Glaze and Jus, Making

When the cooking juices of meat, poultry, or fish are boiled down, they darken and caramelize to a shiny glaze, which gives rich flavor to sauces and gravies. A glaze can also be created by adding broth to such ingredients as vegetables. After reduction, a glaze should be a deep gold and have a sticky consistency. If it has not boiled down enough, it will lack body; if it is cooked too much, it will burn. A jus is made by thinning a glaze with broth, boiling the mixture down again to a glaze, and repeating once or twice to achieve a concentrated, glossy sauce.