I'm making a pomegranate-balsamic reduction. It's just begun reducing, and it has a fairly strong bitter aftertaste. Should I be worried?

Susan is a recipe tester for Food52.

added 5 months ago

If it's bitter I would add more honey. You want the sauce to have a good consistency so I would compensate with the honey rather than stop. Let us know how it goes!

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Thanks! I was just worried that the honey wouldn't really counteract the bitterness, so I would just have something that's supersweet, with a bitter aftertaste!

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Susan is a recipe tester for Food52.

added 5 months ago

It might be your balsamic vinegar. Is it old?

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Brand new! Just bought it today

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Susan is a recipe tester for Food52.

added 5 months ago

Hmmm how is it now?

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Update: The reduction's done! It's still a little bitter, but not anything overwhelming. I added a lot of extra honey and a bit more balsamic. The fam tried it, and they seem to like it, so, I guess it all works out! Next time, I may start with pomegranate molasses and go from there... Thanks for the help!

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Susan is a recipe tester for Food52.

added 5 months ago

Pomegranate molasses is delicious, good idea!

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pierino is a trusted source on General Cooking and Tough Love.

added 5 months ago

Basically what you were making is called "gastrique". Typically you would add sugar rather than honey but either way it should still work, but also all balsamic vinegars are not created equal. Some of the supermarket variety are terrible and I don't care if they came from Modena. Balsamic doesn't spoil so it can't be "too old."

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