North Carolina Culinary Arts & Hospitality 1 Practice Exam 2026 - Free Culinary Arts Practice Questions and Study Guide

Deglazing involves adding a liquid to a pan that has typically been used to cook food, particularly after searing or sautéing. As food cooks, it leaves behind browned bits, known as "fond," on the bottom of the pan. These bits are rich in flavor and can enhance sauces and gravies. When the liquid is added, it helps to loosen these bits from the pan, allowing them to be incorporated into the sauce. This process not only adds depth of flavor to the dish but also ensures that no part of the ingredients goes to waste.

The other options do not accurately describe the process of deglazing. Adding spices enhances flavor but does not involve the specific technique of loosening remnants in a pan. Mixing cold and hot ingredients describes a technique used in various cooking methods but is unrelated to the deglazing process. Cooking food at high temperatures may be part of the methods leading up to deglazing but does not define what deglazing itself is.