Good morning… Today, we’re discussing the merits of pan sauces, which are common in restaurants but, for some reason, not prevalent in home cooking.

• They’re not as intimidating as you might expect, and the benefits are more than worth the effort. We give you our pan sauce blueprint below plus 5 reasons to start making them at home.

RECIPE BREAKDOWN🤯

The pan sauce blueprint

What makes up a pan sauce?

After searing meat or vegetables, a pan sauce is made by deglazing the residual fat & fond with a liquid

• Usually, you add a few aromatics, use a flavorful liquid, and finish with a thickener (see the framework below).

Why make a pan sauce?

1. They can be made while the meat is resting.

2. They help you use up leftover ingredients (herbs, wine, etc).

3. They provide moisture & fat to the protein, which can remedy overcooked meat.

4. You can use them to change the flavor profile of a tired protein and keep things interesting.

But the most compelling reason?

5. Pan sauces wash the pan for you. Deglazing is one of the most effective ways to release stubborn bits of food from a cooking surface.

As the sauce simmers, it will continue to soften any fond, which will easily scrape away, flavoring your sauce and leaving you with an easy, wipeable pan for cleanup.

Ok, I’m in. How do I put together a pan sauce?

A typical pan sauce has 5 elements. After developing a fond, follow the framework to build a flavorful and enriched pan sauce:

A couple examples of this framework in action:

If cooking chicken, try a garlic white wine sauce thickened with a cornstarch slurry.

With steak, try a shallot and red wine sauce that’s thickened with butter.

For more guidance, check out the original video guide.

RECIPE RECOMMENDATIONS🥡

Our best pan sauce dishes…

For exact recipes of these examples and a few other dishes with pan sauces, check out this curated recipe collection we’ve put together:

FOOD TRENDS 🚀

Cake pops prevail

Are cake pops back? Did they ever go away?

Out of all the food trends we’ve covered — this one has had one of the longest lifespans.

Cake pops went viral in 2008. Supposedly, Angie Dudley, a home baker & blogger posted a chocolate cake pops recipe, which resulted in two decades of content creators and coffee shops making the delightful spheres.

Starbucks cashed in on the sensation, introducing cake pops at their stores in 2010 & still has them today. For a company that ruthlessly rotates its menu offerings, the cake pop constancy is indicative that the trend is stable.

Why?

1) They just make sense for home & commercial kitchens.

• They are easy to make at home (even with kids), which makes then profitable in commercial settings.

• Bakeries can even repurpose leftover cake batter or frosting.

2) Their small form factor is appealing.

• Bite-sized treats are the perfect momentary indulgence without having to buy an entire cake. Because they come on a stick, you can enjoy them without a mess.

• You can mix & match flavors or toppings. Humans love variety and visual contrast.

Cake pops have graduated from trend and entered the American dessert cannon. Nicely done, Dudley.

READER Q&A 🧠

Boiling water

Answer: When a recipe calls for water to "come to a boil," it usually means to heat the water until it reaches a rolling boil, which is when large bubbles rapidly rise to the surface and break. At sea level, this means the water is at 212°F or 100°C (at higher elevations, boiling happens sooner).

For blanching vegetables, boiling eggs, or cooking pasta, a rolling boil helps prevent sticking and keeps the temperature of the water from dropping too much when you add ingredients to the pot.

• For pasta, you don’t need to wait for the water to fully boil. Just make sure to stir it a few times to ensure it doesn’t stick together.

For other methods such as poaching, simmering is actually desired, because the water is at a gentler 185°F or 82°C, which will prevent ingredients from overcooking too quickly.

The exception proves the rule: If you’re cooking potatoes or any tough root vegetable, you’re better off starting them in cold water. They’ll come to temperature with water and cook through more evenly, avoiding a mushy exterior.

Dive into more techniques in our Fundamentals pages.

Have a culinary question? Reply to send it in for a chance to be featured and get your question answered.

WINNING READER SUBMISSION 🏆

Classic pickled onions

This week’s dinner winner is Yakir H., who made Ethan’s famous pickled onions. Learn how to make them here.

Reply with a picture of the best meal you made this week for a chance to be featured in a future email.

EXTRA HELPINGS 🍽️

A read: 57 Sandwiches that Define New York City

In a minute or less: How to Shop for Shrimp

What we’re watching: Chefs train for years to be able to serve rare poisonous fish

Food science: Deglazing, explained

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