Black Currant Reduction Sauce (Printable)

Rich, tangy-sweet sauce blending black currants with red wine and herbs for an elegant finish to roasted meats.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 and 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

# Steps:

01 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the chopped shallot and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Add the black currants, red wine, stock, balsamic vinegar, thyme, 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 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by about half and slightly syrupy.
04 - Remove the thyme sprig and bay leaf from the sauce.
05 - Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the sauce into a clean saucepan, pressing down to extract all liquid and discard solids.
06 - Return the strained sauce to low heat and whisk in the remaining cold butter cubes, one at a time, until the sauce is glossy and smooth.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm drizzled over roasted meats or charcuterie.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms ordinary roasted meat into something restaurant-worthy without pretension or stress.
  • The balance of tart black currant and wine is genuinely addictive, and somehow works with almost everything you'd serve it beside.
  • You can make it ahead, which means one less thing to manage when you're actually cooking dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip the straining step—leaving the currant solids in makes the sauce grainy and muddy instead of silky and refined.
  • Add the butter at the very end and right before serving, because whisking it in too early or reheating roughly will break the emulsion and make it separate.
  • The sauce thickens more as it cools, so if it seems a touch thin when you taste it hot, it will be perfect once it sits for a minute.
03 -
  • Keep your butter really cold before you whisk it in—it emulsifies better and creates that glossy finish you're after.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks separated when you reheat it, whisk in a tablespoon of cold stock off the heat and it usually comes back together.
Go Back