Skip to content

Kitchen Tip: How to Make a Pan Sauce 2 Ways

View Recipe

Tips, video and photography provided by Heinen’s partner, Chef Billy Parisi.

It’s the season for soups, stews and all things comfort food, and if there’s one way to add extra flavor and decadence to your favorite protein-based dishes, it’s a pan sauce!

Pan Sauce

Pan sauces are easy to make and can be modified in countless ways to match the flavor of the meat or seafood you’re serving. Here are the two pan sauces that are always on rotation in my kitchen!

  • The Red Wine Brown Sauce pairs well with steak, pork and chicken.
  • The Butter Caper sauce will taste great with fish or chicken.

Let’s cook!

Kitchen Tip: How to Make a Pan Sauce 2 Ways

Kitchen Tip: How to Make a Pan Sauce 2 Ways

Ingredients

For the Red Wine Brown Sauce

  • 1 stick + 1 Tbsp. Heinen’s unsalted butter, cut up
  • ½ diced shallot, peeled and small
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 2 cups Heinen’s beef stock
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Butter Caper Sauce

  • 1 stick + 1 Tbsp. Heinen’s unsalted butter, cut up
  • ½ diced shallot, peeled and small
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 2 Tbsp. Heinen’s capers
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the Red Wine Sauce (Best served with chicken, pork or steak)

  1. Remove the chicken, pork or beef from the pan and add 1 Tbsp. of butter along with the shallots and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
  2. Deglaze with the wine and lemon juice and cook until there are only about 2 Tbsp. of liquid remaining.
  3. Pour in the beef stock and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half. It should be much thicker
  4. Finish with 1 Tbsp. of butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Serve with chicken, pork or beef.

For the Butter Caper Sauce (Best served with pan-seared chicken or fish)

  1. Remove the chicken or fish from the pan and add 1 Tbsp. of butter along with the shallots and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
  2. Deglaze with the wine and lemon juice and cook until there are only about 2 Tbsp. of liquid remaining.
  3. Turn off the heat off and add the remaining 1 stick of butter (cut up). Swirl the pan around to melt the butter and emulsify it into the wine and lemon liquid.
  4. Finish with capers, parsley, salt and pepper. Serve with chicken or fish.

Chef Billy Parisi

By Chef Billy Parisi

Chef Billy Parisi is a culinary school grad who spent 15 years in the restaurant industry as a line cook, sous chef and executive chef. Now he develops, photographs and films simple and delicious recipes that will make everyone feel like a chef in their own kitchen.

Leave a review!

Your name will be displayed if entered. Email address will not be published.
Required fields are marked *

Related Recipes & Stories