Underrated Ingredient - Part 1

     So I have two things today for the lot of you!  First, I started a Twitter account so those of you on there can follow along easily and get updates there as well.  Just go search for The Pirate Chef Page or @PirateChefPage on Twitter to follow along there!

     Secondly, I want to do a little multi-part series on what I consider one of the most underrated ingredients in the kitchen.  That would be pan drippings!  I know, it makes a good gravy and that's it for most people, but it can do so much more than that if you just let your imagination go with it.

     So what are pan drippings?  They are the leftover remnants of whatever meat that was being roasted in the oven, usually a mix of rendered fat, juices, and seasonings that have dripped down and lay in the bottom of the pan.  In other words, pure culinary goodness!

     The pan drippings are composed of two main parts, the rendered fat and the meat juices, with the seasonings mixed throughout.  These can be used together to add flavor and fat to a dish, or they can be separated into the juices and the fat.  The juices alone will add lots of flavor but maintain a healthier addition by not including the fat that some dishes or people might not need.  Whereas the rendered fat can be used for adding flavor and richness in some foods, or even pan-frying in for a whole new level of deliciousness!

     This is where I will end this post, but in the next one, I will talk about the most common use of pan drippings, gravy!