About Stocks — The Culinary Pro (2024)

FAQs

What is the culinary use of stocks? ›

Stocks are flavorful liquids used in the preparation of soups, sauces, and stews, derived by gently simmering various ingredients in water. They are based on meat, poultry, fish, game, or seafood, and flavored with mirepoix, herbs, and spices.

Stock is a mixture of boiled or simmered ingredients that typically include animal bones, meats, vegetables, and possibly a small amount of salt. Stocks are often used as a base for foods such as soups, stews, sauces, and gravies. Raw bones and meat may be used.

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). The classifications refer to the contents and method used to prepare the stock, not necessarily to color.

Stock, sometimes called bone broth, is a savory cooking liquid that forms the basis of many dishes – particularly soups, stews, and sauces. Making stock involves simmering animal bones, meat, seafood, or vegetables in water or wine, often for an extended period. Mirepoix or other aromatics may be added for more flavor.

They can be featured in a stew or served as a rich soup base, where the broth is a main ingredient. Roasted stocks are often used for braising meat and vegetables; the braising liquid can be strained and reduced at the end to make a velvety sauce for the dish.

Key ingredients used in making stocks are bones, mirepoix (a mix of onions, celery and carrots), acid, scraps, and bouquet garni (tied herbs). Spices add flavoring while seasoning is used to enhance flavors.

Stock and Broth Substitutes

In most cases, stock and broth are interchangeable. If you're in the soup aisle and can't remember whether the recipe called for stock or broth, either will do for making soup, gravy, or a flavorful pot of rice or grains. Keep in mind that stock is unseasoned, and broth is seasoned.

As a result, stock is usually a healthier product, delivering a richer mouth feel and deeper flavor than broth. Stock is a versatile culinary tool that can deliver taste to any number of dishes. Darker in color and more concentrated in flavor than broth, it's ideal for use in soups, rice, sauces and more.

The Pacific Foods bone broth is a good all-purpose choice for most recipes, and it would even make a fine soup base with additional carrots, onions, and fresh herbs. For a decent and economical supermarket option: The College Inn Unsalted Chicken Stock (about $2.60 per quart) is a solid choice.

Stocks are often called the chef's “building blocks.” They form the base for many soups and sauces. There are many types of stock: White stock, brown stock, fumet, court bouillon, glace, remouillage, bouillon, jus, Jus-lie´ and vegetable stock.

Why use stock in cooking? ›

Stock adds flavor, color, and richness to your cooking. But it's also time-consuming to make and expensive (well, more expensive than water, anyway). Water, on the other hand is free and readily available—but it doesn't do anything in the flavor department.

Because broth is lower in calories, it may be the preferred option for those who are trying to limit their calorie intake. Nevertheless, stock contains more nutrients, as well as collagen, marrow, amino acids and minerals. These may protect the digestive tract, improve sleep and support joint health.

NEVER BOIL STOCK

Allowing the water to boil will dissolve the impurities you're supposed to be skimming back into the stock, muddying its clarity and flavor. Not only that, but the energetic movement of the water will actually break minute pieces of your ingredients off and cast them adrift, further clouding things.

It is used to poach fish or vegetables. The quality of a stock is judged by four characteristics: body, flavor, clarity and color. Body develops when collagen proteins dissolve in protein - based stock. Vegetable stocks have less body than meat stocks because they lack animal p rote in.

Whether you make homemade chicken stock or swear by keeping low-sodium chicken broth on hand, there's no doubt that broth and stock are indispensable pantry staples for making soups, stews and sauces, and cooking flavorful pasta, rice and grains.

Stock is the foundation of cooking, they will say. It is the base for all your soups and all your sauces; it's what you use to stew and braise, what you use to thin out liquids and purees that are too thick, or, reduced, it's what you add to them for more flavor.

Game stock, made the classic way

A beautiful seasonal stock perfect for game braises, venison stews or pheasant casseroles and rich, deep sauces to give a more rounded flavour to complement your game recipes.