STOCK BHMCT NOTES Definition of a stock A stock is a liquid that has been formed by extracting flavors, nutrients and salts during the coo...
STOCK BHMCT NOTES
Definition of a stock
• Delicate flavor
• Clear of grease
• The basic ingredient for most soups and sauces is a good stock and this is why a stockpot should be maintained in every kitchen. Stock is obtained by simmering bones and selected vegetables in water to extract their flavor. The preparation of the basic stock is not a difficult process and although weights and measures are given in the recipes that follow, such quantities should be regarded as flexible, permitting variations within fairly broad limits. The kitchens stockpot should not be misused and made into a receptacle for every kind of trimming and leftover.
• Fat, which derives from skimming, is an important by-product. It should always be retained and clarified for first grade dripping. Bones that have boiled for more than six hours are of no further value and should be washed, dried and disposed of as salvage. It is important to note that nay stock remaining at the end of the day should be reboiled, cooled within 90 minutes and stored in the refrigerator or cold area.
TYPES OF STOCKS
There are two types of stocks:
White Stock: it is a stock which is prepared by using Beef, Veal, Mutton and Chicken bones or their flesh. the bones are immersed in cold water along with mire poix and bouquet garni. it is simmered for a longer time to extract the flavor into liquid.
Brown Stock: it is a stock which is prepared by using Beef, Veal, Mutton and Game bones or their flesh. firstly, the bones are cooked in little bit of oil till they become brown and than cold water is added along with mire poix and bouquet garni. The oil must not float on top of this stock. If oil is there, one should remove to avoid rancidity of stock.
Other stocks:
Emergency Stock: as the name suggest, this stock is prepared without simmering for a longer time to save the time at an emergency while preparing soups, gravies, and curries etc.
Fish Stock (Fr.Court Bouillon): the fish bone or flesh is used to prepare this stock. this stock does not take too much time to cook due to the softness of fish fillet or bones.
Preparation of stock
1. Cold water: Cover
the ingredients with clean, cold water. Starting in this manner allows the
blood and proteins to dissolve. As the temperature rises, the proteins
coagulate (solidify) and float to the surface where they can be skimmed off. If
they were started in hot water, the proteins would solidify, stick to the bones
and then disperse into the stock making it cloudy and "muddy
tasting".
2. Simmer,
never boil: A stock should be brought to a boil and then immediately
reduced to a simmer. (approximately 185 f) at a simmer, the ingredients release
the maximum flavor without breaking down into particulate matter. If a stock
boils for even a few minutes, the fat will emulsify into the stock and the
stock will become cloudy, making for a poor performance, a "muddy
taste" and a "greasy" finish. This type of texture will spoil
soups and sauces.
3. Skim
frequently: Skimming the coagulated masses off the surface of the stock
throughout the cooking process, decreases the likelihood of
"clouding" the stock.
4. Strain
carefully: This involves a china cap set inside of a chinois. In order
to use the stock, you must separate the solids from the liquid. While doing so
it is important not to disturb the solids in the bottom of the pot.
Use the following procedure:
1. Skim the fat from the surface
3. Pour the stock through a china cap set inside of a chinois, into a sanitized metal container.
5. Cool quickly: It is of the utmost importance that stocks are cooled quickly and with a minimum amount of agitation.
6. Store properly: 1. Store in a plastic storage container and label the container indicating the contents, date and the session that started the stock. (Ex: 1 dec. /intro am /vegetable barley soup)
2. Store in the container in the refrigerator. (as the stock chills the remaining fat will rise and solidify, forming the fat cap. The fat cap provides an extra barrier against contamination and aerobic bacterial growth.)
7. Degrease: Before using the stock, carefully lift the fat cap off of the surface of the stock, scraping off all the small bits of fat. It is always easier to degrease your stock when it is chilled. All preparations depend on the use of fat-free stocks!
RECIPES
WHITE
STOCKS
Beef bones 2.5 kg
Carrots 250 g
Bouquet garni. 1 small
Leeks 120 g
Water 8 ltr
Onions 120 g
Celery 60 g
1. Cut bones into 4in/10cm lengths, remove any marrow fat and place bones into
a saucepan.
2. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil, skim and simmer for 4 hours.
3. Add the peeled whole vegetables and bouquet garni and allow simmering for a
further 2 hours.
4. Make a final skimming to remove excess fat.
5. Pass the liquid through a fine cloth into a
clean pot. Return to the stove and reboil.
BROWN
STOCKS
Beef bones 2.4 kg
Carrots 120 g
Beef Fat A little to brown the bones
Leeks 60 g
Onions 120 g
Peppercorns
Water 7 ltr
Celery 60 g
1. Cut bones into 4in / 10cm pieces and brown in the hot oven.
2. Place them in a stockpot and cover with the water or stock.
3. Bring to the boil and skim and cook for two hours.
4. Cut the vegetables into large dice (mirepoix), shallow fry until well brown
and add to the stock.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for four hours.
6. Skim and strain and use as required.
CHICKEN
STOCK
Chicken bones 3 kg
Water 6 ltr
Leeks 100 g
Onion studded 150 g
Carrots 200 g
Bouquet garni.
Peppercorns (white)
Salt 10 g
1. Place the bone into a suitable pan and add the water and bring to the boil.
2. Skim as required.
3. Add the peeled whole vegetables, bouquet garni and peppercorns and allow
simmering for two hours.
4. Remove any scum and pass the stock through a fine strainer or muslin.
GAME
STOCK
Game bones 3 kg
Water 7 ltr
Carrots 200 g
Onions 120 g
Leeks 100 g
Celery 25 g
Peppercorns
Bouquet garni
Oil as required
Method
1. Cook as for brown stock cooking for three hours only. Skim and use as
required.
FISH
STOCK
Fish bones 1 kg
(sole, plaice, whiting, turbot)
Water 1.5 ltr
Onions 150 g
Butter 5 g
Peppercorns
Bouquet garni
Juice of lemon
1. Peel and shred the onions.
2. Place the margarine, onions and bones into a pan with a lid and cook until
the essence has been extracted, about five minutes.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Skim and simmer for 20
minutes. Strain through a fine strainer or muslin. Reboil and cool.
STORAGE OF STOCKS
When cooked stocks must be strained and cooled within 90 minutes and stored in
a fridge, stocks can be frozen.
All stocks must be re-boiled after storage prior to being used.
USES OF STOCKS
Stocks are nutritious, strongly flavored liquid which are used in the preparation of various dishes such as soups, sauces, gravy, stews, curries, braising, rice and cold dishes. They are used in all cuisines for example in Indian cuisine yakhni stock is used in making biryani, curries etc. Stocks are also base (foundation) of any western cooking. Most commonly, it is used to make soups and sauces; but the usage is not just limited to this. White stocks are used in preparations of white sauces and clear soups, while brown stock are used in brown sauces, red meat stews, and braised dishes. Stocks can also be used to prepare certain rice dishes such as paella and biryani.
CARE AND PRECAUTIONS WHILE MAKING STOCK
- Unsound meat or bones and decaying vegetables will give stock an unpleasant flavour and cause it to deteriorate quickly.
- Scum should be removed; otherwise it will boil into the stock and spoil the colour and flavor.
- Fat should be skimmed, otherwise the stock will taste greasy.
- Stock should always simmer gently, for if it is allowed to boil quickly, it will evaporate and go cloudy.
- It should not be allowed to go off the boil, otherwise, in hot weather, there is a danger of its going sour.
- Salt should not be added to stock.
- When making chicken stock, if raw bones are not available, then a boiling fowl can be used.
- If stock is to be kept, strain, reboil, cool quickly and place in the refrigerator.
- In case of fish stock use heads of fish as it results in good flavoured stock.
- Saute the fish bones with mirepoix in very little amount of butter as this will bring out the flavour.
- In case of chicken stock use neck and carcass of chicken as it results in a good stock.
- Stock should be stored in a refrigerator or cold place.
- Marrow must be removed and used as separate
dish (marrow toast) or as a garnish.
