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After you have finished roasting your fish, meat or poultry you may find that the bottom of the pan has a brown or dark coating, or that bits of the roast and any vegetables you used are left behind. These are delicious when used to make a sauce or gravy to accompany your meal. The process of removing this tasty residue is called deglazing. By adding this skill to your cooking repertoire, you will add depth and flavor to your meals.

First start with a hot pan. It is ideal to deglaze your pan as soon as you have removed your meat from it. Skim any obvious fat from the pan. Turn on the burner under the pan and add approximately 1/3 of a cup of liquid. It should quickly begin to bubble and come to a boil. If you add too little liquid it will simply evaporate before it has a chance to loosen any of the tasty residue. However, add to much and you will be waiting forever for it to heat up and begin to work.

Using a heat resistant spatula or spoon, vigorously stir the liquid. You should see the residue begin to dissolve and color your liquid. The pan will appear cleaner. When you are happy with the amount of residue that has dissolved into the liquid, it is best to pour it through a strainer to remove any crispy bits that would spoil the finished sauce. Pour it back into a small saucepan to allow you to keep it warm until it is needed and taste to see if any seasoning is necessary.

The liquid that you use to deglaze your pan can add flavor and dimension to the meal. Water works perfectly well, but you can also use wine, fruit and vegetable juices, beer or stocks. The governing factor is the finished dish. For chicken try white wine or cider vinegar. Red wine or a hearty ale work well with beef, and for a special treat try sparkling wine with fish. If you are using spirits or alcohol always be careful around flames.

Try adding a splash of cream or sour cream for a really rich sauce, and if your dish calls for a thicker sauce mix up a simple roux by adding butter and flour to the pan before you deglaze. It will result in a different texture all together. Mixing together your own combinations of liquids is a great way to experiment with cooking and add subtle variations to your dishes. Having a good quality stock on hand certainly helps. Your finished sauce or gravy is only ever as good as the ingredients that go into it, so if something starts out bland or not tasting to your liking, chances are cooking with it wont improve it.

When you are roasting try not to use a non stick pan. If you do, you will get a lot less residue at the bottom of the pan, and a lot less flavor when you deglaze. It is also important to learn the difference between a burnt pan and one that is just perfectly toasted to perfection. Deglazing a burnt pan will result in a burnt and bitter aftertaste and could ruin your meal. Always pay close attention to your nose and if the pan simply smells burnt, it may not be a good idea to deglaze it at all. If in doubt always make sure you taste the deglazed liquids before using them.

Learn more about this author, Julie Wood.
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