Citrus Red Wine Sauce Recipe for Steak, Chicken, Duck, Pork, Lamb & Salmon

A Versatile, Easy and Simple Citrus Red Wine Reduction Sauce for Most Meat, Poultry, and Sturdy Fish

This citrus red wine sauce recipe belongs in every home cook's repertoire. Not only is it quick - it takes about 20 minutes to prepare - but it's simple and easy, requiring five (or even four) ingredients and minimal work. Yet the most appealing aspect of this red wine reduction sauce recipe is its versatility.

You can use this citrus red wine sauce recipe for any cut of steak, from filet mignon to strip steak to flank steak to beef tenderloin. It's also a perfect complement for pork chops, pork tenderloins, lamb chops, lamb tenderloins, and chicken or duck breast. And, though I generally consider red wine sauce too overpowering for salmon and other sturdy fish, this particular recipe can pass as an exception.

Ingredients:

(makes about 4-6 servings, depending on what you're using it for)

1 cup dry red wine
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp unsalted butter
sprinkle of orange zest
pinch of sea salt

Yes, that's all it takes for a one-sauce-fits-all finisher for steak, pork, lamb, chicken, duck, and salmon.

Most red wine sauce recipes call for a dry red wine. While it usually provides the best results, it's more important in this recipe than many others. Typical red wine reduction sauces are made with potent (and often salty) ingredients like soy sauce, chicken or vegetable stocks, meat juices, balsamic vinegar, mustard, garlic, shallots, mushrooms, and heavy seasoning. Thus, they can handle a little sweetness. However, the citrus element of this recipe adds significant sweetness to the sauce, and you easily risk it becoming undesirably sweet if you don't use a dry wine.

Either a Cabernet Sauvignon or a red Zinfandel is the best option, especially for steak. However, a Pinot Noir or Bordeaux also makes an excellent base for this red wine sauce recipe.

Bring the wine to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to medium and let the wine reduce by half. Once it's there, stir in the orange juice and zest, and add the sea salt. Finally, add the butter, stirring continuously. By the time the butter is fully melted and incorporated, your citrus red wine sauce is finished. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can let it simmer a few minutes longer.