Reductions-not as tricky as you thought, and the taste is such a reward

A reduction is really easy and packs quite and impact. All you do is boil down a liquid, thus reducing it, to the consistency you want. This can be done with any number of things, vinegars, juices, alcohol, sauces, broths and stocks, etc... The list is only limited by your imagination. You are probably asking the purpose of a reduction. To make a more concentrated sauce. I will give you a few examples of things I have done, and a few ideas of things I want to do. I am certain you have some ideas of your own. Bake a beef roast with a good blend of spices. Reduce some pomegranate by 3/4 before pouring it over the top. This creates a taste similar to red wine with a little more sweetness and just a touch of tartness. People who eat this have no idea what the special flavor is, but they know they like it. Strawberries and Balsamic vinegar have practically become a classic combination. It costs a kings ransom to buy the thick aged Balsamic. There is no need to spend the money. Just buy a $4 bottle of Balsamic de Modena, and reduce it by 2/3rds. Then when you put it on the strawberries only use about 1 T per quart of strawberries. Let it sit for 10+ minutes before serving and you will be pleasantly surprised. You can also use this Balsamic for a traditional Italian table. Put out a dish of it and a dish of extra virgin olive oil, to be served with bread. Do you love Orange with meat. Try reducing Orange juice concentrate by half and then spicing it. This works great with just about any meat. Try pear juice on chicken or pork. Pepper, Bourbon steak? Start with a good steak, some large crushed peppercorns and a little bit of Bourbon. Lightly coat the steak with the peppercorns, cook it on your stove top on high, and pour in 1 oz of Bourbon(Scotch or Whiskey) when it is about half way done. The alcohol will cook out, and the pan will be mostly dry and leave your steak with a wonderful flavor. Try the same idea with Tequila and Lime(juice and/or zest) for Chicken, Pork or even Beef. Just finish it with a touch of salsa or Cilantro and viola! Any sauce, but for this example I will use BBQ. I love my Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce, but when you cook it with the meat, it gets liquidy from the meat juices. You take some in a pan and reduce it by half. Then you can put a nice thick coating on your hot wings, meatballs, or what ever you are serving. This really is a very simple idea that is virtually unlimited. I have a few notes on it: 1)if you reduce a stock or broth it can easily become salty, so choose sodium free and taste frequently 2)the other is I find it much quicker to start with a saute pan and frequently add a little at a time rather than actually boiling down a full pan of liquid. The down side to this is that it also runs the greater risk of burning, but it is ultimately up to you. 3)always reserve a little unreduced liquid on the side, this way if you reduce too far, it is easy to fix by adding the portion that you set aside. I hope you are inspired to try this technique and have fun with it.