Why Pan Sauces make the perfect weeknight meals

[@nickfaver]

This is the essence of a great Ethan video. A lot of food videos would just say “here’s two pan sauce recipes” and leave it at that. But I love this “teach a man how to fish” approach with the customizable blueprint.

[@tannerchick4456]

Totally, teach a man to fish is so spot on.

[@yanik296]

Always liked these type of videos more. Sohla’s Off Script series have the same vibes if somebody would like to check that out

[@AFN2750]

It’s why he got big so fast, he is just one of the best out there

[@rapha2028]

he taught us how to fish and then gives us a fish as a head start

[@BareFam509]

Much more helpful!

[@bobafett4457]

Note that the sauce shouldn't be too hot when you put the butter in. If it's too hot, the butter won't emulsify

[@Tannhauser42]

That's a mistake I've made too many times. You want it just hot enough to melt the butter into the sauce.

[@Ryuujinv01]

The direct temperature for any curious, 160f is where you shouldn't be but butter separates completely at 190f. Butter itself is an emulsion that's teaching the other kids how to be cool when it shows up to the party.

[@Nythos_]

Normally you should add the butter at the very end with the heat turned off, which completely avoids this problem.

[@fishymaniac104]

OMG IS THIS THE REASON IVE BEEN SCREWING UP?????

[@bobafett4457]

@@fishymaniac104 lmao probably

[@fiartruck0125]

I learned about pan sauces from a book my brother lent me titled "How To Cook Without a Book". My favorite uses chicken fond, orange juice as the liquid, dijon mustard and rosemary as the flavor, and butter for the fat.

[@kamcorder3585]

I've got to try that now

[@Plotatothewondercat]

Damn, the author of that book was at the peak of their 'joke title' game. I applaud them.

[@marc5445]

I’m cooking chicken tonight and have some orange juice and Dijon in the house so that’s my mind made up. Thanks man!

[@aquopia]

@@Plotatothewondercat 3o

[@saskiaahaaha3464]

*gasps* That sounds... delightful.

[@andylimb]

I made a quick ‘what’s in the veggie drawer’ sauce tonight. Leeks from my garden, onion and garlic. Added some caraway and fennel seeds. Reduced with chicken stock. Made it silky with added butter. Thank you for the inspirations.

[@charliegrandine4575]

Stainless steel pans are where its at for pan sauces. You can see what's going on with the fond a lot easier.

[@mukkaar]

Yep, and acidic stuff can clean the coating from carbon steel. I basically only use stainless steel and carbon steel. Carbon steel is for heavy searing, wok like stuff and overall cooking of separate ingredients. Stainless steel is for everything else.

[@soorian6493]

@@mukkaar Not really in the amount of time it takes to make a pan sauce. If using it that way works for you, great, but carbon steels and cast irons are a lot more robust than people give them credit for.

[@EthanChlebowski]

Stainless steel works great too! I just love carbon steel for the even searing of steaks and chicken breast, but will go stainless for certain dishes as well. A lot of people worry about the acidity stripping the seasoning in carbon or cast iron, but for the short amount of time the wine is in there for a pan sauce I've never had an issue. A long reduction of a whole bottle of wine into a syrup may be a different story!

[@florbfnarb7099]

And they stick more, which is better for producing fond.

[@ujjwal7297]

@@EthanChlebowski any alternatives for minced rosemary? And what oil u used sir?

[@joshuagodinez5867]

It cleans your pan. I love that you brought this up. It saves so much time in clean-up as the liquid pulls up the stuck-on bits of fried meat. Heck, it's half the reason to make a pan sauce in the first place and the great sauce is the reward for a little extra effort.

[@paytonhankins3124]

I do this when i make my Alfredo sauce. I make blackened chicken and i leave all the chicken juices and seasons in the pan and make my sauce in that same pan. Its phenomenal.

[@Chompi2009ZeratuZ]

The Sauce naturally thickens when starts to cool, so if it's too runny let it cool a bit and check if it's the desired final consistency

[@Medsas]

my favorite way is to use leftover water from pasta... seems like it fits your thickener category and liquid at the same time!

[@munjee2]

This is genius

[@4.0.4]

Never thought of that! Great idea.

[@DaivG]

If you throw some of that starchy pasta water in an ice cube tray, you can have ice cubes available to throw in any pan sauce at any time without needing to make pasta in the same meal.

[@-Karnage]

@@DaivG genius

[@AshtonTheMelon]

To add to this, when you boil your pasta, do so with just enough water to cover the pasta. This will concentrate the starch content and really amplify your sauces. Even higher pro-tip is to do this all in the same high rim pan to avoid making extra dishes.

[@ChillestDudeEver]

I think an often overlooked benefit of making a pan sauce (mainly for red meat) is that it sort of forces you to let your meat rest a bit before serving/eating -- and since a pan sauce comes together in just a few minutes, it's usually the perfect amount of time to rest. I tend to be a bit impatient and usually don't let my meat rest sufficiently, so making a pan sauce helps make me wait.

[@ek9589]

You should let any meat rest not just red meat

[@Jehty_]

This is the first time I heard about "resting meat". Why would/should you do that? I was wondering the whole time during the video if the meat wouldn't get cold while you prepare the sauce?!

[@ek9589]

@@Jehty_ resting meat allows the juices to fully absorb into the meat. If you don’t rest it and cut into it you’ll lose so much more juice

[@TPGummyH]

@@Jehty_ Next time you're cooking two chicken breasts, try cutting first one straight as it comes off the pan, and the second after it sits around for 5 minutes, then compare the textures, juciness and mouthfeel side by side. It blew my mind how big of a difference it makes! :)

[@lawrenceredmacher4382]

you shouldn't let any meat rest. serve it as hot as you can. bUt yoU wiLL lOsE jUicEs. no you won't. the juice will be on the plate... like a sauce

[@AxelQC]

Vermouth is great for pan sauces, because it already has aromatics in it. Sauteing mushrooms adds some great umami to a sauce.

[@Osnosis]

Vermouth has a strong fennel flavor; many do not like the anise/fennel taste. That goes for Ouzo and Retsina as well.

[@ugpc1234]

What was your best vermouth Pan sauce and what did you pair it with.

[@AxelQC]

@@ugpc1234 Works really well with pork chops.

[@claytor920]

Solid video. I particularly like your format of providing the equation of the product and suggested variable values. You've used that throughout your videos (salad meal was a great one) and it's very accessible and informative template. Thanks for the info!

[@catcher881]

Whenever i make stir fry, i almost always add water in the end after plating the food and use whatever's left in the pan as a base for a soup. I'm so happy to learn that it's a real thing coz for a long time, it was me wanting to stretch out cooking 1 time into 2 side dishes and wanting to loosen up the fried brown bits on the pan and having a way to eat them because fr, the brown bits are the best

[@trevormorton8415]

@ 6:10 while adding a corn starch slurry, its important to note your sauce needs to be very hot still for the slurry to work. If perhaps you turned the heat off and later realized you want to thicken it a bit, it may have cooled too much. I have added multiple tablespoons of slurry before in frustration, then after some angry google searches, found this out. Also, you will want to season your protien before searing. Not only will the meat taste better after its cooked, the added flavour will transfer to your fond, and add more flavour to your sauce. Thank you for your videos Ethan!

[@ghostbirdofprey]

Note the temperature where cornstarch starts working is just barely below boiling. With regards to seasoning, I'd also say you should season in advance to let the flavors penetrate a bit into the meat, especially to let the salt absorb into the interior. it may draw out some moisture, however, you'll want to dry off before searing else you won't get a good sear (really you want to dry the surface regardless or if or how it got seasoned).

[@superslash7254]

Also don't plan on having any leftover sauce because cornstarch thickened sauced turn into jelly in the fridge and don't ever un-jelly afterwards.

[@trevormorton8415]

@@superslash7254 toss that jelly Into a pot with some broth or water, heat slowly and stir, it will come around 👍

[@superslash7254]

@@trevormorton8415 Into a really gross collection of rice grain/couscous sized jelly bits that are hot. Sure.

[@trevormorton8415]

@@superslash7254 Sounds like you just need more broth, and more elbow grease with the whisk. But of course it will never be as good as day one sauce 🤩

[@jademorrison7737]

Yeah buddy! I am on a weight loss journey and your channel has been a huge inspiration! Thank you for all the fantastic work you do.

[@Lisekplhehe]

Honestly, dry brining a chicken breast has been a game changer.

[@EthanChlebowski]

I appreciate it! I can't get enough of that second chicken recipe with a bunch of roasted veg or salad.

[@HOBOKNOD]

If you want more healthy recipes check out “will Tennyson” on KZbin he gives amazing fitness advice and recipes

[@jademorrison7737]

@@HOBOKNOD I watch will tenny all the time!

[@EthanChlebowski]

@@HOBOKNOD I've gotta try and do a collab with Will at somepoint!

[@ohnotagainplease]

A fun thing to experiment with here is the liquid you use to deglaze. My fave is beetroot juice (earthiness + smokiness from the fond = divine), but low-sugar cranberry juice, grape juice also make pretty awesome sauces! As a bonus they come out with much nicer colour than plain water. :)

[@EthanChlebowski]

Woah, that sounds super interesting. I'll have to try some beetroot juice some time!

[@raraavis7782]

I always add some beetroot to my vegetable mix, when I cook beef broth. It gives it a lovely, rich color and slight sweetness. I can definitely image, using it for a sauce, as well.

[@AIWARAS619]

Sometimes after cooking chicken I just squeeze out a rather sweet orange right in the pan and get some sweet and sour sauce.

[@CoreySpringer]

That's brilliant. Thanks

[@edjarrett3164]

I like your teaching style. As a banquet cook, we don’t use the fond as effectively as we should. We tend to make specific sauces to garnish our proteins. The only exception is beef short ribs, where we sear and braise hundreds of pounds. The fond is the braising liquid with some mirepoix, wine and stock. This gives me ideas on small scale pan sauces. Very nice.

[@quanmack6332]

The structure of this video is amazing. Starting off with the simplest form of pan sauce then explaining that other stuff can be added really helped me understand

[@markberardi6190]

Pan sauces look great! If I'm making my own stock for pan sauce, I reduce it a bunch and freeze it. You can just pop in a chunk and make pan sauces so quick.

[@dcshoes841]

Tried this the other night when I did some chicken thighs. Deglazed with some chicken stock, added butter, almond flour, and an Italian herb blend. It was totally awesome! Will definitely be doing this more often. Thanks brother!

[@martinslvsten428]

Great video Ethan. After submerging myself into french cooking my sauce game has magnified x100 atleast. I must say though that for a pan sauce i would never use corn starch or something like that. If you use quality stock, like you did, it has enough gelatine. It's just a matter of reduction and using cream or "mounting" the sauce the nudges with cold butter when it's off the heat. And yes any well tasting liquid can be used. Try this for a fun one. Sear a porkchop well. Remove from pan and finish it in the oven. Add a diced shallot to the pan. Deglaze with a cup apple cider (not winegar). Reduce to 1/4. Add a cup of stock of your choice. Add a small sprig of thyme. Reduce untill you can drag your spoon across the pan making a streak that doesnt fill up with sauce again. Add a cup of cream. Reduce untill thickness is to your liking. Salt and pepper to taste. Done. Serve with the porkchop and whatever vegetable of choice. One thing to beware of. How much you salt your meat of choice. If the meat leaves a lot of salt on the pan, your pan sauce could become quite inedible.

[@zuzanna4380]

After frying chicken, there's usually a lot of the fat on the pan and I do like to add a little bit of water and some flour to make a kind of gravy. I sure will add onions and some more seasoning next time! Great video, thanks

[@llamzrt]

Don't forget to add the resting juices!

[@mosey708]

I’m not even finished with the video yet but I just wanted to say I really like your energy. I feel like I can actually try to make these sauces because you calmly broke down their anatomy, and you didn’t distract from the point by trying too hard to be over-the-top entertaining or clever about it. Just essential facts and great pacing. Love this. 🥰

[@technopong]

This also works with seafood. Had some really tasty pan sauces made from scallops, shrimp, salmon and tuna steaks. I usually use a splash of soy sauce, butter, white wine, garlic, and some form of herbs, dried or fresh. That aside, this was a great video for helping me improve my pan sauce options.

[@karloshagen]

Great video. One thing I do is rest the steak on a plate. That way when I’m nearly finished with the pan sause. All the juices that have relaxed out of the steak I can put back in the sauce. Flavour bonus!!!

[@TheCALMInstitute]

That steak sauce recipe is delicious with a couple simple modifications: 1. add a ground dijon mustard. 2. If acidity is too high, add a pinch of cocoa to reduce it. For me these always ensure it has the desired depth and complexity of flavor.

[@frenchchefbrentlittlefield8290]

I love your demonstration of lifting the fond from the bottom of the pan with liquid. I believe that the fond removal (deglazing) is the most important aspect to creating flavors while braising is the most effective means of combining flavors when making pan sauces.

[@midwestmancookingchannel8811]

Hey Ethan, something that you didn't talk about is the importance of utensil if you have some really stuck on bits. Using a wooden spoon with a flat edge is perfect for this kind of application because it helps you scrape without losing seasoning on your pan. This is also great to think about when using a pan sauce with less volume. I personally think yours are using way too much volume and would be good for a 3nor 4 person meal.

[@craigcissel5042]

Just to add the wooden spoon and why it’s so important. Wood is a perfect middle ground between metal and silicon because it’s flexible enough that if you push really hard it can sort of conform to the surface of the pan with the surface of the wood and hard enough that you can really scrape and get the stuck on fond off. +1

[@charlesnelthorpe9252]

@@craigcissel5042 plastic paint scraper from the hardware store

[@superslash7254]

@@charlesnelthorpe9252 Plastic. In a hot metal pan. Think about this mate.

[@nahuilegorreta6572]

Dip some bread in that extra sauce. It makes an amazing snack. Problem solved

[@Tucker8720]

This is the kind of video I needed when struggling with pan sauces a while ago. Not just "here's a recipe for this specific pan sauce" but how each component affects it and how to make your own. That gelatin in the home made stock is a real key factor though! So for anyone using store bought, you can sprinkle some gelatin from a packet into your stock and let it sit for 10 minutes or so before using it. Fantastic video Ethan 🙌🏻

[@baywest]

I love how in all your videos you don't just give us a recipe, you break down the concept into very understandable terms, and THEN give us a recipe as an example. I save so many of your videos for later because even if I don't use your recipe I can at least come here to understand the base of what I'm intending to do.

[@thejamabides]

Corn starch makes a very translucent sauce, flour will make it a bit more opaque. Whichever you use make sure it’s a slurry, and make sure you let it cook a few minutes so it won’t taste starchy.

[@kaiderhaiii]

Honestly thanks so much for this content Ethan, the quality is on a masterclass level

[@shyguymercedesbenz5845]

Best cooking video i ever saw. I love that you explain the theory so i can make w/e tf i want when someone gives/shows me a recipe, they're catching me a fish. when you show me this theory, youre teaching me how to fish.

[@StardustSauce]

I can't tell you how disappointed I was to get a real, actual recipe. I thought you were gonna stand here and tell me on april first that the perfect weeknight meal is a bowl of sauce

[@MikePouch]

Literally just received my Made In 12 inch carbon steel pan an hour ago which I ordered after seeing your travel packing video! My old non stick no longer worked, so I'm excited for a much needed upgrade! (I also use a cast iron for most of my cooking.)

[@zsoltliptai9591]

This video is like course in culinary school. Understandable, adaptable, and entertaining as well. Well done Ethan. Thank you for the knowledge and entertainment.

[@RocketWisdom7]

Hands down the best cooking channel on YT🔥! Fast, simple, exceptionally well thought out

[@TheJovialGerman]

great video. love a good pan sauce. I first thought the slurry was sacrilege but after seeing those results i will be sure to include next time

[@hokeypokeyy8551]

Can you please do a video about what type of oils to use and when to use them? Cooking videos always say "use your favorite oil here" BUT I NEVER KNOW WHICH OIL!!! Thank you

[@KaitouKaiju]

Any oil that you like the taste of Could be coconut, avocado, olive, whatever

[@saratakkoush6109]

love the graphics addition...your blue prints are amazing for beginner cooks - I always send your videos to my friends because of the way you break it down.

[@ouichtan]

Hey...one thing you're doing wrong with your sauce: Leave your meat to rest on a plate, not on a board. That way, whatever juices come out of the steak can come back in the pan to add more flavour instead of losing juice on the board. Nothing major but every little helps. Hope you like it in France. À plus

[@babrielle]

then it gets cold quicker though. also, as steak sits overtime, it reabsorbs the juices that initially leaked out onto the cutting board

[@CondorSWE]

Ethan - I've been watching you for awhile and I really like your approach. Science + Health + Speed + Practical Tips all in a few minutes. Kudos and super appreciate the move to France to try and take advantage of what that cuisine offers

[@novaop7776]

Hands down the content you make is amazing, keep at it and thank you for the videos ✌️

[@ZeffAU]

braise and pan sauces have become my absolute favourite weeknight meals. This was a great summary of everything I learned that all came to this style of cooking. You've done a good job of explaining the elements of sauces and how to mix and match without a specific recipe. Great vid mate

[@rmcdaniel423]

Last fall, after falling into a rut of the same few boring uncreative lazy meals all the time, we started getting a few meals a week from Hello Fresh (not an endorsement, and we no longer order from them). The take away from that experience was exactly the point in this video. Most of the meals finished with some form of a sauce, and the meals were legit tasty. The trick is to get fired up by that revelation, then find some dude on KZbin who can teach you how to start incorporating your OWN sauces. And, Voila!! Here we all are, learning something new. Thanks Ethan!

[@thatdudecancook]

Washes the pan for you! Brilliant!

[@KenHollowayshow]

Excellent video. Loved the roasted veg and the homemade chicken stock. I'll try the cross hatching next time I cook BSCB. Cheers

[@Brayden-c9o]

this videos title along with it being posted on April 1st had me thinking about the title literally and I thought I was about to get got. Happy to see it's just another great, entertaining, informative video

[@geoffcasias9367]

pan sauces are awesome. I've made Croque Madame a few times this week after watching your video. I really like that cheese sauce. Instead of comte, I'm gonna make a pepper jack cheese sauce for some homemade pepper jack mac and cheese

[@ghostbirdofprey]

The first sauce is basically a beurre rouge/beurre monte, and it can be useful to learn that technique just in isolation since that's what a lot of pan sauces are/can be, and when made right self-thicken since it's an emulsion. If you don't care about fat content, you can just add more butter instead of the slurry. side note: there's always a little bit of juice comes out of the meat when it rests. I like to drain that into my sauce as well. Might as well save that flavor

[@redace4821]

A quick note: Sometime you don't even need a thickening agent when use butter or cream because these 2 fat product can give it a touch of thickness already. Of course it will most likely be gravy consistency, if you want runny, use more liquid, you want it thick like a paste or thick soup, use whatever thickening agent available.

[@aeonjoey3d]

That looks really good, I was introduced to pan sauces by hellofresh actually, we stopped using them but kept all the recipe cards, this was a great explainer about HOW they work. I'm definitely trying the chicken one, and i'd never thought to cut up the chicken like that, i've only ever POUNDED chicken which I think is dumb, the cuts make more interesting textures i think, giving it a shot!

[@heretikpapy]

My mother was using tea also. But not coffee. You can add also cacao. It goes well with steak. Like coffee. Cheers from Montréal. !

[@jefrytavarez7814]

Such an amazing video!!!!!!! I questioned the whole “pan sauce at its simplest” part but then realized what you meant and thought it was a cool idea to show it that way!

[@eldibs]

I made some tonight with garlic, scallions from the garden, beer, butter, and chicken broth. It's pretty fantastic, just like this video.

[@gregvanholsbeck]

I have been wanting to learn about this technique for years and never knew what it was called or the proper steps. So helpful. Thank you!

[@FreakyRHCPStyley]

I have NEVER bought something from a KZbinr's sponsorship but I have been meaning to get a carbon steel pan for at least 6 months. I was just kind of overwhelmed when I tried googling it, not sure what was worth the money or what was just advertising. I fully trust you and that discount code just sweetened the deal. Thanks for the recc! Can't wait to get it! Definitely going to try the steak sauce! I already do a version of the chicken one. I do chicken thigh and a ton of halved garlic cloves and some brandy to deglaze. Then when it is reduced I add chicken stock plus fresh rosemary and thyme. Then I add the chicken back in to simmer a while and by the end the garlic cloves are super soft and delicious. I always pair it with beets, white sweet potatoes and broccoli. Such a hearty comfort meal.

[@filip2175]

The blueprint format is so good, people get to learning something, love it.

[@casualuserish]

great recipies and cooking technique, glad to see your channel growing you deserve it. i would honestly go with a light colored plate, to bring out the vibrancy of the food more and color. On a white plate the wine sauce looks dark red, on a black plate it looks black.

[@benellias87]

Try: drop sliced mushrooms, let liquid that they will create to reduce to almost nothing, take of from heat, then add yogurt (full fat the skinny separates), add seasoning of your liking, stir until it homogenizes to a cream like texture.. Done

[@brentonwalters]

Just tried this, with chicken breasts, with stock and white wine, shallots and garlic and thyme. Really lovely. Thanks, Ethan.

[@mowgli6345]

Ethan! This video helps so much! I love the way you break down specific scientific processes so that we can try our own recipes. Could you possibly do one on stocks? I cheat with bouillon powder, but I'd like to know a quick way to make some and save for later use.

[@Fernando-ox5mo]

Thank you so much. Today I poached some chicken thighs in a spiced brine as you suggested in another video and then pan roasted one of them and finished it with a pan sauce like you teach here. The result was an amazingly tasty and crispy chicken with a great sauce that went perfectly with some coconut rice.

[@joseph-fernando-piano]

Being able to freestyle a flavourful sauce that goes well with whatever you just cooked is such a level up when it comes to your cooking game...

[@UdderlyEvelyn]

The liquid can also be vinegar of various types.

[@Savagedownsouth]

I tried that, and it stripped all the seasoning off my pan in seconds. It was an old pan with alot of seasoning too. Definitely never doing that again, unless I'm using a stainless or enamel pan.

[@UdderlyEvelyn]

@@Savagedownsouth Oh god yeah you have to be careful with seasoned pans, I use stainless or aluminum.

[@eligostheexalted]

"Why pan sauces make the perfect weeknight meals." So like.... just make the sauce and stick in in a glass? Drink it?

[@curt300s]

Outstandingly done and explained. You’re the best..

[@joshuawoods992]

Great video as always Ethan! I always love the formulas you provide.

[@ghoulofmetal]

the classic scandinavian brown sauce is also just a pan sauce where you mix cream into what is left from cooking meats, add brown colouring and some thickening agent then season to taste.

[@Victor.Nguyen]

Question: Would the method used to cook chicken breast here be considered an improved version of the method used in your Recipe Remastered: Grilled Chicken Breast video? Ex. do you still use mayo rather than oil/butter?

[@StellarLlama]

bump

[@morgengabe1]

i feel like ive been waiting for this tutorial my whole life. thanks!

[@The.god.newsss]

I absolutely love the good science aspect of it because this is exactly how I see cooking!!!

[@Elenapli]

Love a pans sauce! The first one I made was a Chicken Marsala and after looking at many recipes and seeing there slight variations it taught me how to make any pan sauce. Mushrooms are a great addition to a pan sauce adds great flavor.

[@kodythompson113]

First vid of yours I've watched... Hit the sub button when I saw you referencing Kent's red eye gravy, my favorite recipe that I've ever tried from youtube. Good stuff man

[@70foolio]

Thanks for sharing I always forget the drippings and making a good pan sauce makes a difference to the meal.

[@thomasmorrison6068]

Seeing Kent Rollins clipped in warms my heart!!! He is such a wholesome guy. Love his channel!!!

[@HeisntLegend]

I appreciate the "if I remember to". As a forgetful home cook it's nice to hear even the best do that too sometimes lol

[@nielsbuhrmann1908]

These videos is super helpfull keep doing what you do

[@DrivingWithJake]

It's amazing how many people don't do these. I gladly grew up with my dad being a boss and cooking and teaching me a lot of tips.

[@CarsonSchmeck]

Love these videos! I always feel like I'm learning something fundamental to help with other recipes!

[@jurkobolf5905]

Definetly trying this some time soon. Great educational video.

[@Kavriel]

My favorite pan sauce is putting a bit of crème fraiche in the pan after i've cooked a piece of chiken, and adding a bunch of pepper, letting that reduce for a few minutes. It's like a two minute sauce that really ads something to the meal. It's not a full on sauce that reduces etc, so you get what you "pay" for in time i guess, but it's much better than no sauce or sauce from the cupboard (imo). I also like covering the meat just before it's fully done and cutting off the gas/electricity, letting the meat finish cooking with the residual heat and rest, the juices of the meat mix with the fond and gives you a natural sauce. So simple, makes cleaning easier and you get the full flavor of your meat. It does makes the crispy beats of meat less crispy though. You can add herbs or whatever you feel like at this point also.

[@jamesz1049]

Anytime you add a cornstarch slurry, flour or combination of flour and butter to a liquid you need to bring the heat up to a boil. The starch needs this higher heat to begin to swell and gelatinize. This is what causes the thickening to occur. Simply bring to a boil and whisk or stir. Once it begins to thicken up - which will happen quickly - you can remove the pan from the heat and add any final additions.

[@psyberian]

Didn't have wine for a steak pan sauce, but I did have a dark rum. Turned out amazing.

[@skyhawk_4526]

My only tip (I didn't come up with it, the French did) is to add the butter at the very end once you turn off the heat and then slowly stir it in until it melts and incorporates into the sauce. It makes a more velvety smooth texture with a nicer sheen and prevents the butter from separating - which can happen if the sauce is still boiling.

[@ahallock]

So simple, but makes everything taste next level

[@therealcoreb]

Good video. What you're calling a pan sauce is what most cajuns call a gravy. You go through the process of browning your meat then deglazing with water multiple times to get a good bit of fond from it. Fry down in your fond/liquid mixture the flavor enhancers of bell pepper, celery, and onion. Serve that gravy with your meat over a bed of rice and you have our traditional "rice n' gravy".

[@snasvroomsticc473]

Is it just me or is the commentary audio quality incredibly good?

[@thegentlemandrummer8753]

Me trying to figure out if this was an April fools video or not when he said that water was a pan sauce 💀

[@gseba2653]

This blueprint for pan sauce is absolute perfection. Right on the target in terms of designing your own recipe.

[@inmamata]

I just love the fact that you included the reference to Cowboy Kent, the man is a treasure and I`ve learned some nice recipes and cooking skills from both of you. I appreciate you Ethan! :)

[@corinneferrarolam5101]

Can you suggest how to use this approach for a vegetarian meal? I love the simplicity for busy weeknights!

[@sliggysocks]

Your videos are exceptional and so instructional! Thank you

[@Septimus_ii]

That's really helpful, and the chicken recipe is a great place to start practising it

[@threoples]

I love carbon steel pans, but personally I prefer stainless for this technique. I love being able to see what's going on easier on the lighter color of stainless compared to the darkness of carbon steel. With a Small nit-pick but hey, it's my kitchen :) Great video! Hope you're enjoying France as much as you seem to be!

[@Spydr331]

i did the water trick the other day after cooking some steak and seeing the pan got dried out. actually just doing that and tossing in the steak came out really good

[@badoli1074]

I most often use a combo of wine and cream. White wine for lighter stuff like chicken, usually paired with thyme and parsley. Red wine for heavier stuff like steak or fatty fish like thuna, usually with rosemary, garlic, paprika and so forth. Thanks to cream you neither need butter nor thickener.

[@msgfrmdaactionman3000]

Thanks! Great instructions I can understand. I'm going to check out those pans too!

[@Metoobie]

I would suggest with a steak pan sauce not moving around the steak so much; little bits of the meat can get left behind in different parts of the pan; they will burn, resulting in an off-tasting pan sauce and a smoky kitchen. Also, a few vertical cuts into the fat (this also works well on pork) will prevent the meat from curling up. I love the "back of the spoon" trick, that's one of my favs :) I love sauteing a whole fatty fish, such as trout or mackerel, de-glazing with white wine or sake. Add butter and/or miso, let it reduce, finish with fresh dill and/or chive. So fracking delicious...! I love your channel, hope you are enjoying France!