How to use too salty and acidic pan sauces?

I made a baked chicken with preserved lemons (Mark Bittman recipe- basically, chicken with lots of preserved lemons in the cavity and under the skin, with some butter and honey rubbed over) - the pan sauce was rather salty and lemony, but I would have liked to have done something with it to make a sauce for the white meat. Boiling it down would just intensify the salty, tangy flavor, I presume. What do you recommend for making a sauce when the pan juices are really intense and salty or acidic?

lloreen
  • Posted by: lloreen
  • December 26, 2012
  • 7466 views
  • 5 Comments

5 Comments

Sam1148
Sam1148 December 27, 2012
A pinch or two of baking soda will adjust the acid balance. But taste and use small pinches...it can also neutralize all the other flavors. A true mineral water with a high calcium content and reduce the sauce would have less aggressive effect.
 
boulangere
boulangere December 27, 2012
Adding some cream will dissipate some of the saltiness as well, and will taste wonderful with the lemony flavor.
 
Sewassbe
Sewassbe December 26, 2012
Put it on something very bland. Plain pasta (cooked in unsalted water), plain potatoes, white rice etc. Something soak up the flavor and mute it a bit.

Or add a little water or plain chicken stock and make a pan gravy for that delicious white meat.
 
KatyM
KatyM December 26, 2012
Above is a good solution; I'd also try watering them down for salad dressings and bases for vinaigrettes. A good dressing can make simple mixed greens sing!
 
sdebrango
sdebrango December 26, 2012
Maybe you could add some unsalted butter and a little white wine to some of the pan jus and reduce, you could thicken if you like with beurre manie, the flour and unsalted butter I think it would be lovely.
 
Recommended by Food52

Popular on Food52