Which cooking technique is used to dissolve the thin glaze left on a pan after cooking?

• A. Deglaze
• B. Deep fry
• C. Clarified butter
• D. Coulis

Answer: (A)

When you finish cooking in a pan, you often have a layer of browned bits left on the bottom. The way to dissolve that glaze is by deglazing—add a liquid such as wine, stock, or water to the hot pan and scrape, spooning or swirling to lift the fond from the surface. The liquid captures those flavorful bits, creating a tasty pan sauce as it reduces. This is different from deep frying, which uses hot oil to cook foods; clarified butter, while a cooking fat, isn’t used to dissolve the glaze; and a coulis is a puréed fruit or vegetable sauce, not a method for cleaning the pan.