Q&A for Stocks and Sauces Class - Unit 1 Day1

[tim]

Thank you, Healthy Guy,

I would appreciate your thoughts on a number of points.

Thomas Keller says that celery turns stock bitter. Your thoughts?

The only time I "wash" bones is when I prepare white beef or veal stock. I usually roast my bones and do not wash them in advance. Your thoughts?

You recommend bringing stock to a simmer on high heat. I was taught that this caused albumin to spread into the water and you should raise the heat very slowly. What do you think?

I never tie bouquet into a bundle. It is easier to add six inches of untied string to the stockpot, if that is a desired flavor. Call me crazy, but what do you think?

Thanks again,

Tim

[chefzadi]

If you think celery tastes bitter than it gives stocks a bitter taste. Celery is really for chicken stock and not the other stocks.

I roast my bones too and do not wash them for brown veal stock. I can't imagine that washing bones gives a better quality product. I would be hard pressed to say it would even make a difference. If you know how to skim and strain your stocks there should be no difference. (please note the last line in this paragraph).

Bring stocks to a simmer slowly, not on a high heat. It's easier to skim off the impurities and you will get a much cleaner looking and tasting finished product. High heat is likely to create a cloudy product.

If you have a string tie your bouquet, if you don't have a string don't tie it.

[rbenash]

A bump, I know this is a long dead thread. One question I have is regarding beef stock. If I am roasting bones first - you know when you pull from the oven you will have a good bit of fat. Pour it off? Or should I assume the fat at this point goes into the simmer? I typically roast the bones for an hour, then pull and paste if I want a brown stock then back in the oven for 30 minutes to roast the veggies along with the bones a bit then into the pot. Thinking about whether there's any value to dump the fat in (reserved during second roast with veggies and paste). Or if I can just discard. Just wondering if there's falvor in the fat that adds any value during the simmer?

[tim]

HI,

Dump the fat. The flavor is not worth the probability of clouding your stock.

Don't forget about a second run with fresh water for your bones. It only takes 5 minutes to remove the finished first run stock and refill your stockpot.

Tim

[rbenash]

Done - thanks.