Deglazing

A technique of recapturing flavor from the pan of sauteed items by dumping excess fat and while the pan is still hot, dumping in a liquid, and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. These bits, created by the Maillard Reaction and caramelization of the food in the pan, are called the "fond" in French.

The fond contains hundreds of flavor compounds only created by cooking, and when liquid is added to the pan, these compounds get re-dissolved into the liquid (hence the name deglazing). Reduced and seasoned, a small amount of this liquid is all that is needed to enhance a steak or a roast.