Soups
Basic Brown Stock
| Level: Intermediate |
Total Time: 45 min |
Yield: 5 quarts |
This recipe is adapted from Professional Cooking by Wayne Gisslen. To avoid issue related to copyright I will not be putting the exact recipe on my website. Basic brown stock is a great place for any beginning level cook (professional or home). As mentioned in the book, the stock is the foundation for any soup or sauce you can make. If making a stock is not your thing or you just don’t have the time, I like to go with Better Than Bouillon brand.
Basic Brown Stock
Print RecipeServings: 5 quarts
Cost: $40
Calories: 40kcal
brown stock (a.k.a beef stock) is the building block to many sauces and soups. If you are brave enough to take on this slow cooking stock, you will be left with an amazing tasting product that is super versitile!
Equipment
- 1 large stock pot able to hold 7 - 10 quarts of water
Ingredients
- 8 pounds Beef bones cut into 2″ to 4″ pieces, veal bones can also be used
- 5 quarts cold water
- 8 oz tomato paste 1 small can
Mirpoix Ingredients
- 1/2 pound yellow onion about 1 large onion
- 6 oz celery stalks about 3 or 4 stalks, cut into large chunks
- 6 oz carrot peeled (about 4 or 5 carrots), cut into large chunks
Sachet Ingredients
- 2 whole bay leafs
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 whole parsley stems
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F
- Place bones on a large ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the bones from the oven and brush with tomato paste.
- Place bones back in oven and continue to cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the bones are well browned but not burnt.
- Remove bones from oven and place them in a stockpot. Cover the bones until just covered using cold water.
- Rough chop the onions, celery, and carrots on baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until the vegetables start to brown.
- Place the mirpoix and sechet ingredients into the stock pot.
- Pour out fat from the bottom of the sheet pan. Deglaze the sheet pan by pouring in some water. using a spatula scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. pour water into the stock pot.
- Over high heat bring the stock to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 hours adding more water to the pot to keep bones barely submurged.
- Remove any scum from the top using a spoon or small strainer.
- Place ice in sink and fill the sink with water to create an ice bath.
- Place the pot in the ice bath and lower the temperature below 40° F as quickly as possible!
Notes
- Beef or veal bones may be used. I used beef bones because they were half the price of veal bones ($5 / lb. vs $10/lb)
- I found beef bones from my local butcher. I have also seen soup bones at the mainstream grocery stores from time to time but be careful, these bones do not make a super flavorful stock.
- Pro Tip: Ask your local butcher is they have a deals on any bones or knuckles that have been sitting around they might be willing to take less.
- Some cooks prefer pre-boiling the bones (a.k.a blanching) to rid them of impurities like blood that will cloud the stock. While it is important to have a clear stock, I find that good quality bones do not need to be blanched.
- It is absolutely crucial to not skip the cooling step. I have learned first handed what happens when you skip this step. A refrigerator is not cold enough to cool the stock fast enough. Stock 40° F - 140° F is a breeding ground for bacteria!
- I have boiled stocks by up to 50% for a more concentrated stock flavor.
- Do not salt the stock. Since stocks are the base of many soups and sauces salting a stock may cause it to have too much salted flavor.