Making Proper Stock
A good kitchen starts with the liquid it builds upon. Rather than viewing stock as a recipe, see it as a way to capture the essence of what you cooked earlier in the week.
Temperature control is your primary tool
Keep the liquid at a bare tremble. If the pot reaches a rolling boil, the fats and proteins will emulsify, turning your stock cloudy and gray instead of clear and golden.
- Large heavy-bottomed stockpot
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Cheesecloth
- Ladle
What goes in.
- 4 lbbones (chicken carcasses, beef knuckles, or roasted veal bones)
- 1 lbmirepoix: 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, all roughly chopped
- 1head of garlic, halved crosswise
- 2bay leaves
- 1 tbspwhole black peppercorns
- 5 qtcold filtered water
Keep the surface moving, not rolling
Watch for the single bubbles rising to the surface. If you see rapid agitation, turn your heat down immediately to prevent the oils from clouding the finished product.
The method.
Roast the bones
Place bones on a sheet pan at 400°F (200°C) until deep brown, about 45 minutes. This provides the foundation for the final color.
Deglaze
Transfer bones to the stockpot. Pour a cup of water onto the hot roasting pan to scrape up the browned bits, then pour that liquid into the pot.
Combine
Add the mirepoix, aromatics, and cold water. Cold water is essential; it draws out the collagen more effectively as the temperature slowly climbs.
The long simmer
Bring to a near-boil, then immediately drop to the lowest possible setting. Skim the gray foam off the top with a ladle for the first 30 minutes.
Strain
After 4 to 5 hours, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean container. Do not press on the solids.
Other turns to take.
Brown Stock
Roast bones and vegetables until dark mahogany before adding water to gain a deeper, richer profile.
White Stock
Use raw chicken bones and do not brown the vegetables; the result is lighter and more neutral.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Cool the finished stock in an ice bath immediately before refrigerating to prevent bacterial growth.
Do not salt your stock while simmering; wait until you use it in your final dish to control the seasoning.
If the stock has a layer of fat on top after cooling, leave it—it acts as a seal that keeps the stock fresh longer in the fridge.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I reuse the bones?
Once the bones have simmered for 5 hours, they have released all their collagen and flavor. Discard them.
Why is my stock cloudy?
You likely let the water boil too hard, which emulsified the fats into the liquid.
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