One of the first things we learned at culinary school was how to make stock. Its very simple, but actually has a detailed prep and a good stock can make other good things, but a bad stock can equal a bad soup, bad rice, bad sauce, bad risotto, etc. You get the picture and how there are 7 key pricples to makeing stock and imust know them backwards and forwards. so here is is!
1) Start with COLD WATER: it allows the protiens to coagulate and evenly rise to the surface
2) Simmer NEVER BOIL: Once the impurites rise to the top, a boiling stock will emulsify it and we dont want that to happen
3) SKIM FREQUENTLY: This is to remove the impurites and excess fat that can cloud the stock (if you want to actually attempt to make stock, use a good strainer or even a coffee filter will to the trick)
4) Strain carefully: Its important this is done CAREFULLY because to quickly will emulsify the fat and allos them to actully go through the strainer.
5)Cool Quickly-its also vital a stock be cool quickly because it has a large amount of protien and this can spoil
6) Store Properly: its crucial to store stock in plastic containers (but this is more of a school policy because part of this step according to my notes is to label it so another class doesn't use it)
7) Degrease: There might me a fat cap floating at the top but leave it because it helps the preservation of the stocck but remove it before use. Reomove the fat BEFORE reheating the stock because it will be much harder to remove when warm.
So thats it, the seven principles. and if you want to take a stab at making your own just know the very simple ratio to stock makeing: 100% water, 50% bones (if chicken stock, use chicken bones, if fish stock use fish bones...etc), and 10% mirepoix (which has its own ratio of 50% onion, 25% celery, and 25% carrot). You also need to add a "sache" which is a bayleaf, parsley sprig, thyme, peppercorns, one clove, and sometimes, garlic, wrapped in a cheese cloth into a little sack. Just dont forget to take it out one your done (a kid in my class forgot to take it out in one of his soups and he put it in the blender! ekk!).
I know its so much easier to go buy a box or can of stock, but beleive me the flavor will be very different and make everthing that will derive fromt eh stock taste spectacular!
2 comments:
Thanks for the stock information. My mom told me about that but she forgot to mention one extra important ingredient - a good stove with good burners! The old apartment in college and now post college are tricky and awful especially the electric ones. Are you using gas or electric? Have your profs said anything about that yet?
We use gas all the way, i actually hate the burners at school because sometimes the vents cun turn the off in the middle of when your cooking! i guess electric is more efficent but gas is standard in resturant kitchens
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