A clear stock is a good stock...
By pepai123456
@pepai123456 (879)
Philippines
December 8, 2011 11:03pm CST
Yesterday we're tasked to do two types of stock a "Brown stock" and a "White stock". We used Veal bone for the brown stock and chicken bones for the white stock. The process of making the stock was amazing and a bit detailed.As our instructor (Chef Annie)said "a clear stock is a good stock" it is very important that we use cooled water in order for the "scums" to float and to be easily removed during the first boil and reduce it to a low simmer.She also taught us how to make a "sachet" a fancy french term for a bag with herbs,aromatics, and spices specifically thyme,peppercorn,parsley steam,Bay leaf,and garlic (optional) put all the herb and spices to a cheese cloth tied it up using a butchers twine and throw it to the simmering stock after the scums are removed.She also explained what a "mirepoix" means (pronouns as mer-pwah), a mirepoix is a combination of carrots,celery,and white onion and are usually 1/2 X 1/2 inch, it is considered as an aromatic and is added to the stock to make it more flavorful.She also warned us never to put salt to your stock because it will ruin the stock and the sauce that you will be making out from the stock.The stocks went pretty good and we didnt have any problem in the end (except we need to refrigerate the stock after its in room temp and strain the harden fats that are floating in the stock as what she says "a clear stock is a good stock").
Have a great day everyone =)
6 responses
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
9 Dec 11
I love making stock for my soups. They are so much healthier for you than the store bought soup stocks.
I especially like to make them in the cooler months, it not only makes the house smell good, it also helps keep it warm in the winter months.
I like to freeze some stock for future use. Great tip about the salt.
Another great topic Pepai, have a nice day.
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
9 Dec 11
Yes your very right...
Our laboratory room smelled really good and our chef jackets smelled like the stock especially the bay leaf and thyme scent hehe...
I cant wait on our next class will be using the stock to make sauce and soup.
thanks Mary have a great day too ^^.
1 person likes this
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
10 Dec 11
What type of classes are you taking? I wish they had more cooking classes now a days. They use to have more classes years ago, but I really haven't seen any except for culinary school. That I wouldn't be able to afford.
Enjoy your class, looking forward to your results of the use of your stock.
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
10 Dec 11
Im an HRM student Mary so the teach us how to run a restaurant(kitchen) and a hotel so its a combination of culinary arts and hotel management.Yeah they are a bit expensive...
1 person likes this
@marguicha (223896)
• Chile
9 Dec 11
I make stocks from all sorts of things and then use then for soups, creams or sauces. But I always added a bit of salt. Thank you for the no salt tip. I´ll follow it from now on.
@marguicha (223896)
• Chile
10 Dec 11
I add a small amount of salt because I freeze them if I´m not going to use them at the moment. And the freezer does make the salt come out. I use a great part of my broths to make risottos when I have friends over. I love meals that can be brought to the table and everyone spoons it in their own dish.
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
9 Dec 11
Well i think you can add salt if your going to use the stock immediately.Our instructor just warned us not too because it might ruin our sauce and soup for the next week(because we might forget we added salt hehe).But i think what our instructor really mean is that salt might mask the beefy our chicken goodness of the stock.
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
10 Dec 11
Another reason to be very light-handed with the salt at the beginning is that your stock is most likely going to be reduced from its original volume for either flavor or consistency. The water evaporates but the salt doesn't, so adding a lot of salt in a whole gallon pot of stock will really make it salty once it has reduced down to a pint.
This is a mistake I've made a few times. 
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
9 Dec 11
it was a fun but tiring experience, the stocks where simmering for like 6 hours for the brown and 4 hours for the white stock, but all in all great learning experience.
@celticeagle (168595)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Dec 11
How interesting. I used to save stock in the freezer. Chicken or vegetable in one and beef in the other. That was when I used to make alot of soups. I think the sachet is a good idea. I hadn't heard of that before. Good way to infuse the flavor without have the bits of herb and such in the finished food.
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
10 Dec 11
Yes freezing is the best way of keeping your stock from spoiling it can last for months in the freezer, weeks in the fridge.Lol lets thank the French for that, actually its really an old tradition for them they are the one who invented the sachet on making flavorful stock, your right the main purpose of the sachet is to infuse flavor without the nasty leafy and spice bits floating in the top.
1 person likes this
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
10 Dec 11
When I make a stock, it's almost always for a soup or a gravy, so I never fuss with making a clear stock.
I have a few key tips that I use for my stock. One, you definitely need to let it go for hours and hours to extract the gelatin from the bones. My stocks literally turn into jello when they sit in the fridge. And I also use onions with the skins on. It gives the stock a rich, golden color.
My favorite part about making stock is that you don't have to fuss with anything. I leave the leaves on the celery, cut a head of garlic in half, cut an onion in half, throw in some whole baby carrots, some chicken bones, and I let it go.
It's fun and easy to make a great stock. I hope the clear stock works out well for you. 
My stocks are always thick, cloudy and delicious. 
My stocks are always thick, cloudy and delicious. @pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
10 Dec 11
Lol your like my mom her stock is less fussy, but i really need to make a clear stock =P or i will fail X3 in making stocks.
@metafight (70)
• Philippines
11 Dec 11
I really hate those scums that float in top of my stock when boiling beef shank for my bulalo i really scoop them out I dont like my soup to be cloudy but i like the peppercorns that float in the soup,Thank you for sharing this wonderful experience on making stocks great job in your stock!
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
12 Dec 11
I don't like peppercorns floating in my soup or stock they look weird ....
they look like small you know...
