Beurre Rouge: The Red Butter Sauce
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Recipe Overview
Overview
Beurre Rouge is a classic French sauce that brings a touch of elegance to any dish. This sauce is made by reducing red wine with aromatics such as shallots, mushrooms, and herbs, creating a flavorful base. The key to a successful Beurre Rouge is the careful incorporation of cold butter, which emulsifies into the sauce, giving it a rich, velvety texture.
One of the challenges with this sauce is achieving the right color. The goal is to create a deep red hue without it turning pink, which can happen when mixing red wine with white butter. Techniques from various chefs can help achieve that perfect color, often by using a blend of ingredients and careful temperature control.
As you prepare the sauce, it’s important to monitor the heat closely. Too high of a temperature can cause the emulsion to break, leading to a soupy consistency instead of the desired creamy sauce. The final product should be syrupy and coat the back of a spoon, ready to elevate your meat or fish dishes.
This Beurre Rouge is not just a sauce; it’s a culinary technique that showcases the beauty of French cooking. Whether served with grilled steak or a delicate piece of fish, it adds a layer of sophistication and flavor that is sure to impress your guests.
Recipe Details
Steps & Tips
Tip: Use a French full-bodied wine for better flavor in cooking.
Begin the reduction process with wine and aromatics.
Add mushrooms, carrots, shallots, juniper berries, peppercorns, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and tomato paste.
Tip: Adding tomato paste improves the color of the sauce.
Tip: Use Ruby Port to balance acidity instead of sugar.
Add half a teaspoon of sugar to balance acidity.
Pour in 400 ml of wine for reduction.
Bring the mixture to a low boil and reduce by half.
Tip: Use a large pan for faster reduction of wine.
Change pans and filter out the aromatics from the reduction.
Put the heat back on medium-low and reduce until syrupy.
Tip: Stop reducing when you have about three tablespoons of liquid left to prevent over-thickening.
Take cold butter out of the fridge for emulsification.
Incorporate butter into the reduction gradually while whisking continuously.
Tip: Adding a little cream can stabilize the emulsion.
Reduce heat to very low to maintain the emulsion.
Tip: Keep the heat low to prevent breaking the emulsion.
Tip: Add plenty of pepper to enhance the flavor of red wine sauces.
Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Transfer the sauce to a double boiler to keep warm.
Tip: Use a dark, full-bodied wine to achieve the desired color in the sauce.
Plate the sauce and add a piece of fish or meat on top.
Tip: Sprinkle extra parsley in the sauce for added flavor.
Ingredients
Ingredient: Dairy
→ Substitution: Coconut Cream
Nutrition
Skill Level
Frequently asked questions
Below you will find answers to the most common questions about this recipe.
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Interesting Tidbits
- •Beurre Rouge is a French sauce that means 'red butter' and is made using red wine.
- •The sauce is typically served with meats and fish, enhancing their flavors.
- •Using a full-bodied red wine is essential for achieving the desired color and flavor.
- •The sauce can be stabilized with cream to prevent breaking during preparation.
