I thought those were "sucs" (re: vid 4)

Here is another thread that discusses this topic. Cheers!

Thanks Kimberley.

Actually, the other "thread" is precisely why I made my comment - Vid #4 is in error according to the "other" thread. the bits on the bottom of the pan are "sucs" and NOT "fond" as stated in the video. Unless I have misunderstood, the video is in error - not a big deal, but it can be confusing for the student when one thing is verbalized and another is written in conflict.

Thanks for your feedback - you guys do an amazing job!

Ah, I get what you are saying. Sorry, I didn't realize this was the lingo used in this particular video. You have keen eyes and ears :-) Thanks for pointing it out. This video was from the pre-Rouxbe Cooking School days and should have technically said "sucs". It is great that our students are correcting our own oversights from the past. Cheers!

Ha-ha, having done some teaching myself I know how humbling it can be when a student makes note of an error. However, I trust you must also know that it is a compliment to your teaching that a student is, indeed, learning something; and, at least in the case of Rouxbe, feels complete freedom of expression.

You guys rock!

You make a great point Bryan and we are glad that students feel free to express themselves. Honestly, we do try to teach in such a way that there is that freedom. Our style is not "it's this way or the highway" as there are many ways to do and look at things when it comes to cooking (and in life really).

You know what makes the whole "fond vs. sucs" things complicated is that everyone calls them something different. If you search the word "fond" you will see that many people say that it is exactly what we say "sucs" are. However, if you look up "fond" in Larousse Gastrononmique (a classic French culinary encyclopedia) fond is listed under stock, a "fond blanc" is a white stock while a "fond brun" refers to a brown stock.

In the end, what really matters is that people are in the kitchen cooking and that they are practicing the skills and techniques; but, I have to say...when I hear some one say "fond" I do think "oh too bad, they don't know" :-)

As a food writer, I read this thread with interest. I, too, want to be accurate and not confuse anyone -- myself included. Terminology is important but context can be, too.

My mom just called them "those little brown bits" and everyone knew what she meant. When, through one of your videos, I learned they were called sucs, I though, "There's a NAME for those things?!" Even though I now know better, I still call them "those little brown bits" -- at least when I'm not near culinary professionals.

No matter what you call them, this recipe is one of my favourites. But then again, I'm a cilantro fanatic. Or is it coriander? :-)

I don't really care what they're called either Charmian; I don't care to engage in arguments over semantics, so long (for the sake of learning) as the same term is used consistently to avoid confusion. We can call them "those little brown bits" or "pan scabs" as far as I care.

Uh . . . hmm . . . . actually I prefer "little brown bits" I think.
How about Sweet Underlying Carmelized Succulents?
Or, we could call them "sucs" for short! ;o)

Happy Cooking!

Hi all;

This is my first post to the discussion area here, and let me just say that I've got a HUGE crush on Rouxbe! I'm telling everyone I see about it (up to and including the teller at my bank!!) and how great the website is. THANK YOU!!

Okay, now gushing aside, I have a question.

I'm getting ready to make my first brine... I've never had brined meat (that I know of) but I know lots of people who've just raved about it, so I thought I'd give it a go.

It seems pretty easy and I'm fairly confident about it all, but I was wondering this:

I am going to be brining a pork tenderloin. I'd like to go with a sweet/low-salt brine for this piece of meat and I'm wondering if instead of or in addition to the apple cider called for in the apple cider brine if I could substitute apple cores and peelings from fresh apples?

Anyone ever tried this?

Thanks so much, and happy mother's day!

Glad you are enjoying Rouxbe! You might want to check out the lesson on How to Brine in the Cooking School. There is plenty of good information in there that will help you understand the brining process. Yes, you certainly can add any sort of aromatics and flavorings to a brine to personalize it. Enjoy the school! Cheers!

Roasting a chicken tonight and wanted to make pan sauce to go with it, but pulled out Roaster and says can't use on stovetop. Is there another way to make a pan sauce or get the sucs off the bottom of the pan? I know they are very important in flavoring the sauce.

If your roasting pan cannot be used on the stovetop then you could just add s bit of liquid (stockt, wine or water) to the pan, off of the heat. Then scrap the sucs from the bottom as best you can. The residual heat should still make that pretty easy to do. Then transfer that to a pot or saucepan and continue to make the sauce from there.

Hope that helps. Cheers!

I typically deglaze the Roaster immediately after removing from the oven with a bit of wine (the retained heat is sufficient if you do it quickly), and then transfer to a heavy sauce pan. I don't ever make my pan sauces in a roaster even though I have a few really nice ones. They're just to unwieldy for me.

Happy Cooking!

Thanks for the quick reply!! Excited to try tonight :)

This has happened to me many times, I test the chicken in every way possible, all say it is done, but, after resting, the juices do not appear clear. In your video, the juices do not look clear, in fact it's a bit pink.
This problem has been my greatest in roasting, and I end up putting it back in the oven, which is a recipe for dried out chicken.
I am truly confused.

This has happened to me as well; however, as long as the thickest part of the thigh and breast reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the poultry is safe to eat. The pigments in the bones and tissue can sometimes affect the color of the juices. You can read a bit more about the color of meat and poultry here. Cheers!

The only hitch I had with this was in making the cilantro paste. My first batch had a remarkably bitter taste. I knew something was wrong since it was supposed to be a delicious base for a salad. I was very careful to zest only the yellow parts of the lemon but I made a second batch with no lemon zest and it was much better. Is it possible that the kind of lemon I had was not good for zesting?
Otherwise, I brined the chicken and it was the best roast chicken I have ever made. Scrumptious!

Hard to say for sure, but perhaps you just had a lemon that was not good or it was just particularly bitter? I am an absolute fan of lemon zest and use it in many dishes and I can't say that I have found it to be too bitter (as long as I don't use the pith). Perhaps next time, try using a bit less and/or make sure to wash your lemons well before zesting them. Hope that helps. Cheers!