The Essential Ingredient

Few things go as well with meat than a pan sauce, and there’s no better (or tastier) way of creating one than by deglazing.

Authentic pan sauces capture the flavour of the meat it will be served alongside, including any marinades, herbs, crusts or stuffings, and even the flavour of any vegetables cooked alongside.

Once your meat leaves the pan, whether it has been roasted, grilled or pan fried, a collection of darkened meat juices should be left behind, often stuck to the bottom of the pan.

These deposits, known as ‘sucs’ (from the French word for ‘juices’) are made up of caramelised sugars, carbohydrates and proteins, and are full of concentrated flavour.

Generally, non-stick cookware does not create the same result, the juices instead burning into lumps at the bottom of the pan. For this reason, most chefs prefer to use aluminium or stainless steel trays and pans.

The best way of collection and utilising these juices is with the classic technique known as ‘deglazing’, and it couldn’t be simpler.

First, remove the meat and any vegetables from the pan. The meat will need to rest, and this will give you ample time for sauce-making.

Next, remove as much of the rendered fat from the pan as you can. With some pans or trays this can be done by carefully pouring off the top layer, though usually it is far easier (and far less messy) to remove them with a spoon.

Choose an appropriate liquid. Your choice will depend on the type of sauce you wish to create, and every chef has their own preference, but options include wine, vinegar, stock, verjuice or a spirit.

Adding this liquid to the pan, still over heat, helps you to scrape all of the caramelised material from the bottom of the pan. Use a wooden spoon or whisk for best results.

This resulting liquid, known as a ’fond’ (French for ‘foundation’) can be served as it is, once seasoned to taste.

Alternatively, this fond can be used as a base (or ‘foundation’) for many other sauces, whether by adding flour, corn flour, butter or cream.

It can also be reduced to create a rich jus.

As with every other cookery technique, the finished product is only as good as the ingredients that went in to it. The Essential Ingredients stocks a wide variety of vinegars and verjuice from around the world that are perfect for deglazing (we recommend a good red wine vinegar for beef!), as well as the highest quality roasting trays and frying pans.

Visit your nearest Essential Ingredient store to find out more.

Posted under Essential Inspiration, Featured.