Troubleshooting

Start with what you see. Find the likely cause, the useful next action, and what to change next time.

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Burnt Pan Drippings
Decide when to abandon scorched fond. Stop the heat, protect the food, and build a clean sauce rather than disguising burnt drippings.
Butter-Finished Sauce Is Oily
Assess an oily butter finish without treating it as watery sauce. Try a small liquid adjustment, then accept the limits or start a fresh base.
Dressing Separates Too Quickly
Decide whether a dressing needs only remixing or a different method. Ordinary vinaigrette separation is not automatically a failure.
Food Is Steaming Instead of Browning
Diagnose pale food in a wet or crowded pan. Change space, moisture, or contact before adding heat, and stop when further browning would overcook it.
Food Stuck to Pan
Lift stuck food without treating more heat as the only answer. Distinguish temporary adhesion, delicate surfaces, and scorching residue.
Sauce Is Too Thick
Adjust a cohesive sauce that no longer flows as intended. Check temperature, add compatible liquid in small steps, and recheck flavor.
Thin Pan Sauce
Decide whether a watery sauce needs reduction, a finish, or acceptance as a light jus. Check flavor before concentrating salt and intensity.