Stella Culinary's Guide To Stock (2024)

FAQs

What are the four ingredients in stock? ›

Stocks are prepared with a few basic ingredients including bones, mirepoix, herbs and spices, and sometimes tomatoes or wine. They are often prepared using leftover ingredients as a cost-effective measure for the kitchen.

There are four basic kinds of stock/fond: white stock (Fond Blanc), brown stock (Fond Brun), vegetable or neutral stock (Fond Maigre) and Fish Stock (Fume de Poisson).

Traditionally, the weight ratio for mirepoix is 2:1:1 of onions, celery, and carrots; the ratio for bones to mirepoix for stock is 10:1. When making a white stock, or fond blanc, parsnips are used instead of carrots to maintain the pale color.

Exclude fatty ingredients: I don't see the need to add particularly fatty ingredients (e.g. chicken skin) to your stock. Save it for something else! Skim fat as you go: Once your stock or broth is cooking, occasionally remove the fats that rise to the top. This is easier on pots with a smaller diameter.

Stock is generally made from bones, and broth is generally made from flesh. In both cases, they are often supported with aromatic vegetables, but in the case of stock, left unseasoned for maximum flexibility in recipes, whereas broth will usually contain at least salt and pepper.

Never boil stock.

Just bring to the boil then turn down to simmer slowly for hours. Remember: if you want a darker, richer stock, brown off the bones and vegetables first before adding water to simmer. If you don't have enough bones from one meal to make a rich stock, freeze them and pull them out when you do.

What is consomme broth? ›

In cooking, a consommé is a type of clear soup made from richly flavoured stock or broth that has been clarified, a process that uses egg whites to remove fat and sediment. Consommé Poultry consommé

The holy trinity is the Cajun and Louisiana Creole variant of mirepoix; traditional mirepoix is two parts onions, one part carrots, and one part celery, whereas the holy trinity is typically one or two parts onions, one part green bell pepper, and one part celery.

Broth, stock, and bouillon are all terms used for a rich liquid made by simmering poultry, meat, and/or vegetables in water and seasonings.

The difference between sofrito and mirepoix is that sofrito uses tomatoes, bell pepper, and garlic while mirepoix does not. Sofrito is also fried in olive oil while mirepoix is traditionally slowly cooked in butter. You can also expect to find herbs added to sofrito but not in mirepoix.

Mirepoix: refers to the mixture of coarsely chopped onions (50%) carrots (25%) and celery (25%) that provide a flavor base for stock. Aromatics: such as bouquet garni and sachet d'épices, are the herbs, spices, and flavorings that create a savory smell.

Stocks contain four essential parts: a major flavoring ingredient, liquid, aromatics, and mirepoix.

Commercially prepared liquid broths are available, typically chicken, beef, fish, and vegetable varieties. Dehydrated broth in the form of bouillon cubes was commercialized beginning in the early 20th century.

1. The classic ratio for stock is 10 percent vegetables to bones. I prefer to kick the vegetables up to about 20 percent. So, if you've got a two pounds of bones, or 32 ounces, then add 12 ounces of vegetables.