Clear Chicken Consommé
Making a true consommé is an exercise in patience and thermal control. You are essentially building a filter out of proteins to pull every cloudiness-inducing particle from your stock.
The stock must be cold
Your base chicken stock needs to be completely chilled and degreased before you begin. If it is warm, the raft will not form correctly.
- Heavy-bottomed Dutch oven
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Cheesecloth
- Ladle
- Whisk
What goes in.
- 2 quartschilled, high-quality chicken stock
- 1 lbground chicken breast
- 4large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cupmirepoix (finely diced carrot, celery, onion)
- 1 sprigfresh thyme
- 1bay leaf
- 1 tspblack peppercorns, crushed
Constructing the Clarifier
The ground chicken and egg whites bond to floating solids as they coagulate. Once this mass rises to the surface, it acts as a mechanical filter.
The method.
Prepare the raft base
In a bowl, mix the cold ground chicken, egg whites, and finely diced vegetables until they form a sticky, uniform paste.
Combine
Whisk this mixture into the cold chicken stock in your pot. Ensure it is fully incorporated before applying any heat.
The simmer
Place over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom. Once it begins to simmer, stop stirring immediately.
Form the seal
As the raft solidifies, cut a small 'chimney' hole in the center with a ladle. A gentle bubble should rise through this hole, basting the top of the raft with stock.
Clarify
Lower the heat to the absolute minimum and let it cook undisturbed for 60 minutes. Do not let it reach a rolling boil or the raft will break.
Strain
Gently ladle the consommé through a sieve lined with four layers of damp cheesecloth. Do not press on the solids.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a metal spoon to skim any fat that appears on the surface before you start the raft.
If the consommé looks cloudy, your heat was likely too high.
Work slowly when straining; the liquid should pass through the cloth drop by drop to ensure maximum clarity.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use store-bought stock?
You can, provided it is high quality and completely free of fat. If it has gelatin added, the final result will be slightly viscous.
What do I do with the raft?
The raft captures the impurities and protein remnants; it should be discarded once the stock is strained.
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