Stock

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Aabidano
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Stock

Post by Aabidano »

Pherr got me thinking on this in the Etouffee' thread.

Using stock appropriate to whatever dish you're cooking makes a huge difference in the flavor. Just use it as replacement for water in whatever dish you're cooking. Off the shelf boulion<sp> (Knerr is best) does somewhat of the same thing, it doesn't have nearly the flavor though.

Basic stock:

1 qt water
1 Onion
1 Clove garlic
Pepper to taste
1 1/2- 2 lbs of whatever you're making stock out of (fresh chicken\pork\beef bones\tails\necks, shrimp or crawfish shells+heads, fish backbones+heads, etc...)

Pretty much just cover your ingredients with water and simmer for 4-8 hours, keeping enough water in the pot to cover your ingredients. It starts developing flavor pretty quickly, so you don't have to let it cook forever if you don't want to. Strain before using, especially with fish stocks.

I've never used the ice cube tray idea, but reducing it by half and freezing it in a ziploc makes it pretty painless to store and use. Stock cubes stored in a ziploc is something I'm going to try next time I make some, sounds really handy.

I started using them after reading Paul Prudhome's Louisiana Kitchen, fantastic cookbook if you don't have it.
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Pherr the Dorf
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Post by Pherr the Dorf »

Here's my Chicken Stock recipe

10# chicken Bones
1 Large Onion, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, cut the bitter end off
1 leek, take off roots and make sure you get the dirt out
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
4 juniper berries

I add the veggies and bones to the pot and add water BELOW the level of the bones, by about 3", the reason for this is pretty simple, the bones will expel moisture and the bones will break down, this will give you a stronger stock. I prefer that because it's easier and less time consuming to add water to thin down a strong stock then reduce a thinnner one. Cook for 90 mins after it comes to a boil( skim the fat that rises while it cooks), turn off, add bay leaves, peppercorns and juniper and wait 20 mins before straining.

I use this to make all my other stocks. For example, Veal Stock is roasted veal bones, caramelized vegetables, reduced red wine and chicken stock, making what we call a double stock, or baby cow jello :D
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Ennia
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Post by Ennia »

I was taught to make stock with carrots and a little celery also.

And to char my onion a bit over an open fire (grill works too), that adds a nice smoky flavor to the stock.

Also bones can be roasted in the oven beforehand, that will make your stock darker in color, works best when you make beef stock.
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Pherr the Dorf
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Post by Pherr the Dorf »

ok I saved some time and found this and put a sticky to it. If you make your own stock, and I truely suggest you do, a trick is to take an ice cube tray, reduce the stock by about half and cool ahead of time and freeze it in the tray. Then pop them out and put em in a ziplock. This will give you good stock in single serving sizes easily accessable without a icepick.
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Drolgin Steingrinder
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Re: Stock

Post by Drolgin Steingrinder »

I'm all about the Escoffier-style bouillion or demi-glaces.

12 lbs of veal shank
12 lbs of beef shank
3,5 gallons of water
1,5 lbs of onions
1 lb carrot
1lb celery
pepper, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, leeks, garlic.

Reduce until you have around 2 gallons for bouillon or around 1/2 gallon for demiglace.

Remember to strain and skim for fat and foam often.
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