ISO - Balsamic Vinegar sauce for Steak

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misskalli

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
2
HELP!
Hi everyone, I'm new to this so please be patient with me.
I like to cook with my boyfriend to make fancy meals. Last spring, we got a recipe from a grocery store where you cook some steaks on stovetop, and in a small saucepan, you boil balsamic vinegar with other ingredients to make this delicious sauce you drizzle on the steak.

We lost the recipe and have searched endlessly for it anywhere we can think of, but have had no luck.

It was something along the lines of boiling the sauce for a certain amount of minutes, then reducing heat (i think) then I think you might have added some other ingredients but you had to let it thicken. It almost burned your eyes when you took the lid off but it was the most delicious thing I've ever tasted.

Has anyone heard of this or know what I'm talking about who can help me recreate a sauce like this? Thank you so much!
 
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Yeah. Quite easy to make.....I'm not sure about the butter. I think most reduction recipes are just the vinegar and a bit of sugar.....You could add garlic if you wanted. I would just add a whole clove and remove it after it cools.....I have never tried it with butter, but my guess is that it would separate and not really look good. It's not necessary.
 
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You could always swirl in the butter at the end. It really adds a nice touch to a sauce.
 
I have done sauce this for Steak Au Poivre.
IMO I wouldn't add sugar, I also wouldn't use the most expensive balsamic you can find. Very simple.

Reduce vinegar down to desired concentration {1 c. to half c. or so, taste as you go} add salt to taste, lower heat, swirl in 2 TBSP whole butter till melted. Pour over steaks.
Done Deal!
Remember to play with your food!

Edited to add, Minced shallots are always good to
 
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I think it had butter, garlic, maybe sugar, then balsamic. Is that a reduction?

Yeah I've been following this topic, wondering if there'd be any better answers. I already had my mind made up what I'd try, and exactly what you said.

I'd melt some butter and maybe some EVOO and I'd throw in some garlic and maybe some finely chopped shallots. Then I'd drown it in balsamic vinegar and start reducing it in a major way.. I think it would gain some sourness during the reduction and I'd "season" it with sugar.

I would use palm sugar or brown sugar although I have no way to justify my preferences.
 
I had exactly this dish at a restaurant called Acqua al 2 in Florence, IT. Was fabulous. Place was filled with [mostly] Americans, and it was all by word of mouth.

They used what appeared to be just a reduction. They might have sweetened it a bit, but they put it on heavy and the cut of meat was very high quality.

If I were to do this, I would reduce a decent balsamic, but slowly, add some just a wee bit of sweetener, sugar, honey, agave nectar, or some such, just near the end, and some butter.

The quality of meat will make or break this dish. Find a really good filet mignon. Season generously with salt and some pepper. Then cook like any good steak, searing the outside, and make sure it is not more than medium rare. That is 6 minutes a side for a 1 1/2 inch thick steak.
 
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I just pulled my recipe card for this, taken from Gourmet Mag. I like ribeyes.

Dry steaks
Coat with peppercorns {coarsely crushed with mortar and pestle} season with salt
Cook in a hot pan with oil and butter {50/50} 1 TBSP each to desired doneness. Remove from pan, cover w/ foil, allow to rest.
Add vinegar to deglaze pan, boil on high scraping up brown bits till reduced by half, swirl in 1 TBSP of butter, Spoon sauce over steaks

 
Hey, some great answers here. Didn't see this explained tho so,
a "reduction" simply means simmering until thickened, which greatly
concentrates the flavors.
A basalmic sauce is pretty forgiving--it's all done to taste, and almost
anything you like can go into it.
For a VERY simple one, use a good Basalmic and a good Maple syrup,
(up to equal parts of syrup) barely simmer, reduce to desired.

Now, here's the one I concocted for beef (from steak to meatballs)...
and pretty yummy too, IMHO. :)

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 to 3 large shallots
1/2 tsp garlic (or a small chopped clove)
1/3 cup chicken (or beef) broth
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 12 oz can rootbeer (or 1/3 c maple syrup)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher or sea salt
White pepper

Slice the shallots into thin rings, saute' with the garlic in (hot) olive
oil til softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the broth, vinegar, rootbeer and ginger.
Simmer on medium til desired thickness. Remove from heat; immediately
add the butter, 1 Tbsp at a time, blending in til melted.
TASTE. Salt and pepper to TASTE.
Drizzle/spoon over cooked meat.
 

 
 
Just wondering, why add sugar to the balsamic vinegar when the balsamic is inherently sweet to begin with? Plus the reduction just concentrates the sweetness even more. :ermm: It seems that it would be cloyingly sweet.
 
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Just wondering, why add sugar to the balsamic vinegar when the balsamic is inherently sweet to begin with? Plus the reduction just concentrates the sweetness even more. :ermm: It seems that it would be cloyingly sweet.

Well, regarding my version anyway, sure you'd think it sickly sweet, but it's actually pleasantly well balanced IMO. I suppose the presence of the broth, shallots and the other spices offset any inherent sweetness from the basalmic? I do know that when I dump in the 12 oz can of rootbeer, and reduce the whole boodle down to drizzability, its sweet/tang balance is right in there, with that added brothy touch of savory.
However I do seem to recall that if using maple syrup, you have to futz a bit to find the right proportion for the syrup you're using, so it DOESNT end up over sweet. It's all in the TASTING TASTING TASTING!
 
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