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A balsamic reduction is a thick sauce made by heating balsamic vinegar until excess liquid evaporates. It’s easy to make, but requires constant stirring. The finished sauce can be sweetened with sugar or honey and flavored with spices. It’s commonly used on salads, steak, and pork loin.
A balsamic reduction is a thick sauce with a syrupy texture made from balsamic vinegar. A reduction sauce is made by heating the sauce, in this case the balsamic vinegar, until the excess liquid has evaporated. Many times, you get reductions from cooked meat or poultry drippings. In contrast, a balsamic reduction is made with vinegar straight out of a bottle, rather than something previously cooked.
Making a balsamic reduction is fairly easy and can be done by someone who is a novice in the kitchen. The key to making a reduction correctly is following the instructions and stirring constantly. Using a heavy saucepan and whisk for best results.
The vinegar is simmered and stirred occasionally, until it boils. Once the vinegar has started to boil, it needs to be watched carefully to make sure it doesn’t scorch or burn. The best way to achieve this is to stir it continuously while watching it get thicker. The amount of vinegar used depends on the amount of reduction needed. The final product will be about half the original amount used.
The finished sauce should have the texture and consistency of table or maple syrup. If a reduction has become too thick, water can be added to thin it out, although additional cooking time may be required once the water is added. If a sauce is too thin, it must continue to cook until it reaches the desired thickness.
For a basic, sweet and tangy balsamic reduction, the only ingredient needed is vinegar. Some recipes call for refined sugar, brown sugar or honey which, when added, will make the sauce sweeter. Wine can also be used for a balsamic reduction using equal parts wine and vinegar. Other spices such as garlic, basil, rosemary or thyme are sometimes added, depending on personal taste and why the reduction will be used.
The finished reduction can be placed in a squeeze bottle, which can be used to drizzle the reduction onto food or a plate. Some of the most common foods a balsamic reduction is served with are salads, steak, pork loin, and some soups. Leftover sauce should be refrigerated but brought to room temperature before using again.
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