What is the correct term for adding alcohol to your pan?

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The only thing I disagree with is that deglazing happens near the end. It VERY often times happens near the beginning, once everything is sauteed but before you start building with the rest of the ingredients in the same pan. When one deglazes with an alcohol of some kind it may actually, also, flame. The vapors from whatever alcohol you are deglazing with will reach the flame and therefore ignite. Sometimes you intentionally tilt the pan to allow this to happen. And there are those times when you don't mean for it to happen but it still does. A commercial gas range will certainly hone in on those vapors a bit easier than your home gas range. Your intent is to deglaze but there is still a flame. I guess that would be a flambaze? :huh:
 
It really comes down to what your intention for adding the booze was. If you were adding it to get the flame and caramelize the the edges of the veggies from the flame then it is flambeing. If you are pouring the booze in to scrape up the fond and it just happens to flame because of the alcohol content then it is deglazing. If you pour the booze in with the intention of of reducing the liquid to concentrate the flavors then it is a reduction. Sure it could be a combination of 2 or all 3 of these techniques, but there generally is an over riding reason why you did it.


k so what im doing is just a combination of a couple things, because im useing the achahol to caramelize the the edges of the onions, wile having it reduce down and add its flavor to the onions and mushrooms. so its a mix of flambeing, and deglazing. that answers my question, all i wanted 2 know from the start is if their was a word 4 what i was doing, but i guess all im doing is just 2 steps at the same time.
 
k so what im doing is just a combination of a couple things, because im useing the achahol to caramelize the the edges of the onions, wile having it reduce down and add its flavor to the onions and mushrooms. so its a mix of flambeing, and deglazing. that answers my question, all i wanted 2 know from the start is if their was a word 4 what i was doing, but i guess all im doing is just 2 steps at the same time.

when you add the spirit to the sauted onions and mushrooms, and set light to the vapour, you are flambeing, although I would suggest you are burning the onions, not caramalizing them, as you don't have much control over what is happening. There is unlikely to be any fonds on the bottom of the pan, so you are not deglazing it, but as the pan cools, and water from the onion and mushrooms mix with the spirit residues, you are forming a reduction.

If you were to saute a steak in the pan, then fonds might be produced, and adding spirit would help to deglaze the pan, but if you set light to it, the main reason would be to add flavour from the spirit, so it is flambe and not deglazing.

Many methods include several techiques which may not be too apparent until we analyse it in detail, and the devil is in the detail, understanding what is going on helps to produce great chefs.:chef:

HTH
 
Maybe, just maybe, the difference is when we deglaze it can be done with anything i.e., water, chicken broth, etc. If you use an alcohol, that ignites and flames, that equates to flambeing. It may also deglaze, but, it still ignites, thus the flambe.
 
flambe produces flavour by burning the spirit

deglazing dissolves (and suspends) the flavour which has 'stuck' to the bottom of the pan used to fry/saute/roast meat/vegetables.

How many ways does this need to be said?
 
With one pan.

If you have a pan with fond on the bottom and add an alcoholic liquid, it will deglaze the pan. If the alcohol ignites in the process, you have a flambe. It serves the dual purpose of bringing the flavors of the fond into a sauce and burning off the alcohol so the flavor of the liquid can be incorporated into the sauce without the harshness of the alcohol.
 
flambe produces flavour by burning the spirit

deglazing dissolves (and suspends) the flavour which has 'stuck' to the bottom of the pan used to fry/saute/roast meat/vegetables.

How many ways does this need to be said?

I'm pretty sure, waaza, we know the definition of these two things.

But you CAN get a flambe while deglazing. That is what's in question here, IMHO. Actually both things are happening, at the same, time in ONE pan, the way I see it.
 
I believe you are partially correct. It is true that when you add the liquid to the pan, it begins to desolve the salts and any other water and alcohol soluble compounds. But some of the particulates are partially fused to the cooking surface and require scraping to disslodge them. And I don't know 'bout you, but I'm going to wait until the flames are gone before I start scraping.

In summary, flambe is to ignite the alcohol. But the act of adding the liquid to the pan begins the deglazing process.

And yep, I'm splitting hairs here in the interest of accuracy. It's not really that important except when teaching someone teaching techniques.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
I think Goodweed is onto something here.

Part of deglazing is scraping the bottom of the pan. IMO, if you are not scraping then you are not deglazing.
 
Even if you don't scrape just the stirring process at some point in the recipe will more than like loosen these bits. Lots are removed without ever scraping at all.

My hair is thinner - - next? :LOL:
 
I just wish y'all would stop talking about burning up all that wonderful alcohol.....:cry:

Just drink the stuff....you'll be happier!!!;)

Cheers!!!.... and bon appetit !!!:-p

 
but when i do it it does all three things, the point is that when this started all i wanted 2 know is if it was a different word for it. obviously their isn't, bc when i add the alcohol, it deglazes, it flambe's, and it reduces to a sauce that cotes the onions and mushrooms, or w/e im making with w/e type of alcohol.
 
I did this tonight. I made Bananas Foster. I think the term is Flambe only when you add the alcohol to the point of flaming up. Obviously cooking with wine is not a flambe.
 
I still say deglaze is deglaze even if it flames - flambe is a finishing technique (spirit of some kind poured on top, not mixed in, and not for deglazing purposes, and set on fire) more or less for the diner/guest and presentation, while still offering a bit of flavor in the end.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it :LOL:
 
I still say deglaze is deglaze even if it flames - flambe is a finishing technique (spirit of some kind poured on top, not mixed in, and not for deglazing purposes, and set on fire) more or less for the diner/guest and presentation, while still offering a bit of flavor in the end.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it :LOL:


but y not reducing? the main reason for me doing this is to get the taste of the rum on the mushrooms and onions. then mix it with some good old fashion BBQ sauce. and server it with some chicken or a steak, or just do w/e u want
 
It evaporates more than reduces, IMHO. [/How much rum are you putting in this dish at the time of....well, deglazing? If a recipe calls for reducing something it will say that. When you make a beurre blanc you reduce the vinegar and lemon from say 1/2 cup to a couple tablespoons. I would imagine what you are doing in your mushrooms is adding the rum (I assume tablespoons of rum versus 1/2 cup), it may or not blaze up but, it does evaporate quickly leaving some flavor behind.

You very well may be reducing a larger amount than I am picturing. When you initially pour it in it probably deglazes the pan a bit, it may even blaze, then you go for the stovetop cooking to reduce it. There's no all-in-one term. You are utilizing different terms. There's not a term that lumps all of that together. GEEZ, why didn't I say that on Page 1? :LOL: A recipe would help with the method.
 
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