Sat, Dec-20-08, 23:04
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Registered Member
Posts: 1,096
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Plan: Kwasniewski Ratios
Stats: 225/158/145
BF:53%/24%/20%
Progress: 84%
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How to make great stock - and then broth
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Originally Posted by Kisal
No, not "impure" in the sense that it's inedible.
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Actually, it is. In former, non-PC days, the stuff that floats was called what it is: scum. Not foam. Scum. Because that's what it is. An inedible mix of protein and blood that needs to be skimmed off in the first 10 minutes of the simmer/boil.
Do you need to bring your stock to a boil? Yes, you do. If you don't, the scum will simply cling to the meat and veg and later be impossible to remove. OTOH, once you've brought the stock (not broth - which should never be boiled and is NOT interchangeable with stock) to a slow boil/simmer, the scum will float up and be easy to skim.
Stock is what you make from meat, bones and veg. Broth is what you make from stock by reducing it slowly over time. Demi-glaze is made from broth by further reduction, until you have literally spoonfuls of thick, flavor-laden syrup with enormous concentration of flavor. It's very difficult to make a fabulous French 'Mother Sauce' without demi-glaze.
Here's how to make great chicken stock:
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A stock is only as good as the chicken in it. If you can afford to visit an organic chicken farm, go for it. You'll definitely be able to 'taste' the cost when done. Even better is to visit and buy a 'fowl' or 'stewing hen'. Too old to roast, but very flavorful for stock. You can now also buy fowls in the large supermarket chains --- but you can't buy the 'chicken feet' (not legs) there --- and they are essential for GREAT stock. An enormous amount of collegen is supplied by those feet, and you only need a few to toss in the pot. And collegen means flavor and gelatin -- both of which add richness to the stock.
Toss a 4-5 pound fowl, cut into about 8 pieces but with liver removed, into a huge stock pot. Add a few chicken feet. If you have the bones of a roasted chicken to add - great. Toss 'em in. Add an onion, peel still on, sliced in half vertically (from stem to stem). Keep the roots on so the onion doesn't disintegrate. Add 2 large, peeled carrots, cut in 3-4 pieces. Add several stalks of celery, cut into large pieces. Add 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and whacked with the bottom of a heavy pan or knife - still basically in one piece with roots on. Cover with filtered water so that the chicken is completely covered by at least 5 inches of water. No salt or pepper is added at this time.
Cover pot and bring to boil over high heat. As SOON as stock comes to boil, remove top, reduce heat to low so that the stock still simmers and lightly bubbles -- and for the next 10 or so minutes, skim off and discard the scum that rises to the top. This will be the last time you ever boil the liquid.
Once scum is gone, add a bouquet garni tied in cheesecloth. Bouquet can have a bay leaf, some fresh dill, a few whole peppercorns, etc. -- whatever you'd like. Do not add these things directly to the pot - you must use cheesecloth or you'll have bits and pieces all over the place. Still no salt.
Let the stock lightly simmer and reduce for several hours, up to six. Add a bit more water if needed.
When the stock is reduced to your liking, pour entire contents into a large sieve over a large bowl. You will discard all the solids -- though I do press them well with a large spoon to get all the stock.
CRUCIAL: Immediately place the bowl of stock into an even larger bowl filled with ice-water to quickly chill it. A large amount of hot stock that cools on the counter or even in the fridge is asking for bacteria to come and swim in it. If you don't have a larger bowl or lots of ice, pour the stock into small containers, place containers on a cookie sheet, and freeze uncovered overnight (no condensation that way). Cover the next day. Defrost a container or two overnight in the fridge the day before planning to make broth or soup or demi-glaze.
For the broth: Add defrosted stock to a sauce pan. Add diced carrots and celery. Bring to simmer and reduce until flavor is concentrated. Add cooked meat if you wish the last 10 minutes before serving, as well as salt, and any other spice you'd like. Or use in a sauce, etc.
For demi-glaze: reduce stock by 75%. Discard carrots and celery, and reduce until just a quarter cup is left. Add salt to taste, but remember that demi-glaze is just another ingredient added to a sauce that may already have salt, so go easy.
Demi-glaze can stay in the fridge for months; stock and broth just a few days.
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Enjoy! 
Lisa
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