Deglazing

Deglazing

Recover all the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan

The technique

Remove the meat or vegetables from the pan, and pour a cold liquid (wine, broth, or water) directly onto the caramelized browned bits. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spatula while the liquid simmers: the brown particles loosen and dissolve into the pan juices.

When to use

Right after searing meat, vegetables, or mushrooms in a hot pan, before making a sauce. It is the foundation of many pan juices and pan sauces, from the simplest to the most elaborate.

Common mistakes

1. Pouring a hot liquid over already burnt bits will not save anything; it is bitter
2. Not scraping hard enough leaves the best browned bits stuck to the bottom
3. Waiting too long after cooking: the browned bits cool and harden

The cue

The liquid should simmer and foam when it hits the hot bottom, almost sizzling. The bottom of the pan becomes clean and shiny again after about thirty seconds of scraping: that is the signal that everything has dissolved into the sauce.