Deglazing a Pan

Deglazing is the technique of adding liquid to a hot pan to dissolve the browned, flavour-rich deposits (called 'fond' or 'sucs') left from cooking. In vegan cooking, you lose nothing by skipping dairy - wine, stock, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, citrus juice and even water all deglaze beautifully, lifting all the concentrated flavour from the pan into your sauce.

Step-by-Step: Deglazing a Pan

1. After cooking your main ingredient, remove it from the pan and set aside. Leave the heat on medium-high.
2. Add your deglazing liquid (wine, stock, soy sauce, balsamic) - it will hiss and steam vigorously.
3. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula, loosening all the dark bits stuck to the surface.
4. Reduce the liquid by half, stirring constantly, until it becomes a syrupy glaze.
5. Add additional stock or ingredients to build a full sauce, or use the glaze as-is to coat the returned ingredients.

Chef's Tips

• Cold liquid in a hot pan creates better evaporation and flavour development - don't worry about the splash.
• Red wine, white wine, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, miso broth and vegetable stock all make brilliant deglazing liquids.
• Never wash a pan with good fond in it before deglazing - that dark layer is the most flavourful part of any roast.

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