LO-2-STOCKS PDF - Stock Preparation Guide

1. Describe the pictures. What are the ingredients in the pots? INGREDIENTS AND FLAVORING AGENTS USED IN PREPARING STOCKS 1. Define stocks. 2. Enumerate the ingredients used in preparing stocks. 3. Explain the flavoring agents used in preparing stocks. Stock, the foundation of all modern cooking i...

1. Describe the pictures. What are the ingredients in the pots? INGREDIENTS AND FLAVORING AGENTS USED IN PREPARING STOCKS 1. Define stocks. 2. Enumerate the ingredients used in preparing stocks. 3. Explain the flavoring agents used in preparing stocks. Stock, the foundation of all modern cooking is rooted in necessity. In the Middle Ages, the primary cooking method involved cooking over an open fire with a large cauldron. Often the contents of these cauldrons were a mix of leftover meals and scraps, fresh foods and tidbits foraged throughout the day. The cauldron to the common person in the Middle Ages was a stove and refrigerator in one. Nothing went to waste as food was not a convenience as it is now. Everything one couldn’t eat fresh was thrown into the pot. Stocks were originally invented to facilitate kitchen organization and to augment integral sauces. Integral sauces are those prepared directly from the juices released by meats and fish during cooking. There are two major difficulties in preparing sauces only with the natural savory elements released in cooking. First, meats and fish rarely supply enough of their flavorful elements to make enough savory sauce to go around. Second, in a restaurant setting, it is difficult and impractical to prepare an integral sauce for each dish. Because of these problems, chefs developed stocks, which can be made from less-expensive cuts of meat, inexpensive meat trimmings, and bones. A stock is a flavored liquid. A good stock is the key to a great soup, sauce or braised dish. The French appropriately call a stock fond ("base"), as stocks are the basis for many classic and modern dishes. Stocks- are among the most basic preparations found in professional kitchen. They are referred to in French as Fonds de Cuisine, or ―the foundation of cooking.” It is a flavorful liquid prepared by simmering meaty bones from meat or poultry, seafood and/or vegetables in water with aromatics until their flavor, aroma, color and body, and nutritive value are extracted. - a clear, thin liquid flavored by soluble substances extracted from meat, poultry, and fish; and their bones, and from vegetables and seasonings. The first stocks were simple broths, by- products of poached meat and fish dishes. Before the method of preparing stocks was refined and systematized, meat was often braised or roasted with a thick slice of ham or veal to give extra body to the sauce. The challenge to the chef is to get the maximum flavor into a stock with a minimum of expense. A stock made with a large proportion of meat that is then carefully reduced to a light glace will have a magnificent flavor but will be too expensive for most restaurants. For this reason, many chefs have replaced much of the meat in older stock recipes with bones. Although bones can supply gelatin and a minimal amount of savor to a stock, a stock made with bones will never have the depth and flavor of one made with meat. Ingredients and Flavoring Agents in Preparing Stocks The basic ingredients of any stock are bones, a vegetable mixture known as a mirepoix, seasonings and water. 1. Bones- Most of the flavor and body of stocks are derived from the bones of beef, veal, chicken, fish, and pork. The kinds of bones used determine the kind of stock, except vegetable stock. Bones are the most important ingredient; they add flavor, richness, and color to the stock. Traditionally, the kitchen or butcher shop saved the clay's bones to make stock. Because many meals and poultry items are now purchased precut, or portioned, food service operations often purchase bones specifically for stock making. Different bones release their flavor at different rates. Even though the bones are cut into 3- to 4-inch (8- to 10-centimeter) pieces, a stock made entirely of beef and/ or veal bones requires six to eight hours of cooking time, while a stock made entirely from chicken bones requires only five to six hours. Beef and Veal Bones The best bones for beef and veal stock come from the younger animals. They contain a higher percentage of cartilage and other connective tissue than do bones from more mature animals. Connective tissue has a high collagen content. Through the cooking process, the collagen is converted into gelatin and water. The gelatin adds richness and body to the finished stock. The best beef and veal bones are back, neck and shank bones, as they have high collagen contents. Beef and veal bones should be cut with a meat saw into small pieces, approximately 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 centimeters) long, so that they can release as much flavor as possible while the stock cooks. Chicken Bones The best bones for chicken stock are from the neck and back. If a whole chicken carcass is used, it can be cut up for easier handling. Fish Bones The best bones for fish stock are from lean fish such as sole, flounder, whiting or turbot. Bones from fatty fish (for example, salmon, tuna and swordfish) do not produce good stock because of their high fat content and distinctive flavors. The entire fish carcass can be used, but it should be cut up with a cleaver or heavy knife for easy handling and even extraction of flavors. After cutting, the pieces should be rinsed in cold-water to remove blood, loose scales and other impurities. Other Bones Lamb, turkey, game and ham bones can also be used for white or brown stocks. Although mixing bones is gene rally acceptable, be careful of blending strongly flavored bones, such as those from lamb or game, with beef, veal or chicken bones. The former's strong flavors may not be appropriate or desirable in the finished product. SAMPLE BONES OF BEEF, CHICKEN AND FISH 2. Mirepoix - is the French term for the combination of coarsely chopped onions, carrots, and celery used to flavor stocks. Mirepoix: Coarsely chopped onions, carrots, and celery Provides flavor base 50% onions 25% carrots 25% celery White mirepoix: Substitute parsnips Additional onions, leeks, and mushrooms for carrots A mirepoix is a mixture of onions, carrots and celery added to a stock to enhance its flavor and aroma. Although chefs differ on the ratio of vegetables, generally a mixture of 50 percent onions, 25 percent carrots and 25 percent celery, by weight, is used. For a brown stock, onion skins may be used to add color. It is not necessa1y to peel the carrots or celery because flavor, not aesthetics, is important. The size of the mirepoix ‘chop’ is determined by the stock's cooking time: The shorter the cooking time, the smaller the vegetables must be chopped to ensure that all possible flavor is extracted. For white or brown stocks made from beef or veal bones, the vegetables should be coarsely chopped into large, 1- to 2-inch (2.5- to 5-centimeter) pieces. For chicken and fish stocks, the vegetables should be more finely chopped into 1/2-inch (1.2-centimeter) pieces. White Mirepoix. A white mirepoix is made by replacing the carrots in a standard mirepoix with parsnips and adding mushrooms and leeks. Some chefs prefer to use a white mirepoix when making a white stock, as it produces a lighter product. Sometimes parsnips, mushrooms and leeks arc added to a standard mirepoix for additional flavors. Seasonings Principal stock seasonings are peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, parsley stems and, optionally, garlic. These seasonings generally can be left whole. A stock is cooked long enough for all of their flavors to be extracted so there is no reason to chop or grind them. Seasonings generally are added to the stock at the start of cooking. Some chefs do not acid seasonings to beef or veal stock until midway through the cooking process, however, because of the extended cooking times. Seasonings can be added as a sachet d'epices, or a bouquet garni. Salt. Salt, an otherwise important seasoning, is not added to stock. Because a stock has a variety of uses, it is impossible for the chef to know how much salt to acid when preparing it. If, for example, the stock was seasoned to taste with salt, the chef could not reduce it later; salt is not lost through reduction, and the concentrated product would taste too salty. Similarly, seasoning the stock to taste with salt could prevent the chef from adding other ingredients that are high in salt when finishing a recipe. Unlike many seasonings whose flavors must be incorporated into a product through lengthy cooking periods, salt can be added any time during the cooking process with the same effect. 3. Acid products - Acid helps dissolve connective tissues, and extract flavor and body from bones. 4. Scraps and leftovers - Scraps may be used in stocks if they are clear, wholesome, and appropriate to the stock being made. 5. Seasoning and spices 6. Bouquet garni – an assortment of fresh herbs and aromatic ingredients tied in a bundle with string so it can be removed easily from the stock. Bouquet garni: “Bag of herbs” Bundle of fresh herbs— thyme, parsley stems, bay leaf Tied together Sachet d’épices: Cheesecloth Parsley stems, dried thyme, bay leaf, cracked peppercorns Types and Principles of Preparing Stocks 1. Identify the classification of stocks. 2. Explain the principles of preparing stocks. 3. Perform how to prepare types of stocks.  Types of Stocks 1. Chicken stock –made from the chicken bones. A white stock is made by simmering chicken, veal or beef bones in water with vegetables and seasonings. The stock remains relatively colorless during the cooking process. 2. White stock – made from beef or veal bones. A brown stock is made from chicken, veal, beef, or game bones and vegetables, all of which are caramelized before being simmered in water with seasonings. The stock has a rich, dark color. 3. Brown stock – made from beef or veal bones browned in an oven. 4. Fish stock – made from fish bones and trimmings left over after filleting. Both a fish stock and a fumet are made by slowly cooking fish bones, or crustacean shells, and vegetables, without coloring them, then simmering them in water with seasonings for a short time. For a fumet, wine and lemon juice are also added. The resulting stock or fumet is a strongly flavored, relatively colorless liquid. A court bouillon is made by simmering vegetables and seasonings in water and an acidic liquid such as vinegar or wine. 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. Flavoring vegetables such as mirepoix: herb sachets and the proper ratios of ingredients to liquid give stocks their flavor. Clarity is achieved by removing impurities during stock making. Any ingredients contribute to a stock's color. Vegetables such as leeks and carrots give white stock a light color. Browned bones and tomato paste provide color to dark stocks. Improper uses of coloring ingredients can overwhelm the color and flavor of a stock. The term jus traditionally describes the light, natural liquid derived from the drippings of a roast. Because a natural jus is perhaps the most satisfying and flavorful of all sauces, chefs use a variety of techniques to simulate the flavor of a natural jus, using meat trimmings and bones. To prepare a stock with some of the full, natural flavor of a jus, meat trimmings are usually browned and cooked for a short time with a previously made full- flavored stock. Classic demi-glace is a stock that has been reduced and bound with starch until it has the consistency of a very light syrup or glace. Classic demi-glace is the basis for classic brown sauces. Natural demi-glace, also called coulis, is thickened by reduction or continual remoistening with additional meat; no starch is used in its preparation. Glaces are stocks that have been slowly cooked down (reduced) to a thick syrup. These are convenient to have on hand in professional kitchens because they keep well and can be added to sauces at the last minute to give a richer flavor, a deeper color, and a smoother texture. Some chefs rely almost entirely on meat glace (glace de viande) for preparing brown sauces. Essences are extracts made from vegetables and used as last-minute flavorings for sauces; an essence is to a vegetable what a jus is to meat or fish. In classic sauce making, essences are usually used as a final flavoring for more complex stock-based sauces. In most of these situations, essences can be dispensed with and the ingredient itself simply infused in the sauce and strained out at the last minute  Equipment for Making Stocks 1. Stock pot or Steam Jacketed Kettles – to stock should be one-half to three-quarter full. It is not efficient to make a small amount of stock in a large pot. 2. Cleaver or meat saw – use for cutting the bones 3. Long-handled spoon – for stirring 4. Skimmer – for removing scum 5. China cup with cheesecloth – for straining the stocks 6. French knife and chopping board – for preparing the vegetables. Guidelines for Preparing Stock 1. Follow the correct procedures for cooling and storing stock and make sure that any stock you use is flavorful and wholesome. 2. Follow the cooking time for stock. The following are approximate cooking times for different stocks; the time will vary according to numerous factors such as ingredient quality, volume, and cooking temperature. White beef stock - 8 to 10 hours White and brown Veal Game stock – 6 to 8 hours White poultry and Game Bird Stocks – 3 to 4 hours Fish Stock – 45 minutes to 1 hour Vegetable Stock – 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the specific ingredients and the size of vegetables cut 3. The stock ingredients are boiled starting with cold water. This promotes the extraction of protein which may be sealed in by hot water. 4. Stocks are simmered gently, with small bubbles at the bottom but not breaking at the surface. If a stock is boiled, it will be cloudy. 5. Salt is not usually added to a stock, as this causes it to become too salty since most stocks are preserved to make soup and sauces. 6. Meat is added to the stock before the vegetables and the ―scum that rises to the surface is skimmed off before further ingredients are added 245. Improving a Stock's Flavor Prepare Double and Triple Stocks. Stocks can always be improved by using an already prepared stock to moisten meats for a new batch. When the moistening liquid for a stock is an already prepared stock, the result is called a double stock. If a double stock is in turn used to moisten more meat, the result is a triple stock. The elaborate stocks of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were made using this method of continuous remoistening with progressively richer and richer stock to prepare coulis and essences. Making double and triple stocks is expensive. Most methods for making stock are designed to imitate double and triple stocks without the expense. If, however, the chef can defray the cost of the ingredients so that double and triple stocks made with meat can be used for sauce making, the resulting sauces will have an inimitable depth, complexity, and savor. Caramelize the Ingredients. Stocks can be given heightened color and flavor by first caramelizing the meat juices on the bottom of the pan before the final moistening with water or stock. Precooking the ingredients in this way will also result in a clearer stock. Add Gelatinous Cuts. Some recipes call for the addition of a veal foot (split and blanched starting in cold water) or strips of pork rind to stocks. These ingredients contribute gelatin and give the stock a smoother, richer texture. Balance the Ingredients. The final decision as to how stocks will be prepared depends on the kitchen's cooking style and budget. The chef will have to rely on experience and expertise to balance the components in the stock to derive the best flavor from the ingredients. If a stock is to be radically reduced for sauce making or if double or triple stocks are being prepared, the chef must determine whether additional vegetables and a second or third bouquet garni are needed. If too many vegetables are added to the preliminary stock or if additional vegetables are added at each stage in the preparation of a double or triple stock, the natural sugars in the vegetables may become too concentrated, and the stock will be too sweet. You may find that as the stock nears completion, one of the vegetables or one of the herbs in the bouquet garni is too assertive; decrease the amount of that ingredient the next time you make the stock. If a finished stock tastes flat, its flavor can be improved by adding a fresh bouquet garni and some freshly sweated mirepoix vegetables. Whether or not this is necessary depends on how the stock will be used. PROPER AND IMPROPER PROCEDURES 1. Always moisten stock with cold liquid. If hot water is added to meat, it causes the meat to release soluble proteins (albumin) quickly into the surrounding liquid. These proteins immediately coagulate into very fine particles and cloud the stock. When cold liquid is used and slowly heated, the proteins contained in the meat (or fish) coagulate in larger clumps and float to the top, where they can be skimmed. When adding liquid to an already simmering stock to compensate for evaporation, make sure it is cold. 2. Never allow a stock to boil. As meat and bones cook, they release proteins and fats into the surrounding liquid. Stock should be heated slowly to only a simmer. At a slow simmer, these components appear as scum on top of the stock and can be skimmed. If the stock is boiling, these substances are churned back into the stock and become emulsified. The resulting stock is cloudy and has a dull, muddy, greasy flavor, which will only worsen if the stock is reduced (or bound) for a sauce. When the stock comes to a simmer skim it every 5 to 10 minutes for the first hour with a ladle to prevent fat and scum from working their way back into the stock. As the stock cooks, it needs to be skimmed only every 30 minutes to an hour. Keep the ladle in a container of cold water next to the pot so it is convenient for skimming and so that it does not become caked with fat and scum. 3. Do not use too much liquid. The higher the proportion of solid ingredients to liquid, the more flavorful the stock will be. Many beginning cooks completely cover the solid ingredients with liquid at the beginning of cooking. Because the solid ingredients in a stock settle during cooking, the cook often finds that he or she has added more liquid than necessary and the resulting stock is thin. It is best to use only enough liquid or stock to come three-quarters of the way to the top of the ingredients. The only exceptions to this rule are stocks with extremely long cooking times, where any excess liquid will evaporate anyway. 4. Do not move the contents of the stock during cooking and straining. As stock cooks, albumin and other solids settle along the bottom and sides of the pot. If the stock is disturbed, these solids will break up and cloud the stock. When straining the finished stock, do not press on the ingredients in the strainer; allow enough time for the liquid to drain naturally. 5. Do not over-reduce. Stocks are often reduced to concentrate their flavor and to give them an appetizing, light, syrupy texture. Although reduction is an almost essential technique for converting stocks into sauces, much of the delicacy and flavor of meats is lost if reduced for too long. Many of the flavors contained in stock are aromatic and evaporate when simmered over a pro, longed period, leaving a flat taste. Highly reduced stocks often contain a large concentration of gelatin, which gives them a sticky feeling and texture in the mouth. 6. It is preferable to prepare a double or triple stock rather than to try to reduce a stock to intensify its flavor. The expense will be the same per given quantity of finished stock. 7. Do not add the liaison until all the fat and scum have been carefully skimmed. Traditional recipes often suggest adding a thickener, such as roux, cornstarch, or arrowroot, to stock to thicken it lightly and give it texture. Once starch is added to a stock, any fat emulsified in the liquid will be held in solution by the starch and will become difficult to skim. 8. Store stocks carefully. Warm stock is a perfect medium for bacteria (beef broth was originally used to line petri dishes in laboratories). Avoid keeping stocks between 40° and 140°F (5° and 60°C) for long periods. The danger of spoilage increases in hot weather and when larger amounts of stock are being prepared. A quart or two of stock can be allowed to cool at room temperature before it is refrigerated with little danger of spoilage. Larger amounts of stock are best cooled by floating a container (make sure the bottom is well scrubbed) of ice in the stock to chill it before refrigerating. Large amounts of stock may require several batches of ice. Principles of Stock Making The following principles apply to all stocks. You should follow them in order to achieve the highest-quality stocks possible. Start the stock in cold water. Simmer the stock gently. Skim the stock frequently. Strain the stock carefully. Cool the stock quickly. Store the stock properly. Degrease the stock. Start the Stock in Cold Water The ingredients should always be covered with cold water. When bones are covered with cold water, blood and other impurities dissolve. As the water heats, the impurities coagulate and rise to the surface, where they can be removed easily by skimming. If the bones were covered with hot water, the impurities would coagulate more quickly and remain dispersed in the stock without rising to the surface, making the stock cloudy. If the water falls below the bones during cooking, add water to cover them. Flavor cannot be extracted from bones not under water, and bones exposed to the air will darken and discolor a white stock. Simmer the Stock Gently The stock should be brought to a boil and then reduced to a simmer, a temperature of approximately 185°F (85°C). While simmering, the ingredients release their flavors into the liquid. If kept at a simmer, the liquid will remain clear as it reduces and the stock develops. Never boil a stock for any length of time. Rapid boiling of a stock, even for a few minutes, causes impurities and fats to blend with the liquid, making it cloudy. Skim the Stock Frequently A stock should be skimmed often to remove the fat and impurities that rise to the surface during cooking. If they are not removed, they may make the stock cloudy. Strain the Stock Carefully Once a stock finishes cooking, the liquid must be separated from the bones, vegetables and other solid ingredients. In order to keep the liquid clear, it is important not to disturb the solid ingredients when removing the liquid. This is easily accomplished if the stock is cooked in a steam kettle or stockpot with a spigot at the bottom. If the stock is cooked in a standard stockpot, to strain it: *Skim as much fat and as many impurities from the surface as possible before removing the stockpot from the heat. *After removing the pot from the heat, carefully ladle the stock from the pot without stirring it. *Strain the stock through a china cap lined with several layers of cheesecloth. Cool the Stock Quickly Most stocks are prepared in large quantities, cooled and held for later use. Great care must be taken when cooling a stock to prevent food-borne illnesses or souring. To cool a stock below the temperature danger zone quickly and safely: *Keep the stock in a metal container. A plastic container insulates the stock and delays cooling. *Vent the stockpot in an empty sink by placing it on blocks or a rack. This allows water to circulate on all sides and below the pot when the sink is filled with water. *Install an overflow pipe in the drain and fill the sink with cold water or a combination of cold water and ice. *Make sure that the weight of the stockpot is adequate to keep it from tipping over. *Let cold water run into the sink and drain out the overflow pipe. Stir the stock frequently to facilitate even, quick cooling. Ice Paddles. In addition to this venting procedure, cooling wands can be used to speed the cooling of stocks, soups, sauces and other liquids. These wands (also known as ice paddles) are hollow plastic containers that can be filled with water or ice, sealed, and then used to stir and cool liquids. Clean and sanitize the wand after each use to prevent cross-contamination. Cooling and Handling Stocks (SAFETY). A two-stage cooling method is recommended for keeping stock out of the temperature danger zone. First, cool the stock to 70°F (21°C) within 2 hours and from 70°F to below 41°F (21°F to below 5°C) in an additional 4 hours, for a total of 6 hours. To prevent bacterial growth if these temperatures have not been met, the stock must be reheated to 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds within 2 hours. Store the Stock Properly Once the stock is cooled, transfer it to a sanitized covered container (either plastic or metal) and store it in the refrigerator. As the stock chills, fat rises to its surface and solidifies. If left intact, this layer of fat helps preserve the stock. Stocks can be stored for up to one week under refrigeration or frozen for several months. Degrease the Stock Degreasing a stock is simple: When a stock is refrigerated, fat rises to its surface, hardens and is easily lifted or scraped away before the stock is reheated. White Stock A white or neutral stock may be made from beef, veal or chicken bones. The finished stock should have a good flavor, good clarity, high gelatin content and little or no color. Veal bones are most often used, but any combination of beef, veal or chicken bones may be used. Blanching Bones Chefs disagree on whether the bones for a white stock should be blanched to remove impurities. Some chefs argue that blanching keeps the stock as clear and colorless as possible; others argue that blanching removes nutrients and flavor.  Preparing Bones for Stocks 1. Blanching: *Rids impurities—cloudiness 2. Browning bones: *Roast at 400°F (200°C) for one hour *Rich flavor and deep color 3. Sweating: *Bones and mirepoix release flavor Blanching Bones Eight pounds of bones *Cover with cold water Bring to a slow boil *Skim the surface if needed After the full boil, drain the bones Ready for the desired recipe Preparing Ingredients for Stocks Mirepoix: Short cooking times *Sliced or diced in half- inch cuts Longer cooking times (> one hour) *One- to two-inch cuts or whole  Bouquet garni or sachet d’épices: *Add to the simmering stock *Heat brings out flavors *Last hour of cooking * Prevent the loss of flavor  Preparing Ingredients for Stock Stock Bones/Vegetables Water Mirepoix Chicken, beef, 8 pounds 6 quarts 1 pound veal game Fish/shellfi sh or 11 pounds 5 quarts 1 pound fumet Vegetabl 4 pounds 4 quarts ¾ pound e  Preparing Stock 1. Combine major flavorings and cold liquid 2. Bring to simmer 3.Skim as necessary 4. Add mirepoix and aromatics *Last hour of cooking 5. Simmer *Develop flavor, body, and color 6. Strain *Cheesecloth or coffee filter *Use immediately or store Fat Removal from Stock Fat removal *Remove cooled and hardened fat from the surface *Lift or scrape away fat Clearer and purer color Removes some fat content— healthier Reheating stock *Skim additional impurities  Cooling Stock Transfer to container Place in an ice-water bath Stir often Once cooled, place in a cooler Do not place stockpot in cooler Cooling *135°F to 70°F (57°C to 21°C) within two hours *70°F to 41°F (21°C to 5°C) or lower in the next four hours Stock - Problems and Solutions