Stocks are a very important aspect in soup making, and kitchen work in general. If you have the storage capacity, the available time, and the scraps from your meals to make it worthwhile, I strongly recommend making your own. That being said, there are plenty of stocks and broths that you can purchase that will supply you with what you need for your soups.
The difference between light and dark stocks are really simple. When making a dark chicken stock, or vegetable stock, you will roast your vegetables and bones to get color on them prior to making the stock. Normally you will have them in a high heat oven for about one hour. Vegetables can darken a touch faster than the bones, so you just shorten the roasting time for them. The process from there is almost identical, except you also deglaze the pan with wine to remove the fond (little burnt pieces left on the pan) and scrape it into the pot.
Light Vegetable Stocks
Roasted Stocks
The Images above are broken into two sections. The top portion, Light Stocks, are the images for exactly that. Though the first six images are for vegetable stock, while the last two are with the chicken bones added. The bottom portion, Roasted (Dark) Stocks, show the images of the stocks after roasting and the different in color between the broth.
Ingredients
Carrots
Onions
Celery
Bay Leaves
Peppercorns
Water
Vegetable Scrap
Chicken Bones for chicken stock
*White Wine (For roasted stocks to deglaze the pan)
Method of Procedure
Prepare all the vegetables by thoroughly washing them (especially if you are not peeling the carrots), and cutting them into smaller pieces.
*Place all vegetables on a roasting pan and roast in your oven at 400-425 for about 30-45 minutes, until the vegetables are browned.
*Place all the chicken bones onto a roasting pan (remove any excess skin or fat prior to cooking) and place into an oven at 400-425 for 1-2 hours until the bones are a medium to dark brown. Remove the bones from the pans (BE CAREFUL WITH THE RENDERED FAT, VERY VERY BAD BURN) and pour some white wine on the pan while hot. Scrape the pan, using a wooden spoon, to remove all the burnt on fond that will be on the pan and put the wine and scraped fond into the stock pot.
Place all vegetables, bay leaves, and peppercorns into a stock pot, and add water to cover, with additional room.
Any vegetable scrap that you have on hand, minus extremely strong flavors (mustard greens, radishes, cilantro, etc.) can be added to the stock pot.
If you are making chicken stock now is when you would add your chicken bones (or roasted bones) and any chicken scrap you have on hand.
Turn the pot on and bring to a boil, as soon as it is hot, reduce the temperature to a simmer and let it go.
During the process of making your stock you want to skim the fat, foam, and bubbles that develop on the surface and throw away. The idea is that you want to cook at a low heat and skim to keep a clean, clear broth.
Vegetable stock will take about 4 hours, depending on how much you are making, and chicken stock will take significantly longer, about 8 hours, to fully pull your flavors.
*This step or ingredient is only for dark stocks
Comments