Making Proper Stock
A good stock isn't just flavored water; it is a fundamental building block that carries the identity of your soup or sauce. Whether you are using the carcasses from a roast chicken or beef knuckles, the process is about extracting gelatin and mineral character over time.
Cold water is your best ally.
Always start with cold water to pull impurities out slowly. If you start with hot water, you lock those proteins in, resulting in a cloudy stock.
- 8-quart stockpot
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Skimmer or large spoon
- Cheesecloth
What goes in.
- 4 lbbones (chicken carcasses, beef knuckles, or veal bones)
- 2large yellow onions, quartered
- 2carrots, roughly chopped
- 2celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 headgarlic, halved horizontally
- 1 bunchfresh parsley stems
- 2bay leaves
- 1 tspwhole black peppercorns
- 4 qtcold filtered water
The simmer, not the boil
Keep the pot at a lazy, persistent simmer. A rolling boil emulsifies the fat and debris into the liquid, making it murky and greasy rather than clear and clean.
The method.
Roast the bones
For a deep, brown stock, spread bones on a tray and roast at 400°F (200°C) until deep brown, about 45 minutes. Skip this for a white stock.
Combine
Place bones and vegetables into the stockpot and cover with cold water. Ensure the bones are submerged by at least two inches.
The initial skim
Bring the water to a gentle simmer. As gray foam rises to the surface, use your spoon to lift it off and discard it.
The long wait
Add herbs and peppercorns. Adjust heat to keep the surface moving just barely. Simmer chicken stock for 3 to 4 hours; beef or veal bones need at least 6 to 8.
Strain
Set your strainer over a clean container and line it with cheesecloth. Pour the stock through carefully to catch all fragments.
Cool
Get the stock into the refrigerator as fast as possible. If leaving a large volume out to cool, place the container in an ice bath in the sink.
Other turns to take.
Brown Stock
Roast bones and onions until dark brown before simmering; adds a complex, toasted profile.
Vegetable Stock
Omit bones and use mushrooms, leeks, and fennel; simmer for only 45 minutes to retain brightness.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Never add salt to your stock; season the final dish instead so you have control over the salt levels.
Fat will solidify at the top when chilled; peel it off and keep it for sautéing vegetables later.
If the stock is too thin, simmer it uncovered for an additional hour to reduce the volume and concentrate the gelatin.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use frozen vegetable scraps?
Absolutely. Keep a bag in the freezer for onion ends, carrot peels, and parsley stalks. Avoid brassicas like broccoli or kale, as they turn bitter during long boils.
Why is my stock gelatinous when cold?
That is a sign of success. It means you extracted plenty of collagen from the joints and knuckles, which gives your sauces body and mouthfeel.
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