Achieving Perfect Sauce Consistency and Mounting

Professional sauce consistency comes from proper reduction ratios and butter mounting technique. The base liquid should reduce by half to concentrate flavors appropriately. Mounting with cold butter (monter au beurre) creates glossy finish and rich mouthfeel while helping bind the sauce. Add cold butter cubes one at a time off heat, whisking constantly to create stable emulsion. This technique gives restaurant-quality sheen and silky texture. The finished sauce should coat a spoon lightly but flow freely. If too thick, thin with warm stock; if too thin, reduce further or mount with additional butter. Temperature control is crucial - too much heat breaks the butter emulsion.