CULINARY SKILLS 1
Stock: is a flavored liquid. A good stock is the key to a great soup, sauce or braised dish. The French
appropriately call a stock fond (“base”), as stocks are the basis for many dishes.
Stock Types
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White Stock
Brown
Fish or Fumet
Court Bouillon
White Stock: made by simmering ckn., veal or beef bones in H2O w/ vegetables and seasonings. The
stock remains relatively colorless during the cooking process.
Brown Stock: made from ckn, veal, beef or game bones & veggies, all of which are carmamelized b/f
being simmered in H2O w seasonings. The stock has a rich, dark color.
Fish Stock and Fumet: made by slowly cooking fish bones or crustacean shells and veggies w/o coloring
them, then simmering them in H2O w/ seasonings for a short time. For a fumet, wine and lemon juices
are added. The resulting stock or fumet is strongly flavored, relatively colorless liquid.
Court Boullion: simmering veggies & seas. in water and acidic liquid such as vinegar or wine. It is used
to poach fish or vegetables.
Ingredients:
The basic ingredients of any stock = bones, vegetable mixture known as mire poix, seasonings and water
Bones: most import. Ingred. add flavor,richness & color to the stock. Foodservice ops purchase
bones just for stock (b/c of evolve w/ butcher shops). (See note: Cooking times vary)
Mirepoix: = mixture of onions, carrots, celery added to a stock to enhance flavor & aroma.
Gen ratio: 50% Onion, 25% carrots, 25% celery by weight. Size = deter. By cook time. (lg vs. sm)
Seasonings: Peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, parsley stems and optionally garlic. These
seasonings are generally left whole. A stock is cooked long enough to extract flavors.
See Flavoring/ Seasonings Chart
Quality
Judged by 4 characteristics:
Body: develops when collagen proteins dissolve in protein-based stock
Flavor: Veggies: mirepoix, herb sachets and proper ratio of ingredients to liquid give flavor
Clarity: is achieved by removing impurities during stock making.
Color: Leeks and carrots give wht stock light color. Browned bones & tomato paste give color
to dark stocks. Improper uses of coloring ingred. can overwhelm the color & flavor of a stock.
Flavoring/Seasonings
Bouquet Garni
Fresh herbs & vegetables tied in a bundle
Recipe for 1 gallon of liquid
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1 sprig of thyme
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3-4 parsley stems
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1 bay leaf
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2 or 3 leek leaves and/or celery stalk, cut crosswise in half.
Sachet
Fresh herbs & veggies + peppercorns & spices tied in cheese cloth
Recipe for 1 gallon of liquid
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3-4 parsley stems
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1 sprig of thyme
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1 bay leaf
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½ t. cracked peppercorns
Standard Mire Poix
Used for variety of stocks & soups
Ingredients by weight:
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2 parts onion/1 part carrot/ 1 part celery
Notes: Tomato paste or puree often included in brown stock, gravy, stew or soup
White Mire Poix
Used for white stocks and pale colored soups
Ingredients by weight:
ν 2 parts leek/1 part parsnip/ 1 part celery
Cook Times for Various Stocks
Type of Stock
Vegetables
Fish or Shellfish bones
Chicken bones
Veal Bones
Beef Bones
Minimum Total Simmering Time
45 minutes
45 minutes
3 hours
6 hours
12 hours
Principles of making a stock
1.
Start in cold H2O
2.
Simmer stock gently
3.
Skim stock frequently
4.
Stain stock carefully
5.
Cool the stock quickly
6.
Store the stock properly
7.
Degrease the stock
Flavor cannot extract from bones, vegetables & seasonings not covered in water
Stock maintained @ a constant simmer with remain more clear as it develops and reduces
To keep the stock clear when straining: do not disturb the solid ingredients when removing the liquid
1. If removing from a stock pot: ladle the liquid after removing impurities w/o stirring
2. Strain the stock through a china cap lined w/ several layers of cheesecloth
Standard Ratios for:
1 Gallon of Stock
Stock Type
White (beef or veal)
Major Flavoring
8lbs of bones
Liquid
6qts
Mirepoix
1 lb. white
Poultry
8lbs of bones
6 qts
1 lb standard
Brown
8 lbs of bones
6 qts
1 lb standard
+ 2 oz tomato
paste
Fish
Shellfish
Vegetable
11 lbs of bones
11 lbs of bones
4 lbs of vegetables
5 qts
5 qts
1 gal
Aromatics
Sachet
1 lb leeks
& mushroom trim
1 lb standard
+ 2 oz tomato paste
Sachet
Sachet +
Onion Brulé
Sachet
Sachet +
Onion Brulé
Sachet