How to Make Stocks and Broths

Bring to the simmer in water to cover a collection of raw and/or cooked chicken bones, trimmings, gizzards, and necks (but no livers). Skim off scum that rises to the surface for several minutes then salt very lightly. Cover loosely and simmer for one to two hours, adding water if needed. You may also wish to include chopped onions, carrots, celery, and an herb bouquet. Strain and degrease.

To make a strong stock, boil it down to concentrate its flavor.

When the stock is cool, cover and either refrigerate for several days or freeze.

To make turkey, veal, or pork stock, proceed as for the light chicken stock.

To make ham stock: For 2 quarts of ham bones and scraps, include 1 cup each of chopped carrots, onions, and celery, and an herb bouquet consisting of three imported bay leaves, one teaspoon thyme, and five whole cloves or allspice berries. Proceed as for the chicken stock, but simmer about three hours.

Brown chicken, turkey, or duck stock: Chop the bones and scraps into one-half inch pieces and brown in hot oil in a frying pan, and for every two quarts of them add one half cup each chopped carrots, onions, and celery stalks. When nicely browned, transfer to a heavy saucepan. Skim fat out of frying pan, pour in cup of dry white wine, and scrape coagulated browning juices into it, then pour in the saucepan, adding chicken stock and or water to cover ingredients. Include an herb bouquet, salt lightly, and cover loosely. Simmer, skim, stain, and degrease as for the light chicken stock.

Simple Beef stock: Arrange a collection of meaty raw or cooked beef bones, such as shank, neck, oxtail, or knuckle, in a roasting pan, adding one half cup of chopped onions, celery, and carrots. Baste lightly with vegetable oil and brown for thirty to forty minutes in a 450 degree oven, turning and basting with oil or accumulated fat several times. Scoop bones and vegetables into a stockpot. Pour fat out of roasting pan and deglaze with two cups of water, simmering and scraping up coagulated juices. Pour into pot, adding cold water to cover ingredients by two inches. Add more chopped onion, celery, and carrot, a chopped fresh tomato. two large cloves of smashed unpeeled garlic, and a medium herb bouquet. Bring to the simmer, skim off scum for several minutes, and continue as for the preceding chicken stock, but simmer tow to three hours.

Brown veal, pork, or lamb stock: Proceed as for beef stock, above, but omit the carrots for lamb stock.

Fish Stock: Wash fresh fish frames (bones and head, minus gills) from lean white fish such as cod, hake, flounder, halibut, sole. Do not add dark skin. Chop into pieces. Bring to the simmer in a large pot with water to cover by one inch. Skim off scum for a few minutes, salt lightly, cover loosely, and simmer for thirty minutes. Strain. Boil down to concentrate flavor. Cover when cool, and refrigerate for a day or freeze.

Using canned broths and bouillons: To disguise your use of the can, simmer the broth for fifteen to twenty minutes with a handful of minced carrots, onions, and celery and perhaps a bit of dry white wine or dry white French vermouth.

Cooking with or without wine: For red wine, use a young, full wine such as a zinfandel or a chianti. White wines should be dry and full-bodied, such as sauvignon, but because many of the whites are too acid, I prefer to use a dry white French vermouth. In addition to its strength and quality, it keeps nicely. Port, Madeira, and sherries must be dry. If you do not wish to cook with wine, simply omit it, aor add stock or more herbs.

Stock means that it is homemade.