Beef Reduction Recipes

Steps:

• Remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking.
• On the tail end of the tenderloin, about a third of the way from where it begins to taper, make an incision almost all the way through the beef. Fold the tail onto the larger portion to make an even cylinder throughout. Use ten to twelve 8-inch pieces of butcher's twine to tie the tenderloin crosswise every 3/4 to 1 inch. This will help it to keep its shape and cook evenly.
• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
• Pat the tenderloin dry. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season heavily with salt and pepper all around. Put the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef and sear on all sides until a nice crust is formed, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Add the thyme, garlic and 3 tablespoons of the butter to the pan. Once the butter is melted, use a spoon to baste the beef with the herb and garlic infused butter for 30 seconds.
• Transfer the beef to a rack on a baking sheet, spoon over 2 tablespoons of the herb and garlic butter mixture from the cast-iron pan (reserve the pan) and roast until the internal temperature of the thickest part reaches 120 degrees F (for medium rare), 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the tenderloin. Cover the beef with foil and rest for 15 minutes.
• Add the shallots to the remaining herb and garlic butter mixture in the cast-iron pan and sweat over medium heat until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Deglaze with the red wine and reduce until almost dry, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the beef stock, bring to a simmer and reduce by half, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, thoroughly mix the remaining 2 tablespoons butter with the flour in a small bowl.
• Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the butter and flour mixture bit by bit, until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Serve with the perfectly roasted beef.

Steps:

• Generously sprinkle salt and pepper all over steaks, then let steaks rest uncovered for 15 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, mince the shallots.
• Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add steaks and cook until done to taste, about 3 to 4 minutes per side for rare and a little longer for medium-rare or medium. (Bone-in steaks take a few minutes longer to cook through than boneless.) If the pan begins to smoke or burn, lower the heat. Transfer steaks to a plate to rest while you prepare the sauce.
• Add shallots to the skillet and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add brandy to the skillet and use a long-handled match or igniter to set the brandy on fire. (Stand back when you do this.) Let flames die out, then add red wine and cook until reduced and syrupy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add stock and boil until reduced and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
• Remove pan from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the chives. Serve steaks and sauce immediately with watercress.

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallot in hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Pour wine into saucepan; cook, stirring regularly, until reduced in volume by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir beef broth with the wine. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir butter and Italian seasoning into the sauce; cook until butter is completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Steps:

• Remove the roast and pour off all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat (if there are nonfatty juices in the skillet or roasting pan, leave them there). Place the roasting pan over high heat. (Use two burners if the pan is large.) Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 1 minute.
• Add the liquid and cook, stirring and scraping to loosen the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Allow the liquid to boil for about 5 minutes, or until about a third of it evaporates. (This is a good time to carve the meat; the boiling liquid needs only occasional stirring.)
• Turn the heat to medium-low and add the butter or oil, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Taste and season if necessary with salt and pepper, then serve with the meat.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush heavy large roasting pan with olive oil. Place shank pieces in prepared pan; scatter carrots and onion around shanks. Roast until meat is brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer beef and vegetables to heavy large saucepan. Place roasting pan over medium heat. Add brandy and stir 1 minute, scraping up browned bits, then add to beef and vegetables. Add 4 cups water, beef broth, and thyme sprigs. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until liquid is reduced to 2 cups, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Strain broth. Chill uncovered until cool, then cover and keep chilled. Remove fat from surface. DO AHEAD:Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Steps:

• Sprinkle freshly ground pepper over both sides of each steak, and sprinkle with salt to taste.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place steaks in hot pan, and cook for 1 minute on each side, or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add balsamic vinegar and red wine. Cover, and cook for 4 minutes on each side, basting with sauce when you turn the meat over.
• Remove steaks to two warmed plates, spoon one tablespoon of glaze over each, and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Arrange on a heavy-duty baking sheet or in a roasting pan: 3 pounds beef bones, preferably a mixture of meaty bones and knuckles.
• Roast in a 400°F oven until quite brown, about 40 to 50 minutes. While the bones are roasting, put a heavy stockpot over medium heat. When hot, add: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 pound beef, such as shank, shin, or chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Brown the meat well, stirring now and then. When well browned, pour off most of the fat and add: 1 carrot, peeled and cut into large pieces, 1 onion, peeled and cut into large pieces, 1 celery stalk, cut into large pieces, A pinch of salt.
• Cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are wilted. Be sure to not let the bottom of the pan burn. Add: 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 whole clove, 2 allspice berries, 3 thyme sprigs, A few parsley stems, 1 cup dry red wine.
• Stir well, scraping up any brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Cook the wine until it has reduced significantly. Add the browned bones and: 5 cups chicken or beef broth.
• Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and skim any foam that has collected on the surface. Pour off the fat from the pan the bones were browned in. If there are any brown bits sticking to it, add a bit of broth from the pot, scrape them up, and tip the liquid back into the pot. Cook, at a simmer, for 3 to 4 hours. Strain, pressing well on the meat and vegetables to extract all the juices. Skim off any fat and pour into a shallow pan to reduce. Cook at a rapid boil until reduced to 1 cup. Season with salt to taste.
• Use white wine instead of red.
• Use 3 pounds lamb bones (1 pound of which is meaty neck bone) and 1/4 pound lamb meat instead of beef bones and meat.
• Use 3 pounds pork bones and 1/2 pound pork meat instead of beef.
• Use 1 chicken carcass and 2 or 3 whole legs instead of beef bones and meat. Chop up the carcass before browning for maximum flavor extraction.
• Instead of beef, use 1 duck carcass and about 1/2 pound meaty duck scraps such as tenderloins or legs. Chop up the carcass before browning.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• Combine the salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a zip closure bag.
• Very lightly oil the tenderloin with olive oil.
• Sprinkle the mixture liberally over all sides of the tenderloin and press into the meat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet or roasting pan over medium high heat.
• Sear the tenderloin for a minute or so on all sides.
• Add ¼ cup of beef broth to the skillet (to prevent smoking in the oven and keep meat moist) and the sprig of rosemary.
• Transfer skillet to preheated oven and roast tenderloin for about 8 - 10 minutes.
• Remove skillet from oven; transfer tenderloin to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and allow meat to rest. You can prepare up to this point and hold the meat under the foil for at least 30 - 45 minutes.
• Do not wash skillet or discard the roasting juices and bits. With skillet still hot, add the chopped shallot and cook for a minute or so. Add ½ cup beef broth to the skillet, scraping all the caramelized juices and bits with a spoon.
• Add the Cabernet Sauvignon and bring to a boil to reduce the volume of the sauce by about half.
• If holding the final preparation, stop at this point, cover skillet, and turn heat off.
• Just before serving, slice the tenderloin into ¾" to 1" medallions.
• Return skillet to medium high heat, add about 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the sauce and allow it to melt, taste and if needed adjust with a pinch or salt or pepper. Remove the rosemary sprig.
• Return the medallions to the hot pan and gently warm them in the sauce for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side for medium rare or a bit longer until desired temperature.
• Remove the medallions to warmed platter or serving plate, pour sauce over them, and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place bones in a large roasting pan; add oil and toss to coat. Transfer to oven and roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 1 hour.
• Spread onions, carrots, celery, and garlic over the bones. Spread tomato paste over vegetables and return to oven; roast for 45 minutes more.
• Remove from oven and transfer bones and vegetables to a large stockpot; drain and discard fat from roasting pan, reserving juices in roasting pan. Add 24 cups water to stockpot, along with bay leaves, thyme, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over two burners set to medium-high heat. Add wine to pan to deglaze and stir, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pan; transfer liquid to stockpot and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 8 hours, skimming occasionally to remove any foam on the surface of stock.
• Set a fine mesh strainer over a large pot. Remove bones from stockpot and discard. Ladle stock through the strainer and into the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, uncovered, until reduced to 6 cups, about 1 hour. Let cool completely, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Remove any congealed fat from surface of stock.

Steps:

• Cut tenderloin crosswise into 12 equal rounds. Pound beef rounds to flatten to generous 1/4-inch-thick medallions. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté beef in skillet until brown on outside but still pink in center, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer beef to plate. Add remaining butter to same skillet. Add garlic, shallots and thyme; sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add flour; stir 1 minute. Add broth and wine. Boil until sauce thickens and is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Return beef and any collected juices to sauce in skillet; heat through, about 1 minute. Transfer beef to plates, Spoon sauce over.