The day I stopped deglazing with water and started using stock

For like 7 years straight I'd just splash water in the pan after searing meat. Thought it was fine, got some brown bits loose, moved on. Then this old sous chef at a place in Portland grabbed my wrist one shift and asked why I was making 'sad pan juice.' He dumped that water out, hit the pan with chicken stock instead, and the fond just melted right off. The color went from cloudy gray to deep brown in seconds. I felt like an idiot for wasting all those years. Now I keep a quart of stock on the line at all times for deglazing. Has anyone else had that moment where a simple swap just clicked for your cooking?

2 comments

2 Comments

jessica_dixon3d ago

Oh man that reminds me of the time I spent years using olive oil for everything including searing steak, just couldn't figure out why it tasted burnt all the time, then someone finally told me about avocado oil and it was like a whole new world opened up lol.

jana_price3d ago

Chicken stock changed my game too. I keep quart containers of homemade veggie and chicken stock in the freezer now. Saves me time and makes every pan sauce taste way better than water ever could.

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