Deglaze
verb /diːˈɡleɪz/ — To loosen caramelized cooking juices from the pan with liquid.
Definition
To add liquid — wine, stock, vinegar — to a hot pan after cooking meat, in order to dissolve and lift the caramelized food particles (fond) stuck to the bottom. Deglazing is how a great pan sauce is born.
Beyond the definition
The hiss of cold wine in a hot pan is one of the most satisfying sounds in cooking — the moment you decide nothing will be wasted.
Origin & history
From 'de-' (remove) + 'glaze' (the shiny residue on the pan). A technique central to French classical cooking.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
After the duck came out, she deglazed the pan with cognac — the flame leaped, then settled into a dark, perfumed sauce.
Never deglaze with water — use something that adds flavor: stock, wine, vermouth, even good vinegar.
He watched his grandmother deglaze every Sunday roasting pan, insisting the flavor was 'all in the bottom'.
How to use it
This entry uses a verb. Follow the examples for tense and any objects or prepositions it needs.
Choose “Deglaze” when the meaning fits your context: To add liquid — wine, stock, vinegar — to a hot pan after cooking meat, in order to dissolve and lift the caramelized food particles (fond) stuck to the bottom. Deglazing is how a great pan sauce is born.
Synonyms
dissolve fond, lift drippings, make pan sauce
Antonyms
discard drippings
Related words
Deglaze vs reducing
Deglazing is the initial act of using liquid to release flavor stuck to the pan. Reducing is the subsequent step of simmering that liquid to thicken the sauce.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Chef Dipping Bread Into Sauce
An adult in a kitchen holds bread dipped into a dark, rich, simmering sauce, showing satisfaction with the depth of the flavor.
Deglazing is the act of adding liquid to a hot pan to lift caramelized particles. The sauce's depth is the direct result of this technique, which captures concentrated, savory flavor from the pan bottom.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Deglaze" mean?
Deglaze is verb meaning: To loosen caramelized cooking juices from the pan with liquid.. To add liquid — wine, stock, vinegar — to a hot pan after cooking meat, in order to dissolve and lift the caramelized food particles (fond) stuck to the bottom. Deglazing is how a great pan sauce is born.
Where does the word "Deglaze" come from?
From 'de-' (remove) + 'glaze' (the shiny residue on the pan). A technique central to French classical cooking.