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Stock: Foundations of Taste
Post Entry #3: 9/23/08
It's no secret that in great kitchens the world over, stock is used in the basic preparation for many great dishes. *Referred to in French as fonds de cuisine, or the foundations of cooking, stocks are made by gently simmering meaty bones, trim, and/or vegetables in a liquid to extract their flavor, aroma, color, body, and nutritive value. The liquid is then used to prepare sauces, soups, stews and braises and as a cooking medium for vegetables and grains. A stock recipe may seem time consuming and complex, but the actual cooking time is very brief. The rest is all roasting, simmering and reducing.
Of the three basic types of stock; white, brown, and fumets(sometimes known as essences), we'll focus today on brown stock, more specifically brown veal stock. This is one of our favorites here, a foundation for many of our wonderful dishes.
A brown veal stock is one of the first things young chefs learn how to make and with good reason. It is indispensable in a commercial kitchen. It is also a very handy ingredient to have at home for all sorts of sauces and soups. This stock freezes very well and if you reduce it to a demi-glace it will last in the refrigerator for months. You can create your own masterpiece from a basic brown veal stock recipe, or try the many variations of this by creating brown game stock, Estouffade, and brown lamb, pork, chicken and duck stock.
And speaking of a demi-glace then, it is these brown stocks that are often then used as the foundation of brown sauces such as demi-glace or Jus Lie. A lot of recipes call for demi-glace and causes concern for some home cooks. There is no need because a demi is simply a reduced veal stock.
Creating a demi-glace:
Start with your finished stock and refrigerate. With any soup or stock, you can refrigerate it for a few hours and the fat will both rise to the top and solidify. You can then easily scrape it off. Place the de-fatted veal stock back into a clean stock pot and set over medium heat and simply simmer to reduce the volume to about a third or quarter of the original. Be very careful not to let the stock reduce too much and burn. Taste some as it reduces to test the intensity and ladle a little onto a plate to test the consistency. It should be rich, shiny and a little sticky. Strain again through your finest sieve.
This can be used 'as is' to sauce meat and some poultry dishes or used in recipes that call for demi-glace.
Here at Theos in our recipes featuring a demi-glace, we'll reduce our stock to about 1/4 of the original. We think the results will speak for themselves. Discover for yourself while you explore some of the many steak and chops entrees we create that feature a demi-glace, including the Garlic Stuffed Filet ( pictured ), the 22 oz. Dry Aged Bone in Ribeye, and others. Each a wonder of taste and a testimony to the magic of what can be done with a demi-glace as a foundation. Enjoy!
*RECIPE: BROWN VEAL STOCK
Makes 1 gallon
4 fl oz. oil, or as needed
8 lbs. veal bones, including knuckles and trim if available, rinsed and dried
6 qt. cold water
MIREPOIX
8 oz. large-dice onions
4 oz. large- dice carrots
4 oz. large-dice celery
6 oz. tomato paste
sachet d' 'epices: containing 2 to 3 parsley stems, 1/2 tsp. fresh or dried thyme, 1/2 tsp. cracked black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, and 1 garlic clove
salt( optional )as needed
1. To condition the roasting pan, heat the pan and enough oil to lightly film the pan in a 425-450 degree oven. Add the bones to the pan and return to the oven. Roast the bones, stirring and turning from time to time, until the bones are a deep brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Transfer the bones to a stockpot, and add cool water. Deglaze the roasting pan with a little additional cool water, and add the released drippings to the stockpot. Bring the stock to a simmer slowly over low heat. Adjust the heat if necessary to establish an even, gentle simmer and continue to cook, skimming the surface as necessary.
3. While the stock is simmering, heat a rondeau over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to film the pan. Add the mirepox and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a deep golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until it takes on a rusty brown color and gives off a sweet aroma, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add a few ladles of the stock to the rondeau and stir well to release the drippings; add this mixture to the stock after it has simmered for about 5 hours. Add the sachet at the same time.
4. Continue to simmer the stock, skimming as necessary and tasting from time to time, until it has developed a rich flavor and a noticeable body, about 1 more hour.
5. Strain the stock. It may be used now( degrease by skimming if necessary ),or it may be rapidly cooled and stored for later use.
*source: The Professional Chef by The Culinary Institute of America 7th edition
Makes 1 gallon
4 fl oz. oil, or as needed
8 lbs. veal bones, including knuckles and trim if available, rinsed and dried
6 qt. cold water
MIREPOIX
8 oz. large-dice onions
4 oz. large- dice carrots
4 oz. large-dice celery
6 oz. tomato paste
sachet d' 'epices: containing 2 to 3 parsley stems, 1/2 tsp. fresh or dried thyme, 1/2 tsp. cracked black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, and 1 garlic clove
salt( optional )as needed
1. To condition the roasting pan, heat the pan and enough oil to lightly film the pan in a 425-450 degree oven. Add the bones to the pan and return to the oven. Roast the bones, stirring and turning from time to time, until the bones are a deep brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Transfer the bones to a stockpot, and add cool water. Deglaze the roasting pan with a little additional cool water, and add the released drippings to the stockpot. Bring the stock to a simmer slowly over low heat. Adjust the heat if necessary to establish an even, gentle simmer and continue to cook, skimming the surface as necessary.
3. While the stock is simmering, heat a rondeau over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to film the pan. Add the mirepox and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a deep golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until it takes on a rusty brown color and gives off a sweet aroma, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add a few ladles of the stock to the rondeau and stir well to release the drippings; add this mixture to the stock after it has simmered for about 5 hours. Add the sachet at the same time.
4. Continue to simmer the stock, skimming as necessary and tasting from time to time, until it has developed a rich flavor and a noticeable body, about 1 more hour.
5. Strain the stock. It may be used now( degrease by skimming if necessary ),or it may be rapidly cooled and stored for later use.
*source: The Professional Chef by The Culinary Institute of America 7th edition