Frying up a steak indoors is no big trick, but finishing it with a nice reduction sauce is a little extra challenge and work. The work part is cleaning the gosh-darn stove afterwards because the wine and grease splatter everywhere in a fine haze.
When I still had my Viking I made reduction sauces all the time. Maybe I had more energy then. It was also quicker because the burners ran like blow torches. It was also great for searing meat and it had a thrilling hot infrared broiler. I have never gotten over my love affair with that professional stove. But you know the story-- the Viking was overpowered for my little galley of a kitchen.
My current gas range doesn't have that kind of oomph, but I don't worry as much about burning down the house. It does all the same things, you just need a little more patience. For a steak, I heat my indestructible cast iron skillet on the hottest burner for at least 10 minutes. (This is not a job for your fine cookware.)
I like my steak medium-rare and John likes medium-well, so I shoot for the middle ground. Yes, we share a big steak between us and try not to fight. The cook gets the bone. Those days of gobbling down one apiece are over.
After the steak was cooked and resting, I added about 1/3 bottle of red wine and let it boil down until it was almost syrupy...
When all is said and done, you'll wind up with about quarter cup of delicious glaze. And a big mess, of course. But worth it, once in a long while.
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