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When I was in cooking school, my chef-instructors vigilantly patrolled our work stations, insisting that every vegetable trimming and herb stem be saved for stock preparation. The responsibility for preparing stocks was only entrusted to the most accomplished students. The job may not have been the most glamorous, but it was possibly the most important one in the kitchen.
Stock is a cooking essential; a spoonful adds moisture, body and flavor to almost any dish. In a professional restaurant kitchen, you’d never find a can of broth, but at home we often rely on store-bought substitutes for homemade stock, in the mistaken belief that they are just as good, and more convenient. In fact, store-bought broths don’t even come close in terms of flavor. Homemade stock contains more protein, in the form of gelatin, than anything available commercially, and it’s that gelatin that adds body and silkiness. Plus, unlike store-bought broth, homemade stock is usually sodium-free, so you can control a dish’s final seasoning. And finally, it’s simple to make in an afternoon with very little effort. All you need is a pot, a faucet, a burner and a good book or magazine (Edible Queens?) to keep you company while the stock bubbles away.
All stocks contain three basic components: bones or shells; mirepoix, or chopped vegetables, usually onions, carrot and celery; and herbs, spices and other aromatics like garlic. The rest is just cold water from the tap. A stock can be “brown” —in which the bones are roasted—or “white,” in which they aren’t. Brown stocks add incredible flavor to long-simmered soups and stews, while white stocks are great for everyday use, like thinning out a pan sauce or cooking rice.
The whole point of stock-making is to extract as much flavor from the vegetables, bones and herbs as possible, while at the same time evaporating liquid and concentrating that flavor. A good chicken or beef stock will take at least 3 hours to make, often longer, but seafood stocks can—and should—be made quickly, within a half hour or so, because you don’t want an overwhelming fishiness in the final product, just a touch of the sea. There are two important rules to follow when you’re making homemade stock. One: Use cold water. Cold water takes longer to heat up than warm water, which adds extraction time. And two: Don’t let it boil, except at the very beginning. A stock should just barely simmer on the stove. Boiling results in a cloudy stock that can have muddy flavors and sometimes even a gritty texture.
Once you have stock on hand you can take the next step and reduce it to a syrupy consistency to make a glace. Used in your next sauce, soup or stew, a glace’s intense flavor will definitely boost the taste of any dish. You can’t make a glace with store-bought stock—the salt would be overpowering. Both stocks and glaces freeze easily so you can always have some on hand, but when using either it’s doubtful that you’ll want to defrost your entire batch. Freeze stocks in 1- or 2-cup labeled containers and glaces in ice cube trays—that way you can use a little at a time as needed. Once you get into the habit of making stock on a monthly or even seasonal basis, I’m sure you’ll find all sorts of ways to use it in your cooking. A good stock is, truly, the best investment you can make in your cooking repertoire.
RECIPES:
Beef Stock
Use in...Braised Oxtails
Chicken Stock
Use in...Pork Chops with Apple Cider Sauce
Shrimp/Seafood Stock
Use in...Shrimp Risotto with Pancetta and Swiss Chard
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