For a pan sauce, you only need 5–15 minutes, while sauce made with braising liquid might take closer to 15–30 minutes to reduce down to the perfect viscosity. Recipes for Thanksgiving gravy, a balsamic reduction, cider-braised pork chops, and countless others call for “reducing the sauce.” Once the sauce reaches the desired consistency, add the meat back in and rewarm it over gentle heat, spooning the sauce over. Simmer uncovered and in a wide pan: Sauces need surface area to reduce. If you only have a small pot on hand, the sauce will still reduce, but you’ll need to budget extra time because it’ll take longer.