What's a Reduction in Cooking?

In cooking, reduction is the process of thickening and intensifying the flavor of a liquid mixture such as a soup, sauce, wine, or juice by simmering or boiling.

What does reduced mean cooking?

In the kitchen, the term “reduction” refers to a technique that delivers intensely flavored, thickened liquid simply by boiling. Whether it is a soup or a sauce, by bringing the liquid to a rapid boil, it turns into steam and escapes from the pan, in turn reducing its original volume.

Why is it called reduction in cooking?

In cooking, to reduce a liquid means to simmer it until some of the water in it has evaporated, which intensifies the flavors, thickens the liquid, and causes it to take up less volume. The concentrated liquid you end up with is called a reduction.