5-Step Homemade Stock Recipe
Make your own stock; the reasons are endless. First and foremost, homemade stock tastes dramatically better than the closest grocery option. Making stock allows you to cook frugally, putting every scrap of meat and vegetable to good use, and while it takes time, a good stock requires little attention. Stock can be "stockpiled" in ice cube form and frozen for up to a year - drop a few cubes into any savory dish that calls for liquid. Lastly, it is all but impossible to cook restaurant quality food without first-rate stock.
Stock is an ace in the hole for many a top chef, and it can be your secret ingredient as well. The process has only a few steps, so keep in mind: the little things matter.
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Step 1: Slather bones, meat and trimmings with vegetable oil, and roast until brown in a high oven. The scraps should develop a colorful, crispy brown surface - a process known as the Maillard reaction, which takes place between 300 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and creates the strong meaty flavor characteristic of brown stocks. For an even darker stock, brush the meat with tomato paste during the last 10 minutes of roasting.
Step 2: Separately, slather large chunks of onion, carrot and celery with oil, and roast until brown. This mixture, called the mirepoix (meer-pwah), should be about one-fourth of the meat and bones by weight. Of course, eyeballing this ratio is just fine.
Step 3: Combine meat and vegetables in a large pot with a bay leaf, a healthy pinch of thyme and several whole peppercorns. Use water and elbow grease to get any caramelized bits from the roasting pans into the stock pot. Cover everything with cold water, bringing the liquid to a few inches above the meat and bones. Beginning with cold water is extremely important for proper flavor extraction and clarity. Lastly, and this is important, never add salt to stock; leave it unseasoned until you use it in a dish.
Step 4: Slowly bring the stock to a simmer and skim away any scum that rises up. Never boil or stir; instead simmer uncovered and untouched for the clearest possible broth, skimming occasionally to remove any floating foam and fat. Cook low for three to five hours.
Step 5: The stock is complete. Remove the largest of the bones with tongs, then strain the stock through a fine chinois, sieve or cheese cloth. At this point it can be used as is, or reduced further to a demi-glace for more sparing applications (think bouillon cubes). When finished, cool the stock in an ice bath before freezing in cubes. Stock cubes stored in sealed containers will keep for up to a year in the freezer.
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