Homemade Brown Stock 101

Nothing beats homemade stock. Just like most home cooks, I use canned broth (a good reduced-sodium brand, but never bouillon cubes, which are too salty and artificial tasting to me) for the majority of my cooking, but for a special holiday meal, I bring out the stockpot. Stock takes very little actual work and can be made well ahead of time and frozen. The only problem is that no matter how much you make and store, it always seems to disappear too quickly. This basic recipe can be altered to make different stocks by using different meaty bones.

• This basic recipe makes rich brown stock from roasted bones—the preferred stock for meat sauces and gravies. If you need stock for soups and white sauces, make Homemade White Chicken Stock (page 46), as its color is more neutral and the finished dish will look and taste lighter.

• What’s the difference between a stock and a broth? A stock is generally made from bones, but a broth is the cooking liquid of braised meat or poultry. The biggest distinction, however, comes from the use of salt. Stock is unsalted, used in a recipe as an ingredient, and then the final dish is seasoned. Broth is usually seasoned and may be enjoyed on its own, like a soup.

• Never let stock come to a rolling boil, or it will become cloudy and have a less refined flavor. Cook the stock uncovered.

• Add the herbs to the stock after you’ve skimmed it. If you add them at the beginning, they will rise to the surface and be skimmed off with the foam. By the way, the foam isn’t unwholesome—it’s just the coagulating proteins from the bones. It is removed to make the stock clearer.

• The longer a stock simmers, the better, up to 12 hours. Replace the water as needed as it evaporates. While I trust my stove to simmer the stock overnight, some of my students are shocked at the idea. A great alternative is to make the stock in a 5½-quart slow cooker. Transfer the browned bones and cooked vegetable mixture to the crockery insert, add the herbs, and pour in enough cold water to cover well. Cover and cook on Low for 12 hours. This makes a clear, delicious stock. As a slow cooker holds less liquid than a stockpot, the stock will be very full-flavored. You may choose to use slightly fewer bones and vegetables (especially if you make the stock in a smaller 3½-quart pot), or dilute the finished stock with water, if you wish.

• If time is a factor, just simmer the stock for an hour or two—it still will be better than using water or canned broth. You may want to add a can of broth to boost the flavor, though. (It’s cheating, but I won’t tell.) Or make a pot well ahead of the holidays and freeze it.

• Make sure the stock is cooled before refrigerating or freezing. To speed the cooling, place the stockpot in a sink filled with ice water, adding ice as necessary to keep it as cold as possible. Stir occasionally until the stock is cool.

• Don’t add salt to your stock. Stock is often reduced in recipes, so the final dish could end up too salty.

Makes about 2 ½ quarts
Make Ahead: The stock can be made up to 3 days ahead; it can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Ingredients:
• 3 pounds chicken wings, chopped into 2- to 3-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 medium celery rib, with leaves, chopped
• 6 sprigs fresh parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 dried bay leaf

Preparation:
1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°F. Spread the chicken wings in a large roasting pan. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes.

3. Transfer the wings to the pot. Pour off all the fat from the pan. Place the pan over two burners on high heat. Add 1 cup water, scraping up the browned bits in the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour into the pot. Add enough cold water to cover the wings by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface. Add the parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low. Cook at a bare simmer for at least 2 and up to 12 hours. Add more water to the pot as needed to keep the bones covered.

4. Strain the stock through a colander into a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes and skim off the clear yellow fat that rises to the surface. Cool the stock completely before refrigerating or freezing. (If making chicken stock ahead, cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. It can also be frozen in airtight containers for up to 3 months.)

Homemade Turkey Stock:
Substitute 3 pounds turkey wings for the chicken wings. Using a heavy cleaver, chop the wings into 2- to 3-inch pieces (you may want to ask the butcher to do this, as turkey bones are often too heavy to chop at home). Add the turkey neck (chopped into 2- to 3- inch pieces), heart, and gizzard to the pot, but don’t use the liver, as it would give the stock a bitter flavor.

Homemade Duck Stock:
Substitute the carcasses, giblets (no liver), wing tips, and necks (chopped into 2- to 3-inch pieces) of 2 ducks for the chicken wings.

Homemade Goose Stock:
You won’t have enough bones from 1 goose to make a full flavored stock, so use canned chicken broth to boost the flavor. Substitute the goose wing tips and neck (chopped into 1- to 2-inch pieces) and giblets (no liver) for the chicken wings. Substitute two 13¾-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth for 3½ cups of water.

Homemade Beef Stock:
Substitute 2 pounds beef bones and 1 pound beef shin for the chicken wings.

Homemade White Chicken Stock:
Make the stock as directed, but do not roast the wings. Add the raw wings to the pot after the vegetables have softened.

This recipe was published in 'Christmas 101, Celebrate the Holiday Season from Christmas to New Year’s (Rick Rodgers) - p45 To p46'.