Stocks

Sauce Chef's Section

Stocks: Are a thin, flavoured liquid from the boiling of vegetables, meat scraps and bones of fish, poultry, beef, etc. They are also the basis for most soups, stews, braised items and sauces. In fact the soup or sauce are only as good as the stock used. It might be the most important ingredient in cooking. A white stock (fond blanc) is prepared by placing the ingredients directly into the cooking liquid. In a brown stock (fond brun) the ingredients are first browned in fat.

Stocks should be clear and not cloudy, so never boil too rapidly, just to a light boil or simmer. If reduced down to 1/3 of original volume, stocks are then called demi-glacé or glacé de viande. These methods are being phased out due to labour cost and better powdered bases. White and brown stocks, which used to be essential bases for almost all the great classic sauces, take a very long time to make and are often expensive, even though it is a good way to use up some kitchen scraps. They can be used in a thickened or unthickened form. They are also based on veal, beef, poultry, game, vegetables, fish, or aromatic ingredients. Other basic cooking stocks include velouté, consommé, essence, aspic, marinade, matignon, court-bouillon and brine.

There are three main stocks.

white stock is made with white meat or poultry, veal bones, chicken carcasses and aromatic vegetables. It is used to make white sauces, blanquettes, fricassees and poached chicken dishes.
brown stock (formerly called jus brun in French) is made with beef, veal, poultry meat and bones and vegetables which have been browned in fat and then had the liquid added to them. It is used to make brown sauces and gravies, braised dishes and brown stews, for deglazing fried meats and for making glazes by reduction.
vegetable stock is made by boiling vegetables and aromatic herbs which have first been gently fried in butter.

For the most part stocks are aromatic but not salty, since they have to remain unseasoned until they are finished in their final form, or used in a soup or sauce for example. Nevertheless, just an optional pinch of salt enhances the blending of the ingredients and the liquid. After the stock is cooked the meats can then be used to make different recipes such as, purée, stuffings, etc. When they said nothing goes to waste, they meant it here.

[Beef] [Chicken] [Fish] [Vegetable] [Etc.]

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