IT’S TIME TO GET SAUCY
Master the technique with these tips for more flavourful dinners
A core principle of my cooking philosophy is to never pass up an opportunity for flavour.
So when I see cooked-on juices in the bottom of my sauté pan, I don’t see a dishwashing chore. I see pan sauce.
Think of it as the difference between a plain pork chop and a pork chop anointed with glossy, intensely lip-smacking sauce that flavours the pork and elevates everything on your plate.
Pan sauces are quick, thank goodness, because you don’t want your main ingredient to cool off while you’re fussing.
The choreography is actually quite beautiful: Sauté, then whip up the sauce while the star rests (which makes it juicier).
The process has two parts: 1) capturing flavour deposited in the pan by the ingredient you just cooked, and 2) enhancing that flavour. The capture part happens by “deglazing,” which means dissolving the cooked-on meat juices using liquid, from tap water to champagne.
Those juices are vital because they’ve undergone chemical transformations during cooking (Maillard reactions) that make them super savoury. You’ve heard the term “bottom of the pan flavour,” right?
The enhancement comes through adding more liquid, plus accents, and reducing that liquid until it has concentrated in flavour and texture.
The steps are simple, but the pace is brisk, so please read all the way through and gather your ingredients before you turn on your burner.
PICK THE RIGHT PAN
Yours should have a wide, heavy base that will cook evenly and promote quick evaporation. Please don’t use non-stick; we want the juices to stick! Stainless will let you see the colour of your liquids better, also.
CHOOSE WHAT YOU’LL PUT IN IT
Pretty much anything that gives off juices can produce a pan sauce. Meat and poultry, of course, but fish, vegetables, mushrooms and even fruit are good candidates. (You can also make a pan sauce without any pan drippings, but you won’t get the same complex flavours.)
START BY COOKING IT RIGHT
You not only want to cook your ingredient (let’s call it a “chop” from now on) to the right doneness — you want to encourage a lot of juices to brown on the pan’s surface.
Start by blotting moisture with a paper towel right before seasoning. If the chop is too dewy, that moisture will cause steaming when it hits the hot pan.
We don’t want steam; we want dry heat to sear and brown the meat.
Coat the pan with a tiny bit of oil, get it very hot, put the chops in the pan and then resist the urge to tinker. You might have a cool pair of tongs, but don’t use them just yet.
Let the chops sit undisturbed for about a minute to develop a browned surface.
This prevents them from sticking to the pan, and it encourages the sought-after cooked-on juices, which in a French kitchen is called the fond (meaning base).
When chops are cooked, transfer them to a plate (pulling the skillet off the heat so you don’t burn the fond), tent them loosely with foil and let them rest while you make the sauce.
PROTECT THE BROWNED BITS AND ADD TO THEM
Pour off any rendered fat, but take care to preserve that fond. If you wish, add finely chopped shallot or onion, garlic, fresh chili, bell pepper or something to add fragrance and flavour — an “aromatic.”
Sauté just until softened but not browned, again taking care to not burn the fond. (I’m going to make T-shirts that say “Don’t Burn the Fond.”)
DEGLAZE TWICE
This is the dramatic part. I first deglaze with a “strong ” liquid to provide a nervy backbone to the flavour, such as wine, vinegar or a spirit such as brandy.
Then I add a second liquid — the “body” liquid — which mellows the intensity of the first liquid and gives you a greater volume of sauce.
Good body liquids are chicken or vegetable broth, apple cider or — for a luxury effect — cream. To deglaze, adjust the heat so your pan is hot but you’re not going to burn the ... well, you know by now.
Then pour in your strong liquid (see below for amounts). It should sizzle energetically, but it shouldn’t evaporate immediately; if that happens, add a spoonful or two of water to reconstitute.
Stir and scrape the pan so that the juices are fully dissolved.
REDUCE
This simply means to boil a liquid so the water evaporates and the flavour compounds remain, thereby concentrating flavour and texture. Reduce your strong liquid to the point that it loses any harshness (always important when deglazing with wine), but not so much that you have no volume of liquid left; you want about a tablespoon (15 mL).
Now add your body liquid and reduce to about a third of the original volume (if your chop has given off some juices as it rests, pour them into the pan, making sure you bring them to a boil as well). Taste to find the perfect point, but generally more reduction is better than less, even if you end up with only a few spoonfuls of sauce.
ADD YOUR EXTRAS
Now is the time to add Dijon mustard, capers, lemon zest, fresh herbs or, heck, cacao nibs if you want. Just be sure the flavouring ingredients don’t need further cooking, because you’re almost finished. The sauce will have enough body at that point to leave a clear path when you draw your spatula through it.
ENRICH
The final step, which is optional but I recommend it, is to add a touch of cold butter, cream, crème fraîche or maybe even finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, which will unlock a few more flavours and produce a luscious texture.
TASTE AND ADJUST
You’re not quite done. As with anything you cook, do one final flavour check to dial it in: Taste, and a touch more salt, a grind of pepper, maybe a squeeze of lemon juice or more butter (always the right answer).
The brilliance of a pan sauce is its ability to adapt and improvise as you grow more comfortable with the process.
To get you started, here are three of my favourites, with approximate amounts. Quantities are for 2 servings, or about 12 ounces (340 g) of boneless meat or poultry, such as pork tenderloin, pork chops, chicken thighs or breasts, filet mignon or other beef steak or lamb rib chops.
Orange-chili pan sauce:
1 tsp (5 mL) finely chopped fresh chili, 1 tsp (5 mL) minced garlic, 1/4 cup (60 mL) sherry vinegar or other slightly sweet vinegar, 3/4 cup (180 mL) fresh orange juice, 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped cilantro or basil, 1 to 2 tbsp (15-30 mL) cold unsalted butter, salt and pepper.
Mustard-cream pan sauce:
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped shallot, 1/4 cup (60 mL) brandy, cognac or dry white wine, 3/4 cup (180 mL) low-sodium or homemade chicken broth, 1 tbsp (15 mL) whole-grain mustard, 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) chopped fresh rosemary, 1/4 cup (60 mL) heavy cream or crème fraîche, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, salt and lots of black pepper.
Lemon-caper pan sauce:
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped shallot, 1/4 cup (60 mL) dry white wine, 3/4 cup (180 mL) low-sodium chicken broth, 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated lemon zest, 2 tbsp (10 mL) drained capers, 1 to 2 tbsp (15-30 mL) cold unsalted butter.