Deglazing question: which goes first?

[black chef]

ok, so i'm making chicken marsala, one of my favorites to cook and eat.

tonight, my girl asked, "why did you deglaze with the marsala this time? last time, you deglazed with the chicken stock, then added the marsala."

my question to y'all: "does it matter if i deglaze with the stock, add the marsala, and reduce, or is it better to deglaze with the marsala, add the stock and reduce, or does it really matter... really?"

just wondering...

it tasted about the same to me, and i was going to eat it regardless.

 

[Bilby]

ok, so i'm making chicken marsala, one of my favorites to cook and eat.

tonight, my girl asked, "why did you deglaze with the marsala this time? last time, you deglazed with the chicken stock, then added the marsala."

my question to y'all: "does it matter if i deglaze with the stock, add the marsala, and reduce, or is it better to deglaze with the marsala, add the stock and reduce, or does it really matter... really?"

just wondering...

it tasted about the same to me, and i was going to eat it regardless.

I don't think it matters but if you put the alcohol in first, which is the way I do it, the gravy has a bit longer to lose the alcohol content. Provided it tastes right to you, that's all that matters!

 

[Andy M.]

Typically you reduce with the booze. It gives time for some of the alcohol to burn and cooks off the raw alcohol flavor. Then comes the broth, which is the liquid that makes the sauce.

Will it work either way? Sure.

 

[AllenOK]

I agree with Andy, but something else that one of my instructors in college told me, is that the flavor changes slightly when you flame booze, instead of just adding it in to a liquid and reducing. Personally, I can't taste the difference.

 

[Claire]

I agree with most, that you throw in the booze first, to burn off the alcohol. But in fact it isn't that important. The best ingredient is ... well you know, love. I don't think the rest is that important.

 

[stooxie]

Flaming booz can provide a slight difference in flavor which is nice in something like crepe suzette. The burning alcohol will inevitably singe some of what's in the pan creating a little caramelization and probably some polyaromatic compounds as well, lending to a minute charred flavor.
It can be pretty subjective though.

However, you can't really flambee alcohol of less than 25 or 30% ABV anyway so it's not really an issue for wine in a pan. I mean, I've tried and it doesn't work .

I usually add wine first to deglaze a pan because I want the acids in the wine to help dissolve all the glorious sugars, proteins and fats stuck to the pan. It also boils off more of the alcohol but alcohol in solution (i.e. wine) won't completely evaporate. That's even more true once mixed with stock.

So I add wine, reduce, add stock, reduce.

-Stooxie

 

[unabashed]

booze first

 

[auntdot]

I add the alcohol first. And then reduce a bit. So I think for the reasons given the booze should go first.

If you are not really reducing, I am not sure it matters.

 

[CharlieD]

However, you can't really flambee alcohol of less than 25 or 30% ABV anyway so it's not really an issue for wine in a pan. I mean, I've tried and it doesn't work .

Marsala wine burns very nicely. i'D BE CAREFULL IF THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE PAN.
(oops, sorry about the caps)

 

[T-roy]

Booze first; the alcohol will evaporate much quicker if it isn't mixed in with the stock.

 

[ChefJune]

Typically you reduce with the booze. It gives time for some of the alcohol to burn and cooks off the raw alcohol flavor. Then comes the broth, which is the liquid that makes the sauce.

Will it work either way? Sure.

Andy's got it right. It does work either way, but the "classical" way is to add the alcohol, and reduce it to almost a syrup. Then add your stock and reduce that whole think by half to two-thirds. and the flavor is better done that way, I think.