Word of the Day: "Deglaze"

Chefs all over the world are deglazing their pans, but … what does that mean?

Luckily, deglazing is simple. It is the process of using a “deglazing liquid” to loosen the cooked and caramelized bits from the bottom of your pan. First, you want to remove the main dish, say a roasted meat for example, and then pour off the excess fat from the pan. Then add a few tablespoons, or enough to cover the bottom of your pan, and use a spatula (here comes that rubber spatula again!) to loosen the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the liquid to come to a boil for just a few seconds and then remove from the heat.

But why?: Those caramelized bits that stick to the bottom of the pan are packed with yummy flavor and the liquid makes a great start for gravies and sauces.

One more thing: Your deglazing liquid can be just about any liquid you choose, but most often it is water, stock, lemon juice, or wine. Just make sure the wine gets in the pan….

Deglazing: It doesn’t just sound fancy…. It’s sassy!