Black Currant Reduction (Printable)

A deeply flavorful, concentrated sauce featuring black currants, red wine, and aromatic herbs—perfect for elevating duck, pork, venison, or charcuterie with a tangy-sweet finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 1 cup fresh or frozen black currants

→ Liquids

02 - 1 cup dry red wine
03 - 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
04 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

→ Aromatics

05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
06 - 1 sprig fresh thyme
07 - 1 bay leaf

→ Sweetener & Seasoning

08 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Finish

11 - 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add chopped shallot and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Add black currants, red wine, stock, balsamic vinegar, thyme sprig, bay leaf, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly.
03 - Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by approximately half and achieves a slightly syrupy consistency.
04 - Remove thyme sprig and bay leaf from the sauce.
05 - Using a fine mesh strainer, strain sauce into a clean saucepan, pressing solids to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
06 - Return strained sauce to low heat and whisk in remaining cold butter cubes one at a time until sauce is glossy and smooth.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm drizzled over roasted meats or charcuterie.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms humble pantry ingredients into a sauce that tastes like you spent hours perfecting it.
  • Works magic on everything from duck to pork to a cheese board, making you look like you know what you're doing.
  • Actually gets better when made ahead, so you can impress people without stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip straining—the pulp will make the sauce grainy, and you'll regret it when it lands on your beautiful plate.
  • Cold butter added to a sauce that's too hot will break and separate, so keep the heat low and patient when mounting at the end.
03 -
  • Taste the sauce at every stage—the sweetness of black currants varies, so your seasoning adjustments might differ from mine.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks separated after adding butter, remove it from heat immediately and whisk in a tablespoon of cold stock to bring it back together.
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