How does deglazing work?
If you put a steak or a chicken into a hot pan which is not completely non-stick, it is likely to stick to it a bit and leave a residue when you flip it. That is our fond.
Later we deglaze the pan by adding some liquid which causes all of the small bits to release (yes, adding onion or mushrooms counts as adding liquid, since it will release enough water), this incorporate deeper flavors into our cooking, which is absolutely great.
But how does deglazing work? On the chemical and physical level, is it somehow a different rate of contraction when rapidly cooled by the liquid, or some other kind of reaction?
And how come when I heat my stainless steel pan and put water on it, the burnt bits stuck to the side are not just magically floating away?
Best Answer
It seems like there are 3 sub-questions to this question:
Physical level
Adding liquid in the pan creates steam, a moist, hot gas which is able to move between the solids of the fond and lift the fond from the bottom of the pan.
Chemical level
The majority of the relevant food molecules in the fond, created from the Maillard reaction and caramelization, are water soluble. (The Maillard Reaction produces hundreds of products, only 8 of which are relevant factors on flavor and aroma, 6 of which are water soluble.) Since the flavors inside the fond are potent, dissolving them into water makes them available to our taste buds.
Regarding burnt bits stuck to the side
I have to presume from the scenario you provided that, since you "heat [your] stainless steel pan", you have left the bits there from your previous cook and allowed them to dry. The lack of moisture content will make the bits more difficult for the steam to remove. When we deglaze the fond from the bottom of the pan, the fond already contains some level of moisture and is able to be easily removed by the steam. When you allow, presumably now overcooked and dried out, bits of food to sit on the pan and become moisture-less, hardened carbon, it will take more effort to remove.
For an analogy, think of clay. If you throw it in a pan and immediately wash it off, it will come off with relative ease, but if you let it sit (even without heat) and simply dry out, you would have to crack and and chip it away, or cover it in water and let it sit and absorb moisture for some time before you could wipe it away.
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Quick Answer about "How does deglazing work?"
Deglazing is simply the act of adding liquid to a hot pan, which allows all of the caramelized bits stuck to the bottom to release.How does deglazing a pan work?
Deglazing a pan involves adding liquid, such as stock or wine, to a pan to loosen and dissolve food particles that are stuck to the bottom after cooking or searing. The cooked food particles, known as fond, are the source of immense flavor. The flavorful mixture produced by deglazing can be used to make a sauce.What is the purpose of deglazing?
Deglazing is a cooking technique that involves adding liquid (such as stock or wine) to a pan to loosen the food particles attached to the bottom from cooking or searing.How long does it take to deglaze?
Deglaze the pan by scraping up the browned bits in the bottom of the skillet. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons.When should you deglaze?
You should deglaze any time you're building a flavor cooking liquid, like making a soup or preparing a braise, or after you've finished cooking in order to build a sauce, say when you've cooked a steak.Why and How to Deglaze
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