We've covered brown stock and the resulting brown sauce, let's move on to chicken stock and the vegetable stock I used for the Mushroom Stroganoff. Stocks are classified as "white" or "brown". Anything can be used for either type. If the bones and mirepoix I used for the brown beef stock had not been roasted first, the stock would be called "white beef stock". Chicken stock is almost always a "white" stock, and vegetable stock is also usually "white". The vegetable stock I made was to be used expressly for a vegetarian stroganoff, so I made it brown by roasting the vegetables first.
This is how that went:
The correct mise en place for vegetable stock is the veggies above and the sachet shown, which is slightly different than a standard sachet. A teaspoon of fennel seed and a few whole cloves were added. The veggies are: 1 large carrot, 2 stalks celery, 1 medium onion, 2 medium leeks, 1 medium turnip, 1/2 small cabbage, 1/2 cup fresh parsley, 1/4 cup tomato paste and 3 garlic cloves.
The veggies are roasted like the beef bones; in a 350 degree F oven for about 1 hour. These are the roasted veggies in the stockpot. Cover with 1 gallon of water and add the sachet before bringing to a boil and turning down to a simmer.
This is the vegetable stock simmering - about 1 hour should do it.
This is the finished brown vegetable stock.Strain as for other stocks and use in place of brown beef stock to make brown sauce vegetarian-style.
This is a basic chicken stock--not as detailed in photos as the others:
Mise en place for chicken stock - add a standard sachet as shown in my previous post. This is 4 chicken backs and 4 wings. Ideally necks and backs are used, but my butcher only had these parts. The mirepoix is one pound and one gallon of water, or enough to cover the bones, is added before simmering just the bones for one hour.
After the bones have simmered for one hour, add the mirepoix and sachet. Simmer for another hour.
A double thickness of cheesecloth in a colander is the easiest way to strain the stock.
The finished chicken stock.You may wonder why salt was not mentioned here for the stocks or the brown sauce. Salt is always added to the finished dish, not the base. Salt is only there to enhance the flavor, not to create it. The stock should be very flavorful on it's own.
The veggies are roasted like the beef bones; in a 350 degree F oven for about 1 hour. These are the roasted veggies in the stockpot. Cover with 1 gallon of water and add the sachet before bringing to a boil and turning down to a simmer.
This is the vegetable stock simmering - about 1 hour should do it.
After the bones have simmered for one hour, add the mirepoix and sachet. Simmer for another hour.
A double thickness of cheesecloth in a colander is the easiest way to strain the stock.
Beautiful post-your mise en place is very impressive, as are the results!
ReplyDeleteThank you again! Another question again too. If you are opting for a white vegetable stock, do you simmer for an hour still or lengthen the time since not roasting beforehand? And for my curiousity's sake, what do you do with any meat that comes off the bones for the chicken stock? Is it saved for later dishes? Your frugal to boot so I was curious.
ReplyDeleteI am so excited to know how to make great tasting stock now!
Deb-thank you!
ReplyDeleteRanae, for beef stock-no matter which, long simmering is necessary- the same 5 hours. The chicken bones I use have so little meat that it's not really enough to save--unless the wings were meatier than usual. There is something called a "remouillage"--a stock made from bones that were already used for stock--that is less flavorful but often times used in place of water to make a richer stock. So, you can save the bones and re-use them for another stock. I may post about that!
Your chicken stock looks rich and full of flavor :)
ReplyDeleteI have to also give you an amen on the salt issue. I cringe when I see folks salting their food and not even tasting it first. I think to myself and want to say "why don't you just dump a pile on your plate and eat that instead." But I don't...It would not be polite :)