Making Pan Sauces: The Finish
A pan sauce turns a plain seared steak or chop into a restaurant-grade dinner. It relies entirely on the quality of the bits left in the pan after the sear.
Don't wash the pan yet
Your success depends on the fond—those brown, sticky bits at the bottom of the pan. If your pan is scorched black rather than deep brown, the sauce will taste bitter.
- Stainless steel or cast iron skillet
- Wooden spoon or flat-edged spatula
- Whisk
What goes in.
- 1shallot, minced fine
- 1/2 cupdry wine, broth, or stock
- 2 tbspcold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tspfresh herbs, chopped
Scraping the fond
When the liquid hits the hot pan, use your spoon to aggressively scrape the bottom. You are physically pulling the flavor into the liquid.
The method.
Remove the meat
Take your cooked meat out of the pan and let it rest on a board. Leave the fat and the brown bits in the pan.
Sauté the aromatics
If you have too much fat, pour off all but a thin film. Add the minced shallot and cook over medium heat until it softens and smells fragrant, about 60 seconds.
Deglaze
Pour in your wine or stock. It will hiss and steam. Immediately scrape the bottom of the pan until all the brown bits are dissolved into the liquid.
Reduce
Keep the heat at medium-high. Let the liquid boil until it has reduced by about half and coats the back of a spoon.
Mount with butter
Turn the heat to low. Whisk in the cold butter one cube at a time. Do not let the sauce boil once the butter is in, or it will break.
Finish
Stir in your herbs and pour the sauce over the resting meat immediately.
Other turns to take.
Balsamic Reduction
Use balsamic vinegar as your liquid and skip the butter.
Cream Finish
Add a splash of heavy cream instead of butter for a richer, lighter-colored sauce.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the pan is dry before you start, add a tiny splash of oil.
Use cold butter. It emulsifies into the liquid; warm butter will just melt into oil.
If the sauce tastes too thin, keep boiling it; patience is the only thickener required.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use a non-stick pan?
You can, but non-stick pans are engineered to prevent fond from sticking. You will get a sauce, but it will lack the depth of flavor you get from stainless steel.
What if my sauce breaks?
If the butter separates into oil, pull the pan off the heat and whisk in a teaspoon of cold water or cream to bring the emulsion back together.
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