the world of stocks

Stock Types, Preparing Bones, Preparing ingredients, Sweating

Stocks are an important part of any professional kitchen. Stock is an essential ingredient in many soups and sauces. If you can make a great stock, you can make a soup and sauce. When preparing stocks; flavor, clarity, and body are most important.

what is a stock?

Stock, sometimes called bone broth, is a savory cooking liquid that forms the basis of many dishes – particularly soups, stews, and sauces. Making stock involves simmering animal bones, meat, seafood, or vegetables in water or wine, often for an extended period.

a brief history of stock

Our hunter-gatherer ancestors started making bone broth out of necessity.

Throwing away parts of an animal was unthinkable. Successful hunts were so rare that every part of the animal – not just the muscle meat most people buy at the grocery store today – was precious.

From the hooves and bones to the guts and skin, hunter-gatherers mastered the art of making every part of the animal count. They ate everything they could. And they used things they couldn’t eat – like hides – to make shelters, clothing, weapons, and tools.

bone broth as medicine

Bone broth has been used to support digestive health and strengthen kidneys for 2,500 years. In the 12th century, Moses Maimonides, a physician from ancient Egypt, prescribed broth soup as a medication for colds and asthma.

Historically known for revolutionizing military organization and training, lesser known is that during the era of Napoleon, it was called “Beef Tea” and was given to his soldiers during military campaigns to maintain their health and fitness. Bone Broth preparation in Asia can be found dating back to over 1,000 years ago. Today, cultures use it to nourish their families with rich homemade stocks and recipes.

It is one of the oldest and most affordable ways to replenish depleted body stores, making it a popular choice for athletes and the chronically ill. Also, it’s an excellent and inexpensive source of minerals, proteins, and other trace but yet vital nutrients.

stock vs broth

Stock is generally made from bones, and broth is generally made from flesh. In both cases, they are often supported with aromatic vegetables, but in the case of stock, left unseasoned for maximum flexibility in recipes, whereas broth will usually contain at least salt and pepper.

stocks in the kitchen

Bouillon: This is a liquid that results from simmering meats or vegetables; also referred to as broth.

Jus: This is a rich, lightly reduced stock used as a sauce for roasted meats.

Vegetable stock: This is usually made from mirepoix, leaks and turnips. Tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings may also be added to flavor or darken the stock, but tomatoes must be strained with a cheesecloth or filter so that no seeds or skins get into the stock.

types of stocks

Stocks are often called the chef's "building blocks". They form the base for many soups and sauces. A stock is a flavorful liquid made by gently simmering bones and/or vegetables. This extracts the flavor, aroma, color, body, and nutrients of the ingredients.

Some stocks may take up to 24 hours to properly cook, but stocks are one of the most cost-effective ways to use vegetable, meat, and fish trimmings.

White Stock: Clear, pale liquid made by simmering poultry, beef, or fish bones.

Brown Stock: This is an amber liquid made by simmering poultry, beef, veal, or game bones that have been browned first.

Fumet: Very similar to fish stock, this is a highly flavored fish stock made with fish bones.

Court Bouillon: This is an aromatic vegetable broth used for poaching fish or vegetables.

Glace: Reduced stock with a jelly-like consistency, made from brown stock, or fish stock.

Remouillage: This is a weak stock made from bones that have already been used in another preparation. French for "rewetting".

preparing bones for stock

To use bones for stock, they must first be cut to the right size and then prepared by blanching, browning, or sweating.

Blanching the bones rids them of some of the impurities that can cause cloudiness in stock.

To brown bones, roast them in a hot 400 degree oven for about an hour, until they are golden brown. Once they are evenly browned, place in a stockpot, cover with cold water, and then bring to a simmer. This will give the stock a richer flavor and deeper color.

Sweating causes bone and mirepoix to release flavor more quickly when liquid is added. In the sweating process, cook the bones and/or vegetables in a small amount of fat over low heat until they soften and release moisture.

Bone broth is one of the most unsung heroes of the kitchen, yet its versatility has long made it one of the most basic and essential ingredients used in dishes around the globe for centuries. Its rich history and nutritious value make it a complimentary addition to any diet.

the world of soups

Clear Soups, Thick Soups, Purée Soups, Cream Soups, Chowders

Serving soup at the beginning of a meal provides an opportunity to make a good first impression. Preparing and serving soups helps you learn more about basic culinary techniques, seasonings, garnishing, and serving foods.

basic kinds of soup

There are two basic kinds of soup---clear soups and thick soups. Clear soups include flavored stocks, broths, and consommés. Examples include chicken noodle soup, minestrone (a tomato-based vegetable soup), and onion soup.

Thick soups include cream soups and purée soups, such as bisques, chowders, cream of tomato, lentil and split pea soup.

There are many variations of these basic soups, including the following:

Dessert soups, such as Ginataan, a Filipino soup made from coconut milk, milk, fruits, and tapioca pearls, and served hot or cold.

Fruit soups, such as winter melon or gazpacho, a savory soup with a tomato base.

Cold soups, such as borscht, beet soup, or Vichyssoise, a French-style soup made of puréed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream and chicken stock.

Traditional regional soups, such as New England clam chowder, or Manhattan clam chowder; or gumbo (a Creole soup made with okra).

Clear Soups

Stock or broth is the basic ingredient in clear soups. Broth is made from a combination of water; vegetables, beef, fish, chicken, or veal; mirepoix; and bouquet garni. It should be clear to pale amber in color and have the flavor of the major ingredient.

One type of clear soup is consommé. This is a rich, flavorful broth or stock that has been clarified. A consommé is made by adding a mixture of ground meats with mirepoix, tomatoes, egg whites, and oignon brulé to bouillon or stock. This mixture is called clearmeat.

Slowly simmer the mixture until the impurities come to the surface, trapped in a raft, which is the floating layer of egg whites, meat and vegetable solids, and fats. Remove the raft, and the result is pure and clear, or clarified.

Good consommé should be clear, aromatic, and emphasize the flavor of the major ingredient. If the consommé is too weak, a meat or poultry glaze may be added to enhance the flavor.

thick soups

There are two kinds of thick soup--cream soups and purée soups. Both purée and cream soups are made with a liquid and either sachet dépices or bouquet garni. Then a puréed main ingredient, to provide the main flavor, is blended into this base.

The main difference between a purée and cream soup is that cream soups usually thickened with an added starch, such as a roux. Purée soups are thickened by the starch found in the puréed ingredient, such as potatoes. Purée soups are courser than cream soups, but should be liquid enough to pour easily from a ladle.

Cream soups must be thick with a smooth texture. They should never be boiled. Boiling can cause the milk fat to break down, making the soup too thin and watery. Try garnishing cream soups with a bit of the soup's main ingredient. For instance, place a few small blanched broccoli florets on a cream of broccoli soup.

Bisques are another kind of thick soup. Bisque is a cream soup usually made from puréed shellfish shells, such as lobster, shrimp, or crab. The shells are puréed along with vegetables, making the texture slightly grainy. The bisque is then strained, garnished and served.

A properly prepared bisque should be pale pink, or red and have the flavor of the shellfish.

chowders

Chowders are hearty, thick soups made in much the same way as cream soups. Chowders are not puréed before the cream or milk is added. They are usually thickened with roux and typically include large pieces of the main ingredients (usually potatoes or seafood) and garnishes.

Types of chowders include: Bermuda Fish Chowder, New England Clam Chowder, Manhattan Chowder, Corn Chowder, Salmon Chowder, Seafood Chowder, and Spiced Haddock Chowder.

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