Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY strip in a
pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak out, added butter
and shallots - let cook a few - then added a small pinch of flour - let
cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab $9ish). Well what I wound up with
was a pan sauce that tasted like sour grape juice. I always get great
tasting pan sauces with chicken stock or beef stock but I can't seem to
get a sauce made with wine tasting anything but sour. Am I missing
something here?

~john

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 21:43:44 -0500, ::Levelwave::
> wrote:

> Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY strip in a
> pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak out, added butter
> and shallots - let cook a few - then added a small pinch of flour - let
> cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab $9ish). Well what I wound up with
> was a pan sauce that tasted like sour grape juice. I always get great
> tasting pan sauces with chicken stock or beef stock but I can't seem to
> get a sauce made with wine tasting anything but sour. Am I missing
> something here?
>
Throw wine first, then reduce the sauce...


sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

::Levelwave:: wrote:
> Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY strip in
> a pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak out, added
> butter and shallots - let cook a few - then added a small pinch of
> flour - let cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab $9ish). Well what I
> wound up with was a pan sauce that tasted like sour grape juice. I
> always get great tasting pan sauces with chicken stock or beef stock
> but I can't seem to get a sauce made with wine tasting anything but
> sour. Am I missing something here?
>
> ~john

I've made a wonderful wine sauce with a merlot from the pan drippings of NY
strip steak done in a little olive oil with garlic. Don't know what you're
missing; it only takes a splash. The cabernet should have done the trick.
$$ don't count in terms of cooking with wine as long as you aren't using
that cruddy "cooking wine" stuff. So, sorry, John, not sure where it went
wrong. Try, try again

Jill

jmcquown wrote:

> I've made a wonderful wine sauce with a merlot from the pan drippings of NY
> strip steak done in a little olive oil with garlic. Don't know what you're
> missing; it only takes a splash. The cabernet should have done the trick.
> $$ don't count in terms of cooking with wine as long as you aren't using
> that cruddy "cooking wine" stuff. So, sorry, John, not sure where it went
> wrong. Try, try again

Well I did add about a half a cup of wine. Maybe that's where I went
wrong. Might as well just poured my glass over my steak.

Also - Adding the Shallots AFTER the wine seems strange. Seems I would
add the shallots to the empty pan and let it cook in the remaining fat
first. Then deglaze and add the butter.

~john

"::Levelwave::" > wrote in message
...
>
> Well I did add about a half a cup of wine. Maybe that's where I went
> wrong. Might as well just poured my glass over my steak.

Half a cup does sound like too much for one steak. Perhaps 1/4 cup would be
fine.

> Also - Adding the Shallots AFTER the wine seems strange. Seems I would
> add the shallots to the empty pan and let it cook in the remaining fat
> first. Then deglaze and add the butter.

It is strange. Of course you sauté the shallots first. Your process was fine
except for too much wine and the addition of flour. You do not want flour in
there! For a Cabernet, I would use olive oil instead of butter, but butter
works. I use butter when deglazing with cognac, other brandys, or distilled
liquors such as whiskey, rum, etc.

Charlie

> ~john

On 2004-10-22, : : Levelwave : : > wrote:

> Also - Adding the Shallots AFTER the wine seems strange. Seems I would
> add the shallots to the empty pan and let it cook in the remaining fat
> first. Then deglaze and add the butter.

Yep.

Cook steak in enough oil to do shallots when steak done. Add shallots and
herbs and saute for about 30-40 secs. Add wine (1/4 C) to deglaze and let
reduce to half. Put steak on microwave heated plate. Add two pats of cold
butter to reduced wine sauce and swirl around till melted and pull off heat.
Adjust s&s. Some prefer to strain shallots, some don't. Pour sauce over
steak and pour a glass of wine ...enjoy!

nb

"::Levelwave::" > wrote in message
...
>
> Well I did add about a half a cup of wine. Maybe that's where I went
> wrong. Might as well just poured my glass over my steak.

Half a cup does sound like too much for one steak. Perhaps 1/4 cup would be
fine.

> Also - Adding the Shallots AFTER the wine seems strange. Seems I would
> add the shallots to the empty pan and let it cook in the remaining fat
> first. Then deglaze and add the butter.

It is strange. Of course you sauté the shallots first. Your process was fine
except for too much wine and the addition of flour. You do not want flour in
there! For a Cabernet, I would use olive oil instead of butter, but butter
works. I use butter when deglazing with cognac, other brandys, or distilled
liquors such as whiskey, rum, etc.

Charlie

> ~john

On 2004-10-22, : : Levelwave : : > wrote:

> Also - Adding the Shallots AFTER the wine seems strange. Seems I would
> add the shallots to the empty pan and let it cook in the remaining fat
> first. Then deglaze and add the butter.

Yep.

Cook steak in enough oil to do shallots when steak done. Add shallots and
herbs and saute for about 30-40 secs. Add wine (1/4 C) to deglaze and let
reduce to half. Put steak on microwave heated plate. Add two pats of cold
butter to reduced wine sauce and swirl around till melted and pull off heat.
Adjust s&s. Some prefer to strain shallots, some don't. Pour sauce over
steak and pour a glass of wine ...enjoy!

nb

jmcquown wrote:

> I've made a wonderful wine sauce with a merlot from the pan drippings of NY
> strip steak done in a little olive oil with garlic. Don't know what you're
> missing; it only takes a splash. The cabernet should have done the trick.
> $$ don't count in terms of cooking with wine as long as you aren't using
> that cruddy "cooking wine" stuff. So, sorry, John, not sure where it went
> wrong. Try, try again

Well I did add about a half a cup of wine. Maybe that's where I went
wrong. Might as well just poured my glass over my steak.

Also - Adding the Shallots AFTER the wine seems strange. Seems I would
add the shallots to the empty pan and let it cook in the remaining fat
first. Then deglaze and add the butter.

~john

::Levelwave:: > wrote in message >...
> Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY strip in a
> pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak out, added butter
> and shallots - let cook a few - then added a small pinch of flour - let
> cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab $9ish). Well what I wound up with
> was a pan sauce that tasted like sour grape juice. I always get great
> tasting pan sauces with chicken stock or beef stock but I can't seem to
> get a sauce made with wine tasting anything but sour. Am I missing
> something here?
>

You want to put the deglazing liquid in first, before the shallots, in
order to lift the flavors from the pan. So do wine, then butter, then
shallots.

I use sherry to deglaze frequently and like the results even though I
don't like to drink the sherry.

Susan B.

On 22 Oct 2004 08:56:23 -0700, (sueb)
wrote:

> I use sherry to deglaze frequently and like the results even though I
> don't like to drink the sherry.

You use dry sherry with red meat? I use it with pork and
chicken... haven't considered it with beef although a cup of
cream sherry is absolutely WONDERFUL in pot roast (add it at
the beginning).

sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

::Levelwave:: wrote:

> Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY strip in a
> pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak out, added butter
> and shallots - let cook a few - then added a small pinch of flour - let
> cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab $9ish). Well what I wound up with
> was a pan sauce that tasted like sour grape juice. I always get great
> tasting pan sauces with chicken stock or beef stock but I can't seem to
> get a sauce made with wine tasting anything but sour. Am I missing
> something here?

I had one of the best sauces I have ever made tonight. I had cooked some
beef tenderloin steaks with such a touch of olive oil after giving them a
good dose of coarsely ground pepper on each side. Started off on high heat
and turned the pan down after searing, then about 2 more minutes on each
side managing to get one nice and rare and the other medium by starting one
a little earlier and taking the second one off while the other was cooked
past my version of perfection . I took the steaks out to sit while I
prepared the sauce by adding some dry red wine to deglaze, a nob of butter
to thicken it, a few drops of lemon juice and healthy dash of
Worchestershire sauce.

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:34:05 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>
> ::Levelwave:: wrote:
>
> > Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY strip in a
> > pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak out, added butter
> > and shallots - let cook a few - then added a small pinch of flour - let
> > cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab $9ish). Well what I wound up with
> > was a pan sauce that tasted like sour grape juice. I always get great
> > tasting pan sauces with chicken stock or beef stock but I can't seem to
> > get a sauce made with wine tasting anything but sour. Am I missing
> > something here?
>
> I had one of the best sauces I have ever made tonight. I had cooked some
> beef tenderloin steaks with such a touch of olive oil after giving them a
> good dose of coarsely ground pepper on each side. Started off on high heat
> and turned the pan down after searing, then about 2 more minutes on each
> side managing to get one nice and rare and the other medium by starting one
> a little earlier and taking the second one off while the other was cooked
> past my version of perfection . I took the steaks out to sit while I
> prepared the sauce by adding some dry red wine to deglaze, a nob of butter
> to thicken it, a few drops of lemon juice and healthy dash of
> Worchestershire sauce.

Sounds good, Dave but I've never come to grips with pan
frying steak, though. I don't care how many times they show
it on TV, it just isn't right.

sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

sf wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:34:05 -0400, Dave Smith
> > wrote:
>
>>
>> ::Levelwave:: wrote:
>>
>> > Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY
>> strip in a > pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak
>> out, added butter > and shallots - let cook a few - then added a
>> small pinch of flour - let > cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab
>> $9ish). Well what I wound up with > was a pan sauce that tasted
>> like sour grape juice. I always get great > tasting pan sauces with
>> chicken stock or beef stock but I can't seem to > get a sauce made
>> with wine tasting anything but sour. Am I missing > something here?
>>
>> I had one of the best sauces I have ever made tonight. I had cooked
>> some beef tenderloin steaks with such a touch of olive oil after
>> giving them a good dose of coarsely ground pepper on each side.
>> Started off on high heat and turned the pan down after searing,
>> then about 2 more minutes on each side managing to get one nice and
>> rare and the other medium by starting one a little earlier and
>> taking the second one off while the other was cooked past my
>> version of perfection . I took the steaks out to sit while I
>> prepared the sauce by adding some dry red wine to deglaze, a nob
>> of butter to thicken it, a few drops of lemon juice and healthy
>> dash of Worchestershire sauce.
>
> Sounds good, Dave but I've never come to grips with pan
> frying steak, though. I don't care how many times they show
> it on TV, it just isn't right.
>
> sf
> Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Sure it is. The Frug did it with NY Strip and it works perfectly well for
me. Saute some minced garlic in olive oil first, then as Dave mentioned,
pepper the steak and heavily. Pan fry it to just rare or med-rare. It's
really delicious! And his wine sauce sounds right on target.

Jill

sf wrote:

> Sounds good, Dave but I've never come to grips with pan
> frying steak, though. I don't care how many times they show
> it on TV, it just isn't right.


You're right... but for those of us who unfortunately call an apartment
our humble abode, we have no other choice.

~john

sf wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 22:34:05 -0400, Dave Smith
> > wrote:
>
>>
>> ::Levelwave:: wrote:
>>
>> > Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY
>> strip in a > pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak
>> out, added butter > and shallots - let cook a few - then added a
>> small pinch of flour - let > cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab
>> $9ish). Well what I wound up with > was a pan sauce that tasted
>> like sour grape juice. I always get great > tasting pan sauces with
>> chicken stock or beef stock but I can't seem to > get a sauce made
>> with wine tasting anything but sour. Am I missing > something here?
>>
>> I had one of the best sauces I have ever made tonight. I had cooked
>> some beef tenderloin steaks with such a touch of olive oil after
>> giving them a good dose of coarsely ground pepper on each side.
>> Started off on high heat and turned the pan down after searing,
>> then about 2 more minutes on each side managing to get one nice and
>> rare and the other medium by starting one a little earlier and
>> taking the second one off while the other was cooked past my
>> version of perfection . I took the steaks out to sit while I
>> prepared the sauce by adding some dry red wine to deglaze, a nob
>> of butter to thicken it, a few drops of lemon juice and healthy
>> dash of Worchestershire sauce.
>
> Sounds good, Dave but I've never come to grips with pan
> frying steak, though. I don't care how many times they show
> it on TV, it just isn't right.
>
> sf
> Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Sure it is. The Frug did it with NY Strip and it works perfectly well for
me. Saute some minced garlic in olive oil first, then as Dave mentioned,
pepper the steak and heavily. Pan fry it to just rare or med-rare. It's
really delicious! And his wine sauce sounds right on target.

Jill

sf wrote:

> Sounds good, Dave but I've never come to grips with pan
> frying steak, though. I don't care how many times they show
> it on TV, it just isn't right.


You're right... but for those of us who unfortunately call an apartment
our humble abode, we have no other choice.

~john

In article >,
::Levelwave:: > wrote:

> Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY strip in a
> pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak out, added butter
> and shallots - let cook a few - then added a small pinch of flour - let
> cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab $9ish). Well what I wound up with
> was a pan sauce that tasted like sour grape juice. I always get great
> tasting pan sauces with chicken stock or beef stock but I can't seem to
> get a sauce made with wine tasting anything but sour. Am I missing
> something here?

I do pan sauces like that all the time. You used too much wine. Use
mostly chicken or some other neutral stock, and somewhat less wine. At
the very end, add a tablespoon of cold butter (margarine does NOT work),
and whisk until just melted in. That adds a very nice body to the sauce.

Far better than canned chicken stock is stuff you make yourself. Use a
lot of skin and bones and simmer (not boil) until all the cartilage on
the bone ends is dissolved -- 24 hours or more. If you do it right, the
liquid will gel in the refrigerator. That makes dynamite pan sauces.

Isaac

::Levelwave:: wrote:
> Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY strip in
> a pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak out, added
> butter and shallots - let cook a few - then added a small pinch of
> flour - let cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab $9ish). Well what I
> wound up with was a pan sauce that tasted like sour grape juice. I
> always get great tasting pan sauces with chicken stock or beef stock
> but I can't seem to get a sauce made with wine tasting anything but
> sour. Am I missing something here?
>
> ~john

I've made a wonderful wine sauce with a merlot from the pan drippings of NY
strip steak done in a little olive oil with garlic. Don't know what you're
missing; it only takes a splash. The cabernet should have done the trick.
$$ don't count in terms of cooking with wine as long as you aren't using
that cruddy "cooking wine" stuff. So, sorry, John, not sure where it went
wrong. Try, try again

Jill

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 21:43:44 -0500, ::Levelwave::
> wrote:

> Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY strip in a
> pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak out, added butter
> and shallots - let cook a few - then added a small pinch of flour - let
> cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab $9ish). Well what I wound up with
> was a pan sauce that tasted like sour grape juice. I always get great
> tasting pan sauces with chicken stock or beef stock but I can't seem to
> get a sauce made with wine tasting anything but sour. Am I missing
> something here?
>
Throw wine first, then reduce the sauce...


sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

::Levelwave:: > wrote in message >...
> Tonight I tried to make a quick pan sauce after searing a NY strip in a
> pan and finishing it off in the oven. Pulled the steak out, added butter
> and shallots - let cook a few - then added a small pinch of flour - let
> cook then added red wine (Hardy Cab $9ish). Well what I wound up with
> was a pan sauce that tasted like sour grape juice. I always get great
> tasting pan sauces with chicken stock or beef stock but I can't seem to
> get a sauce made with wine tasting anything but sour. Am I missing
> something here?
>

You want to put the deglazing liquid in first, before the shallots, in
order to lift the flavors from the pan. So do wine, then butter, then
shallots.

I use sherry to deglaze frequently and like the results even though I
don't like to drink the sherry.

Susan B.