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Success with Sauces

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How to make top-notch pan sauces

It’s impossible to trace back to when the first hungry cook thought that detaching the flavour
from the bottom of the pan was a good idea, but one thing’s for sure we’re glad it
happened. The making of a pan sauce is the natural progression of a dish and it’s invaluable
to know how to make use of the caramelised goodness that’s left behind.

The hotter the pan, the better the caramelisation
The crunchy little bits of caramelised meat and juice that stick to the base of the pan during
frying are what you’re looking for when making a pan sauce. A hot pan will give you
excellent caramelisation. Obviously you don’t want your sauce to have a burnt flavour, so
keep an eye on the pan while you fry and adjust the heat if needed.

Test the pan for hotness
Hold your hand 2cm above the surface of the pan. If you can’t keep it there (careful not to
burn yourself!), you’ll know the pan is hot enough to add the oil and start frying. Another
indicator of correct pan heat is if the oil starts to smoke a little once you add it to the pan.

Season the meat before you cook it
Seasoning doesn’t need to happen hours in advance but rather just before you apply heat
to whatever meat you’re cooking. This will help a beautiful caramel crust to form on the
outside of the meat and is the best way for the seasoning flavours to permeate the meat.
You won’t get the same results by seasoning your meat after cooking it, so don’t forget this

important step.

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