All About Stock

Use the freshest, highest quality, and if possible, organic produce and meat you can find or afford. Remember that stock is a highly concentrated essence - anything bad or off will be magnified in the finished product. Vegetables past their prime? Spices and herbs that are kicked? Meat that's freezer burned? Toss them in the compost heap and buy fresh. Professional chefs may have cultivated a "scrap-and-trimming" approach to stock-making, driven by the economics of the restaurant and hotel industry. But keep in mind that when professional chefs make stock, they're typically using fresh, top-notch ingredients - stuff that may be no more than a few days old.

This isn't to imply that you need to buy expensive cuts of meat (see "the right cuts of meat" below) - quite the contrary; the cheaper cuts like necks, backs, carcasses, and shins tend to work best for stock. But what is important is that these lesser cuts should be as fresh and as high quality as possible. Quality in, quality out.

Many recipes call for a high water-to-ingredient ratio. But too much water leads to thin stock; thin stock leads to extra time and energy to reduce it to the right consistency. As long as there's enough water to cover your ingredients, heat and chemistry will do their thing. Additional water can always be added later in the cooking process -- a lot easier that trying to remove too much.

Agitation breaks up and distributes particles throughout the stock that can be difficult to remove later. So, a few rules:

o Don't allow the stock you're preparing to come to a boil-keep it at a very, very gentle simmer (a few bubbles every 1-2 seconds - as Julia Child would say "like it's winking at you.")

o Don't cover the pot at any point (this will increase the risk reaching a boil)

o Don't stir it. Although the urge is hard to resist, leave the stock alone.

James Peterson, in his seminal book Sauces, goes into great depth on this area. He warns that allowing a stock to boil will release tiny bits of coagulated protein and fats into the stock. The mechanical action of the boil will emulsify these substances into the stock, leading to a finished product that has a dull flavor, and greasy texture.

Don't try to "super-reduce" your stock to dial-up the flavor (e.g., reducing to 1/4 or 1/5 of the original liquid volume) - it will actually flatten-out and dull the taste. To intensify the flavor of stock, repeat the formula using a like-stock instead of water. For example, you can make double concentrated chicken stock by following the same recipe as for chicken stock, using chicken stock as the liquid, rather than water. Triple stock is made with double stock instead of water, and so on.

Keep in mind that the cost will be the same for each quantity of finished stock. If you want to make a double or triple stock but don't have enough ingredients (or time), not to worry - make a single batch and freeze it. Thaw and make your next batch when you're ready.

If using raw meat to make stock, blanch the meat in boiling water first; this will eliminate the majority of the coagulated proteins (a.k.a. "grey scum") that can form. An effective, efficient method:

o Place the raw meat in an empty, dry stock pot

o Separately, boil a few quarts of water (enough to cover the meat in the stockpot)

o Take the water off of the heat; add the boiling water to the stockpot containing the meat. Let stand for 4 minutes.

o Dump the water, reserving the meat. Rinse the meat with cold water.

This sounds counter-intuitive - as if this step could somehow drain important flavor compounds from the meat. It doesn't. We've done back-to-back tests (blanch vs. no-blanch) and there is no impact on flavor. But it does make it easier to maintain a clear stock.

No, not a beer. We're talking about the water (or other liquid) that goes into your stock -- it should always be cold. With the exception of tip 5 (blanching raw meat), always add cold liquid to moisten stock. Hot water can release super-fine soluble proteins in the meat that will make the stock cloudy and are difficult to remove.

Meat contributes two significant elements to stock: flavor, which comes from the muscle tissue, and body, which comes from collagen in the bones, cartilage and connective tissue. Properly made stock has a balance of both: it should taste of the animal from which it was made, and have a silky, velvety texture that leaves your lips feeling slightly sticky. The good news is that the best cuts for stock are usually the least expensive (although beef and veal shanks are sometimes an exception); some guidelines:

o Chicken stock (or any poultry stock): Necks, backs, thighs, wings, carcasses and, if you can get them, chicken feet (some Asian markets carry these)

o Beef stock: Shins/shanks, knuckles, necks, tails (oxtail), and if you have a friendly butcher, any other meaty beef bones or meat trimmings (such Stew Meat) are great.

o Veal stock: Veal knuckles (if you can find them), meaty veal bones

o Fish stock: Carcasses of white fish only (cod, skate, halibut, etc.); shellfish carcasses (for shrimp, lobster and crab stocks)

Once you have the right cuts, be sure to cut the meat to the proper size. Everything - meat, bones, and all - should be cut into small pieces - 1 ½ to 2 inches. The idea is to maximize the surface area of meat (in the same fashion as the carrot and onion are cut), to ensure that flavor compounds are extracted evenly and completely.

While some chefs note that cutting chicken bones can expose marrow that leaves an undesirable taste, and/or blood that can cloud the stock, we've found that blanching the bones and meat prevents this problem.

Cutting and cleaning carcasses for fish stock is a slightly different matter. Great care must be taken to remove gills (they can impart a bitter taste), and even the blood located in the spine. In general, fish carcasses need to be rinsed very thoroughly, and must be supremely fresh (think of what your stock would taste like -- and again, stock is a concetrated extraction -- if the fish were even a little funky).

Fish and Poultry are reasonably manageable with a heavy chef's knife, shears, or meat cleaver. But cutting beef and veal bones are probably best left to your butcher.

Cuts used for beef, veal and fish stocks have no skin, and very little fat that can be trimmed off - so no real issue there. But chicken and poultry is another story. While many cooks leave the fat on, it must ultimately be skimmed out of the stock. So save yourself some effort and remove the skin and excess fat before dropping it in the pot.

Be careful not to add too much carrot and onion - it can make the stock extremely sweet. Also, too much celery can impart an off taste (some describe as "soapy") - many formulas for stock omit celery entirely.

Onions should be cleaned, peeled and chopped at the time you're preparing stock. Onions have volatile compounds that begin reacting immediately after they are cut (triggered by breaks in the cell walls). Over time, these compounds become increasingly unstable, creating off, sulphuric flavors that can significantly impair the aroma and taste of your stock.

Particularly with assertive aromatics like garlic, peppercorn and fresh bay leaf. These flavors can become highly pronounced as the stock reduces and concentrates. Many professional formulas for stock have very low ratios of spices-to-meat (e.g., 6 peppercorns to 8 lbs of meat), and some require no peppercorn at all. Our preference is to use 2 peppercorns for every 1 lb of protein/meat, and we refrain from using garlic in any poultry or fish stock.

Proper skimming is an acquired skill. There are many ways to approach it, but with a little practice the use of a small stainless steel ladle is the best approach. Here's how:

o Starting from the center, put the bowl of the ladle so that it just touches the surface of the stock (where all the fat, coagulated bits and grey scum are floating)

o Begin making a small, tight circles with the bowl of the ladle. Then, gradually start making larger circles until they are almost wide as the pot. The idea is to create a gentle vortex on the surface that pushes the fat and scum to the outermost edges of the pot. Don't make a wild, rushing whirlpool (like an emptying sink!), or you'll have stock all over your shirt and stove.

o With the fat and scum swirling around the outermost edges, angle your ladle to just break the surface, and "scoop up" the swirling fat and scum in the bowl of the ladle and remove.

o Repeat these steps a few times and you'll have removed most of what you wanted (fat, scum) and very little of what you didn't (the stock).

o It takes practice, but try to visualize the concept of moving or "corralling" the stuff on the surface into a swirling ring. Then, catch what's in the ring.

While not terribly noticeable to your taste buds, meat does contain sodium and other minerals that will make their way into your stock. But more importantly, since you'll be adding salt and other seasonings the dish that the stock goes into, "unsalted" stock gives you a lot more control over the final product. This is, in fact, a general principal of stock: neutrality. Hence all the fuss about keeping it clear, balanced, and unsalted.

Utensils for skimming:
o Use a small ladle (see tip #13 for the art of skimming)
o Other tools, such as wide spoons or screened flat ladles will work, but are much less efficient.
o Keep a large container of cool water nearby to drop the skimming utensil into - don't allow the utensil to become gummy with fat and/or dried scum (it will only work its way back into the stock)

Utensils for straining:
o Fine mesh strainer, chinois or colander
o Cheesecloth

Cookware for simmering:
o Large stockpot(s) - 24 - 32 Quarts

Cutlery and miscellaneous
o Large chef's knife (8" or 10")
o Meat cleaver
o Poultry shears
o Cotton twine
o Freezer bags

In addition to the guidelines in tip 13:

o Set the pot slightly off-center on the heat source. The stock will simmer on one side only, pushing the material to be skimmed to the opposite side.

o Put the aromatic vegetables and bouquet garni in the bottom of the pot, placing the meat on top. This will keep the smaller bits from floating to the top, leaving the surface clear for easy skimming.

Browning meat for a roasted meat stock is more about patience than skill. Browning, not burning, is the key concept. Why? Because even small amounts of burned meat can impart a bitter, off-taste in the stock (again, we tested it ourselves - it's true). To brown meat correctly:

o Arrange the meat with a 1 to 1 ½ inch gap between each piece. This can be on a sheet pan, in a skillet, or in the bottom of a stock pot. If the meat is too close together, it will steam rather than brown. If the meat is too far apart, the juices and fats that are released can evaporate and burn.

o Keep the temperature at medium-high on a range top, or 400° in an oven.

o Don't mess with it - moving the meat around too much does a lot of bad things, like releasing liquid (adding steam) or reducing the temperature (causing it to cook unevenly, or steam).

o When is it done? On the stovetop, at a medium-high temperature, the meat should brown in about 2-3 minutes per side for chicken, 3-4 minutes per side for beef or veal. It will take longer in the oven - about 30 minutes for the first side, a bit less for the second. Keep an eye on it - the key is a golden brown color (not black).

o Pay attention - don't walk away from the stove or oven to do other tasks - it can go from not-yet-done to burned quicker than you think

o After you've browned the meat, deglaze by adding water, scraping to release caramelized drippings. Allow the meat to cool slightly, then add it to your stock.

When straining your stock, put your coarse strainer inside your finer one (lining the whole thing with loose-weave cheesecloth makes cleanup even easier). Prop the strainers over another pot to collecting the liquid. Carefully pour the contents of the stock pot into the strainers (you may need to do this in two steps). Don't press on the solids - this will make the stock cloudy. Just give the strainers a few shakes, and most of the stock will drain into the bowl without a problem.

After straining your stock, cool by shocking in an ice bath. Place the bowl with your stock inside a larger bowl with ice and cold water (be careful not to slosh any of the water into your stock!). Your goal should be to get the stock cold as fast as possible. Why? Warm stock is a near-perfect medium for bacteria - lots of water for pathogen motility, lots of food compounds for bacterial growth, and when warm it's squarely in the food safety danger zone. In fact, years ago, beef stock was used in laboratories as a medium for growing bacteria (Petri dishes were lined with it). At best, stock that cools over a long time period may sour; at worst, it may be toxic.

After shocking in an ice bath, let the stock chill in a refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. Any residual fat in the stock will rise to the top and harden. Use a cold spoon to scrape off any fat that has risen to the top. If the layer of fat is super-thin (less than a quarter of an inch) it can be very difficult to remove with a spoon (it just breaks up into tiny pieces. In that case, let the stock stand at room temperature for a few minutes. Then, carefully lay a piece of paper towel on the surface and give it a few seconds to absorb the fat. Pull the paper towel back, and voila - the fat is removed almost perfectly.

The best way to store homemade stock is to freeze it - there are a lot of different ways to do this - large containers, ice cube trays, etc. Don't freeze it in huge chunks unless you plan to use large quantities of it all at once. A large zip-top bag filled to no more than 1" thick with liquid when laid flat on its side (and frozen that way) will allow you to break pieces off fairly easily.

It never fails to amaze us how unrecognizable a container or bag of stock becomes once it's put in the freezer. Unlabeled, you'll have no idea what the heck it is a month later. Be sure to write down the type (chicken, duck, beef, etc.), whether it's double or triple, and most importantly, the date - stock will keep for up to a year, but it begins to lose flavor after about 3 months.

Unless you're making fish stock (fumet), making stock is at least a half-day event, requiring a minimum of 4 hours, to as long as 12 for a single batch; double- or triple-strength stocks can take days! Don't rush it by cooking the stock at a higher temperature (boiling it, making it cloudy), or by getting too involved in other tasks (leaving a stove too long unattended).

Okay, so these details are a little overwhelming. But the next time you make stock, try following as many tips as you can. Just try! We promise that you'll see for yourself how they work and why they make sense. With practice, these approaches will become second nature.

Single Strength Chicken Stock

- 2 lbs of chicken thigh meat, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 4 lbs of bones and carcasses, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 7.0 oz carrots, washed, peeled, washed and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 7.0 oz white onion, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 black peppercorns
- Small bunch of fresh thyme (0.5 oz)
- Small bunch of fresh parsley (1.0 oz)
- 6 quarts of water for cooking + 3 quarts for blanching

1. Put chicken in a large stockpot.
2. Separately, in another pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil (for blanching the meat).
3. Pour the boiling water into stockpot with chicken; allow to sit for 4 minutes
4. Carefully discard the water (it will still be very hot). Rinse the chicken with cold water.
5. Add 4 quarts of fresh cold water to the stockpot with the chicken.
6. Slowly bring to a simmer (medium to medium high heat); allow to simmer for 30 min, skimming frequently.
7. Add vegetables and aromatics (bay leaf, peppercorns, etc.), and bring back to a simmer; allow to simmer for 1.5 hours, skimming as needed.
8. Now add the remaining 2 quarts of cold water to the stockpot. Bring back up to a low simmer, and allow to cook for another 2.5 hours; longer for desired taste/consistency.
9. Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer with a large piece of cheese cloth in it. Discard all bones and solids.
10. Chill the strained stock immediately in ice bath until completely cool. Place in a covered container and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
11. If any residual fat hardens at the top remove it with a cold spoon. Place chilled stock in separate containers (zip-lock freezer bags work very well). Label appropriately and freeze.

Double Strength Chicken Stock

Follow the same recipe as above, using Single Strength Chicken Stock in place of water (for cooking, not blanching).