Featured Recipe
Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
By Kate
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A savory sauce built on browned mushrooms and a tangy red wine base. Uses salted butter for flavor punch and replaces beef broth with chicken stock for a lighter finish. Cornstarch thickens but arrowroot powder works if needed. Fresh rosemary swaps thyme, adding earthiness. Timing varies with mushroom moisture, cooking till they shrink visibly and liquid reduces to a glossy coating. Garlic powder swapped for fresh minced garlic to deepen aroma. Cook low and slow after wine addition to prevent bitterness. Salt and pepper finish. Great for steak, pork, or roasted veggies. Watch texture closely to avoid gluey sauce.
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Prep:
10 min
Cook:
28 min
Total:
38 min
Serves:
4 servings
sauces
mushrooms
red wine
American cuisine
Introduction
Mushrooms. Moist, slippery, earthy little flavor bombs. Want them browned right? Start hot, let them sweat water out then get those brown bits. Butter makes them sing but use salted to shortcut seasoning. Ditch beef broth this round; chicken stock works, lighter and more versatile. Red wine is the acid that cuts through richness but don’t rush the simmer after adding it; slow simmer coax flavors together without bitterness. Rosemary swapped in for thyme, woodsy and piney to brighten. Garlic powder gets kicked to fresh minced for punchier aroma. Thickener arrowroot for a clear finish, cornstarch can gum up. The key? Watch for reduction, smell, texture. Serve then. Practice makes perfect sauce. No guesswork left to chance.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Use salted butter; it layers seasoning and richness, cutting back salt later. Cremini mushrooms give balanced earthiness but white button or shiitake can swap if needed—adjust cook time as some mushrooms release more water. Chicken stock instead of beef broth lightens sauce, good for less intense pairs like pork or chicken. Dry red wine adds acid and complexity; a good table wine works fine, avoid anything sweet. Fresh rosemary brings aromatic punch replacing thyme; don’t overdo or it browns bitter. Fresh garlic doubles aroma compared to powder but powder is great for speed. Arrowroot powder thickens crystal-clear, avoid lumps by mixing with cold water first. Cornstarch substitute okay, but sauce may look cloudy. Kosher salt and black pepper finishing touch; add incrementally to balance. If no wine or stock, use strong mushroom broth or water with a splash of balsamic vinegar for acidity.
Method
Technique Tips
Start hot to get mushrooms browned correctly—this step building deep flavors you can’t fake. Mushrooms must visibly shrink and color before adding liquids; soggy mushrooms equal dull sauce. Reduce heat before liquids to avoid harsh boil that makes wine bitter. Watch bubbles; slow gentle simmer signals reduction underway. Smell will shift from raw alcohol and sharp garlic to herbs and sweet mushroom aroma when ready. Pull rosemary before thickening to avoid woody fibers ruining sauce texture. Always pre-mix arrowroot slurry to avoid clumps. Cornstarch or arrowroot thickens the sauce fast; stir while adding to prevent lumps and over-thickening. Use taste and texture, not just time, as guideposts. Finish with salt and pepper. Adjust thickness last minute with stock or water; better to thin than gluey and dry. Keep warm gently; don’t scorch on high.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use salted butter. Adds flavor, richness. Cuts back on later salt. Get it hot before mushrooms hit the pan. Key step. Brown those mushrooms well.
- 💡 Cremini mushrooms preferred. They caramelize well. If using others, watch water release. Shiitake? Drier. Might need adjustments. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
- 💡 Patience with liquid reduction. Rushing results in bitterness. Gentle simmer preferred. Bubbles small but steady. When coating knife shiny, you're close.
- 💡 Arrowroot slurry avoids lumps. Mix cold water first. Drizzle into simmering sauce slowly. Stir constantly. Texture matters. Thick sauce = clingy, not gloop.
- 💡 Adjust seasonings at end. Start with salt light, it multiplies. Take a taste test often. Fresh rosemary not to overpower but add depth. Pinch black pepper last.
