One of the elements that makes a meat dish transcendant is a velvety sauce. And nothing makes a better sauce than the concentrated broth of the meat itself – in French, the fond. In the pan, it’s the brown bits of caramelized meat juices that stick to the bottom. In the sous vide pouch, it’s the concentrated liquid that accumulates during cooking. Strain it and use it, like the pure culinary gold that it is, au naturel or as the base for a sauce. Making a sauce is simple and demands only these basic elements: fat, aromatics, and liquid (broth, wine, water, juice, vinegar, etc.).

To make an easy pan sauce:

1. Over medium heat, melt a couple of pats of butter or heat a couple of tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil or duck fat in a skillet.
2. Saute some finely minced garlic, onion, carrot, celery, herbs, or other aromatics until tender.
3. Add about a cup of pouch liquor (fond) and let the sauce reduce to your liking.
4. Check seasoning, adding sea salt or pepper as desired, and stir in another pat of butter for added silkiness just at the end.