Deglaze

Deglazing designates the operation of adding cold liquid (wine, stock, water, vinegar) to a hot pan after cooking meat or fish, in order to detach the caramelised sucs and incorporate them into the sauce. The gesture is fundamental in classical French sauce-making and remains a frequent technical test in cooking competitions. Deglazing temperature must exceed the boiling point of the liquid for sucs dissolution to be immediate. Good mastery of deglazing signals a solid classical training (Source: Auguste Escoffier, Le Guide culinaire, 1903).