STOCKS….

A stock is a very flavorful liquid that is made

STOCKS…. by gently cooking bones and other
ingredients such as vegetables in a liquid.
This extracts flavor, aroma, body, color, and
nutrients.

A stock is usually not served by itself, but

becomes a part of other preparations. A stock
usually takes many hours to cook, but is an
excellent way of saving money by using the
trimmings from fish, meat, and vegetables.
 There are 7 different types of stocks:
WHITE STOCK is a clear, pale liquid made
by simmering poultry, beef, or fish bones.

BROWN STOCK is an
amber-colored liquid
made by browning
and then simmering
poultry, beef, veal, or
game bones.

FUMET (foo-MAY) is a very flavorful, light-

colored stock made with fish bones.
 COURT BOUILLON (court boo-YON) is a
very aromatic vegetable broth, and is used
for poaching fish or vegetables.

GLACE OR DEMI-GLACE (demi-glaze), is a stock made from brown, white, or

fish stocks that have been simmered to evaporate the liquid. This is called
‘reducing’ the liquid… the product is called a ‘reduction’. As it cools, it takes
on a jelly-like consistency.
 REMOUILLAGE (ray-moo-LAHZ) is a stock made from
bones that have already been cooked in another food
preparation. When simmered in water a second time,
the result is a pale and weak-flavored liquid.

BOUILLON (BOO-yon) is made

from simmering meat or
vegetables.
 5 Principles to successful stocks
The 1stPrinciple is - Start with cold Water

The 2ndPrinciple is - Cut your vegetables to the appropriate size for the
type of stock

The 3rdPrinciple is - Select your protein base: beef, chicken, fish

The 4thPrinciple is - Simmering

The 5thPrinciple is – Skimming

The 1stPrinciple is: Start with cold Water

• Why cold water?

Most proteins, vitamins and minerals dissolve in cold water.
More flavor! Part of the flavor comes from these components, using
hot water would lessen the flavor and nutrition of the stock
The 2ndPrinciple is:
Cut your vegetables to the appropriate size for the type of stock
The size of the cut helps the maximum flavor to be extracted.
ex.: A fish stock only simmers for a half hour (30 minutes) so the cut
should be a julienne (thin strips: ¼” thick, 2-3” long)
ex.: A brown stock simmers for 4-6, to sometimes 24 hours, so the cut
should be large dice (1” cubes) The stock will have time extract the
flavors and not fall apart after the long cooking period.
The 3rdPrinciple is:
• Select your protein base: beef, chicken, fish•All bones are washed,
then:–Roastedor Blanched–Roasted bones for Brown Stocks–Blanched
bones for White Stocks–For brown stocks roast bones, mirepoix add
tomato product–For white stocks, sauté mirepoix and sub parsnips for
carrots
The 4thPrinciple is:
• SimmeringGentle extraction aids in flavor and nutritionBoiling causes
cloudiness through agitation of the ingredientsThe 5thPrinciple is:
SkimmingKeeps the stock clearThe foam on top of the stock contains
impurities
 All stocks contain four parts:
Part 1 is the major flavoring ingredient,
which usually consists of the bones and
trimmings from meat, poultry, or fish.
Bones may be from any part of the animal, including
the neck or tail, arm or leg. Many have marrow.
They must be prepared by blanching, browning, or
sweating.
BLANCHING means to cover the bones with water, bring to a full boil,
and then remove scum or debris. BROWNING means to place bones in
a pan and roast for an hour to release full flavor and color. SWEATING
the bones means to cook them in a small amount of fat over low heat
until they start to soften and release moisture. They will release flavor
quickly when liquid is added.
• Stock is composed of three main elements:
• Nutritive ingredients
• Aromatic ingredients
• liquid
• Nutritive ingredients consist primarily of bones, which is the key
ingredients to stocks.
• Stocks are named after their nutritive ingreident.
• Game bones= game stock
• Chicken bones= chicken stock
• Fish stock= Fumet (french name)
• Meat can also be added along with the bones to add more flavor to
the stock. The more meat added to a stock, the better the stock’s
flavor intensity.
• In most food service operation, little to no meat is added because
meat is more expensive that bones. If meat is added, it is the
toughest cuts since they are inexpensive and provide the best flavor.
• While meat adds flavor to the stock, bones add body.
• Gelatin is an animal protein that when dissolved in hot liquid adds to
a rich mouth-feel. Mouthfeel is the sensation created in the mouth
by the body, texture, and temperature of a food as it is eaten.
• Stocks that are low in gelatin
are thin like water and not
satisfying.
• Gelatin is not present in bones, rather it is found in another protein
found in the bones called collagen.
• When collagen is simmered in liquid for a long periods of time, it
turns into gelatin
• Stocks that are rich in gelatin may solidify when chilled.
• Different types of bones have varying levels of collagen.
• Bones from younger animals contain higher levels of collagen. As
animals age, their bones become harder and collagen levels drop.
• Collagen levels also vary from one part of the animal to another.
Certain parts of the animal, such as joints, feet, and skin, have higher
levels of collagen than other parts of the animal.
 All stocks contain four parts:
Part 2 is the liquid. That liquid is usually
water, but may also include wine or vinegar, or
even a bouillon or remouillage.

Foam or scum may accumulate on this liquid

as the bones cook. This is called the ‘raft’, and
consists of meat or egg white protein foams.
Skim this off during cooking.
• Most stocks are made by simmering the nutritive and aromatic
ingredients in water.
• Sometimes, a small amount of wine is also added to the water. For
instance, fumet is made with water and white wine. Wine adds
acidity to the stock, which acidity brightens the stocks flavor and
improves overall clarity.
• How much liquid? It depends on the amount of bones.
• The rule of thumb is that bones should be covered by one or two
inches of water.
• Covering the meat and bones with too much water yields a weakly
flavored stock.
• If the bones are not completely covered with water, they can’t add
flavor to the stock.
• The it takes to extract the gelatin from the bones depends on the size
of bones and the age of the animals.
• Fumet: 30 to 45 minutes
• Chicken stock: 3 to 5 hours
• Veal stock: 8 to 12 hours
• Beef stock: 10 to 15 hours
 STOCKS….
All stocks contain four parts:
Part 3 is the mirepoix (meer-PWAH).

The standard mirepoix is 50% onions,

25% carrots, and 25% celery… all
chopped in small pieces when
simmering time is short, and large
pieces when simmering time is an
hour or longer.
A ‘white’ mirepoix, for white stock or a
fumet, may have mushrooms or parsnips
substituted for the carrots.
• Aromatic ingredients refer to the vegetables, herbs and spices add to
a stock to improve its flavor.
• These ingredients improve overall flavor by adding background flavors
to the main meaty flavor. Without aromatic ingredients, stocks taste
unsatisfactorily one-dimensional.
• Salt is not added in stock since stock is the base for
many other preparations.
• The universal flavoring in stock is mirepoix.
• Regular mirepoix: 2 parts onion, 1 part celery, 1 part carrot
• White mirepoix: two parts onion, 1 part celery, 1 part leek
 STOCKS…. All stocks contain four parts:

Part 4 is the aromatics. These are

the herbs, spices, and flavorings
that create a savory smell.

Aromatics may include a ‘bag of

herbs’ called a BOUQUET GARNI
(boo-KAY gahr-NEE). Fresh herbs
are held in a cheesecloth bag or
stems are simply tied together.

Aromatics may also include SACHET D’ÉPICES (sah-

SHAY day-PEESE), or a ‘bag of spices’.
• Most stocks are flavored with
• Thyme
• Bay leaf
• Parsley
• Whole black peppercorns
• Herbs and spices are added to a stock in the form of a sachet or
bouquet garni.
• A sachet is a small cheese cloth bag containing herbs and spices.
• While sachets can be made with fresh herbs, sachets are ideal for
finely chopped dried herbs.
• A bouquet garni is a bundle of fresh herbs tied to a piece of celery,
leek or carrot.
• It does not incorporate spices or chopped dried herbs.
• When using a bouquet garni, a small sachet will also be needed to
hold the peppercorns.
 STOCKS…. Get to know your herbs and spices.
Spices come from the bark Equivalents: 1
(cinnamon), root (ginger, onion, tablespoon finely cut fresh herbs=
garlic), buds (cloves, saffron),
seeds (yellow mustard, poppy, 1 teaspoon crumbled dried herbs=
sesame), berry (black pepper), or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground dried herbs.
the fruit (allspice, paprika) of
tropical plants and trees. Herbs are leaves of low-growing shrubs. Examples
are parsley, chives, marjoram, thyme, basil, caraway,
dill, oregano, rosemary, savory, sage and celery
leaves. These can be used fresh or dried. Dried forms
may be whole, crushed, or ground.

Check an herb or a ground spice for freshness by rubbing a small amount in

your hand. If the aroma is fresh, rich and immediate, it can still flavor foods.
Smelling chili pepper or chili powder can irritate your nose.
 STOCKS…. Common seasonings for soups and sauces
Basil: sweet; fragrant; complements pasta & proteins
Bay leaves: sharp, bitter taste good in soups & stews
Cardamon: Intense sweet flavor for coffee & breads
Cayenne pepper: made from chili peppers; hot taste
Chervil (chur-vil): sweet; parsley-like flavor; trace of anise
Cilantro: fragrant mix of parsley and citrus
Cloves: dark brown, pungent, strong, & sweet flavor
Coriander: mild lemon & sage flavor mixture
Cumin (Q-min): slightly bitter; warm
Curry powder: savory combination of many spices
Fennel: anise-like flavor
Ginger: slightly biting and hot; sweet, woody aroma
Mace: similar to nutmeg but more pungent; sweet
Marjoram: slightly sweet and resembles oregano
Rosemary: tea-like aroma and piney flavor
Saffron: spicy bitter flavor with penetrating aroma
Sage: fragrant aroma and warm flavor
Tarragon: bittersweet; flavors vinegar and pickles
Thyme: subtle aroma; slightly minty flavor
Tumeric: orange or ginger aroma; bitter flavor
 STOCKS….
Stocks, sometimes made in large quantities,
must be cooled down quickly before
refrigeration. Divide it into smaller portions,
place the container into an ice-water bath, and
stir often.

As the stock cools or after it

has been refrigerated, fat
hardens on the surface.

Lift or scrape away this fat for better

nutrition and better color.
• Color- Different ingredients yield different colored stocks. Fish stocks
are valued for their light, almost transparent color. Chicken stock
often had a rich golden hue. Most beef or veal stocks are
characterized by a brown color.
• Clarity- A good stock should be clear. Clarity means the stock should
not be cloudy, murky or muddy.
• Flavor- Quality stock has an intense flavor that mirrors the nutritive
and aromatic ingredients used to make the stock.
• Body- This refers to the amount of gelatin in a stock. S tocks have
varying levels of gelatin depending on the type of nutritive ingredients
and length of cooking. In general, stocks should be as gelatin-rich as
possible depending on the type of stock. Many well-made stocks will
partially solidify when cooled.
• White Stock- made from raw or slightly cooked bones and white
mirepoix. White stock can have a light pale to deep golden color.
• Brown Stock-made from roasted bones and roasted or sautéed
mirepoix. Brown stock are noted for their rich roasted flavor and
caramel color.
• The most common white stocks are made from poultry (usually chicken), fish, or
veal bones. As these bones are different in size and composition, they are
prepared differently prior to making stock.
• Chicken bones are rinsed in cold water to remove excess blood.
• Fish bones are coarsely chopped and then rinsed in cold water to remove excess blood. Gills
are removed from fish heads. If the heads are large, they are cut into three-inch pieces and
rinsed well in cold water.
• Large bones, such as veal bones, are cut into two-to three-inch-long pieces. Some chefs
blanch bones before using.
• Some chefs blanch bones before using them to prepare a white stock. When
preparing a stock, blanching refers to the process of placing bones in cold water,
bringing the water to a boil and then discarding the water (This blanching
technique differs from blanching done in vegetable cookery)
• Blanching produces clear stocksClicksince
to addmost
text of the bone’s impurities are discarded
with the blanching water. Blanching also removes some of the bone’s flavor. For
this reason, larger bones such as veal bones can be blanched while fish bones are
never blanched.
• Brown stock can be made from all bones except fish bones. Brown
stocks differ from white stock in that brown stock as are made from
well-roasted nutritive ingredients and vegetables. While the stock
simmers, these roasted ingredients release their brown color and
roasted flavor to the stock.
• Another difference between white and brown stocks is that a cooked
tomato product is often added, the tomato product often being
tomato paste. It contributes color and depth of flavor to the stock.
• Unlike white stocks, chefs never blanch bones for brown stocks.
Blanching is not necessary since the proteins that cloud cloud a white
stock are coagulated during the roasted process.
• Cloudy Stock
• Stock improperly or never skimmed
• Stock boiled instead of simmered
• Nutritive ingredients were first covered with hot water instead of cold water
• Bones not blanched for a white stock.
• No flavor
• Stock not cooked long enough
• Too much water added to the stock ingredients
• Little Body
• Too much water added to the stock ingredients
• Stock not cooked long enough
• Bones with little collagen were used
• Pale-colored brown stock
• Nutritive ingredients not roasted enough
• Too much water was added to the stock ingredients
• Stock has spoiled
• Stock was not chilled properly
• Stock stored in cooler too long
• Should be cooled properly (2-4 rule) keeping out of the temperature
danger zone for too long.
• Should be stored in refrigerator below 41 degrees in a covered
container. Can keep for 5 days.
• If need to store for longer than 5 days, then it needs to be put in the
freezer.
• In many ways, stock is a perfect medium in which microorganism can
flourish. Stock is high in protein, low in salt, high in moisture and
close to a pH of 7.
• Signs that a stock has “turned,” or spoil, include:
• Offensive smell
• Cloudy appearance
• Ropy or stringy texture
• Bubbles rising to the surface of the stock
• Bouillon and broth are two names for the same preparation, which is
a stock-like preparation except with a larger proportion of meat than
bones and a greater variety of vegetables.
• Bouillons and broths are clear and contain less gelatin than stocks due
to the lack of bones. They are classically reserved for soup prodiction.
• Technically, vegetable stocks are not true stocks since they are not
made from bones. Nonetheless, vegetable stocks are prepared in
many professional kitchens, since it is essential vegetarian cooking but
also used in a wide variety of nonvegetarian cuisine.
• The variety of vegetable stocks that can be prepared are endless
because there are so many different types of vegetables. Both white
and brown vegetable stocks can be made.
• The one main difference between vegetable stock and the others is
that there is no collagen in vegetable stock since there are no bones
(which collagen is derived from). As a result, vegetable stocks lack the
mouthfeel of meat-based stocks and do not solidify when chilled.