Definition of Stock
Stock is nutritional liquid that is made with the Chicken or Chicken bones, Fish or Fish bones, Mutton or Mutton Bones and other vegetables that enhance the frangrance and flavour of liquid.
Uses of Stock
Stocks are aromatic and strongly flavoured liquids which are foundation liquids used for the preparation of various dishes like soups, sauces, gravies, curries, stews, braisings, rice and many more dishes.
The preparation of stocks take too long time, slow cooking of ingredients and cold water used for stock. Fish stock does not take long simmering process as it may become cloudy. It must be properly stored for a day at 1 °C to 4 °C.
The points to keep in mind while preparing Stock:
- Fat should be completely removed from the bones because it makes the stock rancid and greasy.
- Bone marrow must be removed. Marrow is used for making other dishes like Marrow toast, soup (Petit Marmite).
- The boiling method makes the stocks milky and cloudy therefore it should be simmered.
- Bouquet garni is tied and tied to a handle of stock pot. Mire poix must be added later on as it flavours the liquid. The vegetables will begin to disintegrate, discolouring the stock.
- The scum must be discarded.
- At the time of storing the stock, The fat must be removed from the surface, it may cause the stock to turn sour.
- The lid must be avoided during simmering process as it makes the stock cloudy.
Types of Stocks
There are two types of stocks:
White Stock: it is a stock which is prepared by using Beef, Veal, Mutton and Chicken bones or their flesh. the bones are immersed in cold water along with mire poix and bouquet garni. it is simmered for a longer time to extract the flavor into liquid.
Brown Stock: it is a stock which is prepared by using Beef, Veal, Mutton and Game bones or their flesh. firstly, the bones are cooked in little bit of oil till they become brown and than cold water is added along with mire poix and bouquet garni. The oil must not float on top of this stock. If oil is there, one should remove to avoid rancidity of stock.
Other stocks:
Emergency Stock: as the name suggest, this stock is prepared without simmering for a longer time to save the time at an emergency while preparing soups, gravies, and curries etc.
Fish Stock (Fr.Court Bouillon): the fish bone or flesh is used to prepare this stock. this stock does not take too much time to cook due to the softness of fish fillet or bones.
REMOULLAGE: https://www.recipetips.com › glossary-term › remouillage
MIRE POIX: Roughly cutting of starchy vegetables such as carrot, onion, turnip, leeks and celery, parsley stalk etc.
BOUQUET GARNI: A mixture of herbs, vegetables and spices to impart flavour to stocks and sauces like , rosemary, dry parsley, garlic, black pepper corns, bay leaf and thyme, etc.
GLAZES:
The reduced quantity of brown stock and brown sauce is known as glaze. They are used for enhancing the flavor of sauces, decoration of finished hot or cold dishes, coating of dishes and improves their appearance. The most common glazes are:
1. Chicken glaze & Meat glaze: Brown stock is put in a large pan on an open fire and reduced, scum is removed. As the quantity reduces, small pan should be used and heat is lowered. then stain in a muslin cloth. to check whether the glaze is ready or not, take a wooden spoon and dipped onto a reduced stock and if it has an even coat, glaze is ready. strain in a bowl and store at cold place.
2, Fish glaze: fish fumet (a kind of essence obtained from the bones and the skin of fish) is prepared, then concentrated or reduced. the flavour is more delicate than meat galze.
Storage: for stock : 1°C – 4°C
for warm emulsion sauce: 30°C-37°C