Recently I posted a review on Mom’s Favorite Stuff of The Organic Dish. A very convenient and yummy option for healthy and wholesome meals, The Organic Dish provides meals that are ready for you to cook. We are very grateful that Beckie from The Organic Dish has provided us with a "how to" on searing meats and preparing a simple reduction sauce.

Searing meat caramelizes the sugars and browns the proteins, creating a different color and more intense flavor, as well as a crust on just the outside of the meat. Contrary to popular belief, searing is actually not believed to hold in any moisture. Nonetheless, here’s a simple breakdown of what you do!

Add a little safflower or other high heat oil to your favorite pan and bring it to high heat. When the pan is just beginning to smoke, add the meat. (If the pan is not hot enough, the meat will stick when you try to turn it.) Brown all surfaces of the meat until deep golden brown. Remember that the meat inside is still raw, so continue to cook it according to your recipe until it reaches a safe internal temperature.

After you sear your meat and/or veggies, there are bits of caramelized yummy stuff stuck to the pan called "fond." Fond seems to develop less in non-stick pans, so try your stainless steel or cast iron pan for searing. Add shallots, onions, garlic, herbs or spices to the fond for additional flavor and saute over medium heat for a couple minutes with a touch of oil.

The method for "deglazing" and thickening is simply adding a little liquid to the pan and integrating and dissolving the fond into the liquid and simmering it down to thicken the sauce. You can use wine, juice, cider, broth or stock, or aperitifs. If you use alcohol to deglaze the pan remember to remove the pan from the heat so you don’t accidentally start a fire or burn yourself (Yikes!).

Continue to cook the liquid in the pan until it is reduced by half and finish by adding either a touch of butter or flour to thicken the sauce.

And there you have it - a simple pan sauce that took less than 10 minutes and adds additional flavor and liquid to your dinner.