PAN SAUCES

This week on Basics, I'm making sure you know how to master a simple yet delicious pan sauce.

Ingredients

Chicken Pan Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (or chicken of choice)

  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 

  • ½ cup minced shallots

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 1 cup chicken stock (with gelatin)

  • ½ lemon, squeezed

  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • 1 bunch parsley, chopped

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

Steak and Pan Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1 steak, medium thickness

  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • 2 sprigs rosemary

  • 1 cup full-bodied red wine

  • 1 cup chicken or beef stock (with gelatin)

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • ½ cup shallots, minced

  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed, divided

Pork Chop and Pan Sauce Ingredients:

  • 2 Thick center cut bone-in pork chops

  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

  • ½ cup shallots, minced

  •  ½ cup bourbon

  • 1 cup chicken stock (with gelatin)

  • ¼ cup heavy cream

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • 1 Tbsp dijon mustard

Method

To Make Gelatin-Infused Stock:

  1. Sprinkle a packet of unflavored gelatin over desired stock (beef or chicken) and allow it to hydrate for 10 minutes before using. 

Chicken Pan Sauce Method:

  1. Start by deboning a whole chicken by snipping out the backbone along with the wings (saving for chicken stock) and preparing the chicken breast airline-style, that is a skin on, bones still attached underneath the breast meat, and the drummet still attached. 

  2. In a cold stainless steel skillet, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Drop in the chicken breasts skin-side down. Turn the skillet to medium-high heat.

  3. Once the skin side is deeply brown, flip the chicken so it’s resting on its rib cage and place it in a 400°F preheated oven to finish. Depending on the thickness of the chicken, start checking its temperature after 10-15 minutes.

  4. Place to the side to rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

  5. Using the leftover fond in the pan, place the pan over medium heat and drain off any excess fat. Dump in ½ cup of minced shallots and saute in the reserved chicken fat until translucent before adding 1 crushed clove of garlic and continuing to saute for 30 seconds. 

  6. Once fragrant, deglaze with 1 cup of dry, crisp white wine to lift up all the fond and add 1 cup of the “gelatin enhanced” chicken stock. Scrape all the bits off the bottom then let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. 

  7. After 5-7 minutes, add a few healthy squeezes of lemon juice then raise the heat to medium-high and reduce aggressively until it’s thick enough that a spoon or whisk runs across the pot, leaving a trail. 

  8. Kill the heat and let the pot cool down for 30 seconds before adding 3 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter. Whisk together with a few pinches of kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and a handful of parsley. 

  9. If the sauce breaks and becomes oily or greasy, just add a splash of water and it will come back together.

  10. Keep whisking together until the sauce is thick, glossy, and ready to serve with the chicken.

Steak Pan Sauce Method:

  1. Start by heating up a stainless steel skillet with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the steak to the pan once it’s roaring hot. Sear and establish a crust on both sides. 

  2. Once a crust has developed on both sides of the steak, add 1 tablespoon of butter, rosemary, and a clove of garlic to the pan. Tilt the pan slightly and baste the steak - using a spoon to ladle the liquid over the meat until a beautiful brown crust has developed on both sides and cooked to the desired doneness. Place the steak on a plate and cover it in the brown butter. Rest for 10 minutes.

  3. Using the leftover fond, place the pan over medium heat and drain off any excess fat. Add ½ cup of minced shallots and saute until translucent before adding 1 crushed clove of garlic and continuing to saute for 30 seconds.

  4. Once fragrant, deglaze with 1 cup of a full-bodied red wine to lift up all the fond and add 1 cup of the '“gelatin enhanced” chicken or beef stock. Scrape all the fond bits off the bottom then let it simmer over medium-high heat, reducing aggressively until it’s thick. Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and whisk together until the butter has dissolved and the sauce is a creamy consistency.

  5. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

  6. Carve the steak after letting it rest for 10 minutes. Plate and cover with the sauce. 

Pork Chop Pan Sauce Method:

  1. Start by placing shallow cuts through the fat to prevent curling chops. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a stainless steel skillet and heat over medium-high until little wisps of smoke begin to show. 

  2. Gently lower the pork chops into the pan (placing away from you as not to splatter yourself with hot oil). Treat them like a steak - let them develop a deep golden crust then flip onto the other side and repeat. Cook until they reach an internal temperature of 135°F in the thickest part of the chop. Place on a warm plate to cool for 10 minutes while making the pan sauce. 

  3. Dump out all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining fat then add ½ cup of shallots and saute until soft. Deglaze with ½ cup of bourbon (preferably off heat to prevent a big flame) and 1 cup of the “gelatin enhanced” chicken stock. Scrape all the bits of fond off of the bottom then let it simmer. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt. It is done when a spoon or whisk leaves a streak when running across the pan.

  4. Once finished, kill the heat and add ¼ cup of heavy cream and whisk together. Then add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and whisk until completely combined.

  5. After the butter has completely melted, add 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard and whisk together until homogenous. Taste for seasoning. 

  6. Once finished and ready to serve, pool the sauce on a serving plate and then put the pork chops on top. Finish with a sprinkle of parsley. Serve and enjoy!

 
Emilija Saxepan, pan sauce, sauce