, i just use enough to get a few-mm-layer all across the bottom. just use whatever wine you'll be consuming with the steaks...if you're wanting an earthier taste, go with an earthier wine, something spanish or italian perhaps.

[MIOguy]

I agree with previous posts. This Valentine's I tried a variation that added some depth to the basic red wine reduction: Two steaks prepared and cooked in the pan as outlined in previous posts. Remove and keep warm.

Into the skillet pour 1/2 cup red wine (for me its usually merlot), 3 TBSP brandy or cognac, and 2 TBSP soy sauce. Bring to boil and reduce to about half.

Add 2 TBSP heavy cream and 1/2 tsp. dark brown sugar and simmer until thickened. Sauce will turn a dark, chocolate brown color. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 TBSP unsalted butter at room temperature, stir until melted.

This sauce does not use any shallots or mushrooms, but sometimes I just want the plain sauce and steak. You might try it some time.

[college_cook]

Originally Posted by ironchef

1. Sear steaks and remove along with most of the excess grease.
2. Add shallots and mushrooms, season with salt, and saute about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add wine to deglaze, reduce by half.
4. Emulsify with 1/4 cup unsalted butter off the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Couldn't say it any better than that! Do it like IC says, and you'll be in business.

[AllenOK]

IronChef pretty much nailed it on the head.

I also agree that Shiraz is probably too strong of a wine for this.

If you really want a good earthy taste, get some dried morels (if you can find them). Second choice would be fresh morels (again, if you can find them, but you'll have to go out into the woods and find/pick your own).

Take the dried morels and rehydrate them by placing them in a bit of water, and bringing that up to a boil. Once it boils, remove from the heat and let the mushrooms steep for about 30 minutes. Take the morels out of the water, and slice into rings. Return the mushroom liquid to a boil, and reduce until it's about 2 - 3 T.

If you use fresh morels, just clean them, and slice into rings.

Cook the steak as IronChef mentioned, and saute the mushrooms with the shallots. Deglaze with a splash of wine, then add the mushroom liquid (you may want to strain that), and a splash of soy (Yes!). Cook and reduce, season to taste with salt and pepper, then tighten the sauce with beurre manie off the heat.

Honestly, this is probably the only sauce I would ever put onto a steak.

If you have beef stock, you can add a splash of beef stock along with the wine and mushroom liquid.

If you are lucky enough to have some beef demi-glace on hand (I will occasionally make my own for home use), that would be even better, but might overwhelm the other ingredients.