Kitchen Basics (Stocks)

Stocks

Every rich soup needs a flavorful base. Stock is a clear liquid which adds flavor and depth, and can be the difference between a "good" soup or stew and a "GREAT" soup or stew. They may take a while to prepare, but the resulting stock can be frozen for months, and can be cooked to a highly concentrated form in order to minimize space, and maximize flavor. This recipe is a blend of my favorite versions, and has given me great results, reliably.

Beef Stock

The best beef stock is made with "Beef Soup Bones". A real butcher can hook you up with these, just make sure they include knuckle bones and bones with plenty of marrow. The secret is to roast the bones (along with some stew meat), plus the veggies in a hot oven until well browned. Not scorched. Here is a basic recipe:

 6-10 pounds meaty beef soup bones (with lots of marrow), including some knuckle bones if possible, cut to expose the center marrow, and include at least a couple veal bones if you can, for their gelatin
 1 pound of stew meat (chuck or flank steak) and/or beef scraps, cut into 2-inch chunks
 Olive oil
 2-3 medium onions,  quartered (Do not peel. The peels will help add rich color)
 2-3 large carrots, cut into 1-2 inch segments
 Handful of celery tops, or 1 large celery rib, cut into 1 inch segments
 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
 Handful of parsley, stems and leaves
 2-3 bay leaves
 10 peppercorns
 sprig of fresh thyme

 Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub a little olive oil over the stew meat pieces, carrots, and onions. Place stock bones, stew meat or beef scraps, carrots and onions in a large, shallow roasting pan. Roast in oven for about 45 minutes, turning the bones and meat pieces half-way through the cooking, until nicely browned. If bones begin to char at all during this cooking process, lower the heat. They should brown, not burn.

 When the bones and meat are nicely browned, remove them and the vegetables and place them in a large (12 to 16 quart) stock pot. Place the roasting pan on the stove-top on low heat (will cover 2 burners), pour 1/2 cup to a cup of hot water over the pan and use a metal spatula to scrape up all of the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour the browned bits and water into the stock pot.

 Add celery tops, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns to the stock pot. Fill the stock pot with cold water, to 1 to 2 inches over the top of the bones. Put the heat on high and bring the pot to a low simmer and then reduce the heat to low. If you have a candy or meat thermometer, the temperature of the water should be between 180° and 200°F (boiling is 212°F). The stock should be at a bare simmer, just a bubble or two coming up here and there. (You may need to put the pot on your smallest burner on the lowest temp, or if you are using an oven-safe pot, place it in the oven at 190°F.) Cover the pot loosely and let simmer low and slow for 3-6 hours. Do not stir the stock while cooking. Stirring will mix the fats in with the stock, clouding up the stock.

I stir my stock gently about every 1/2 hour, to prevent sticking.

 As the stock cooks, fat will be released from the bone marrow and stew meat and rise to the top. From time to time check in on the stock and use a large metal spoon to scoop away the fat and any scum that rises to the surface. (Do not put this fat down your kitchen drain by the way. It will solidify and block your pipes. Put it in a bowl or jar to save for cooking or to discard.)

 At the end of cooking time (when you want to end the cooking is up to you, 3 hours minimum, 6 to 8 hours if you can do it) use tongs or a slotted spoon to gently remove the bones and vegetables from the pot (discard them, though if you see a chunk of marrow, taste it, it's delicious). Line another large pot (8-quart) with a fine mesh sieve, covered with a couple layers of cheesecloth if you have it. Pour the stock through the sieve to strain it of remaining solids. Let cool to room temperature then chill in the refrigerator.

I cook my stock on lowest settings overnight. 

One the stock has chilled, any fat remaining will have risen to the top and solidified. The fat forms a protective layer against bacteria while the stock is in the refrigerator. If you plan to freeze the stock however, remove and discard the fat, pour the stock into a jar or plastic container. (You can also remove the fat, and boil the stock down, concentrating it so that it doesn't take as much storage space.) Leave an inch head room from the top of the stock to the top of the jar, so that as the stock freezes and expands, it will not break the containers.

In Winter I cool my stocks in my enclosed front porch, since the temperature is below 30*F.


Since Thanksgiving rapidly approaches... Next up will be Poultry Stock.