Reduction Sauce for Stuffed Tenderloin
This rich, flavorful Port and Balsamic Sauce elevates pork tenderloin with just a handful of ingredients and a quick stovetop preparation. In this recipe, finely chopped shallots sauté gently in butter, releasing a sweet, mellow aroma.
Then, Port wine and balsamic vinegar deglaze the pan, blending their deep, fruity, and tangy notes into a bold reduction. A splash of beef stock adds body and savory depth, rounding out the sauce into something luxurious yet balanced.
As it simmers, the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze, perfect for spooning over slices of juicy pork tenderloin. The sweet richness of the Port highlights the pork’s natural sweetness, while the balsamic vinegar cuts through with a gentle tang. The result is a sauce that tastes complex but comes together in under 20 minutes.
This sauce doesn’t just complement pork tenderloin—it enhances it. The combination of sweet, sharp, and savory flavors adds elegance and restaurant-quality polish to your plate.
It’s also incredibly versatile: try it with roasted chicken, duck, or even grilled vegetables. If you want to transform your pork dinner into something special, this sauce delivers big flavor with minimal effort. Read on for the simple steps to make it at home.
What Is a Reduction Sauce?
A reduction sauce is a culinary technique used to intensify and concentrate the flavors of a liquid by reducing its volume through simmering or boiling. It is a fundamental process employed in various cuisines to create rich, flavorful sauces that enhance the taste and presentation of dishes.
To make a reduction sauce, a liquid such as broth, wine, or vinegar is heated and allowed to simmer gently over low heat. As the liquid evaporates, the flavors become more concentrated, resulting in a thicker consistency and a more robust taste. The process also allows the natural sugars in the liquid to caramelize, adding depth and complexity to the sauce.
During the reduction, the liquid is typically seasoned with herbs, spices, or aromatics to further enhance the flavor profile. The reduction sauce is often strained at the end to remove any impurities or solid ingredients, resulting in a smooth and velvety texture.
Reduction sauces are versatile and can complement a wide range of dishes. They can be drizzled over meats, poultry, or fish or used as a base for gravies, dressings, or glazes. The concentrated flavors and thick consistency of reduction sauces add depth and sophistication to a dish, elevating it to a more refined culinary experience.
Simple Reduction Sauce for Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- ¼ cup shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup Port Marsala or red wine.
- drippings from baking pan
- 2 tablespoons balsamic or apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup beef stock
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Instructions
- In the same pot or skillet where the tenderloin was seared, melt butter and scrape up any fond left after searing using a wooden spoon.
- Sweat (to cook slowly over low heat in butter, usually covered, without browning) shallots.
- Deglaze the pan with wine, pouring in any drippings left after baking the roast.
- Add vinegar and stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and reduce by half.
2 Responses
Nice sauce. Here’s something I might do and suggest you try. Put the shallots in the pan first on very low heat, after they wilt a little add some fresh thyme and fresh sage. Then deglaze the pan with your wine, next add your stock, bring it all to a boil and reduce by half. Now add the vinegar and cook for no more that 3-4 minutes. Finish with cold butter. You get a better result of the vinegar with the sourness toward the end of the cooking.
Could you give us the recipe for the stuffed pork tenderloin that goes with this.