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.
Cooking in the UK?
View this guide for UK kitchens.
Why It Matters
Every time you roast mushrooms, caramelise onions or sear tofu, you leave behind layers of concentrated flavour. Deglazing rescues it all.
Step-by-Step: Deglazing a Pan
- After cooking your main ingredient, remove it from the pan and set aside. Leave the heat on medium-high.
- Add your deglazing liquid (wine, stock, soy sauce, balsamic) - it will hiss and steam vigorously.
- Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula, loosening all the dark bits stuck to the surface.
- Reduce the liquid by half, stirring constantly, until it becomes a syrupy glaze.
- 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.
Related Techniques
Watch this technique on video
In our Cook Like A Pro course, chefs Rupert Worden and Lisa Hinze teaches vegan cooking techniques like deglazing a pan with step-by-step video demonstrations tailored for American home cooks.
Explore the course Browse all techniques