by Salvador Deville

Created on: January 15, 2009   Last Updated: January 28, 2009

Years ago when I was in culinary school the first thing we were taught was how to make our own stocks otherwise known as Broth. It was important as aspiring Culinarians that we mastered this art because broths are the basis for a great many dishes as well as sauces. Making a broth is also a way to reduce food waste when preparing a meal, is cheaper than purchasing large quantities of it in stores, and is comparably more satisfying to the palate. It is also very easy to do.

Regardless of which stock you decide to make, Chicken, Beef, or Vegetable, you will need to gather a large stock pot, a knife, and cutting boards. For suggestions on use and storage, see below.

You will need:

5 lbs. Bones chicken or beef depending on which you decide to make.

5 qt. Water

8 oz. Chopped Onion

4 oz. Chopped Carrot

4 oz. Chopped Celery

1/2 Bay Leaf

1/8 tsp. Thyme

4 Peppercorns

3 Parsley Stems

2 Smashed Garlic Nuggets

Directions:

1. Place the bones in a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and skim scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat to simmer.

* Beef bones should be roasted in the oven prior to this step for 1.5 hrs at 375O

2. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery.

3. Add the Bay leaf, Thyme, Peppercorns, Parsley, and Smashed Garlic

5. Simmer about 6 hrs for a Beef broth and about 3.5 hrs for Chicken broth.

* Add water if necessary to keep the bones covered.

3. Pass the broth through a strainer (and cheesecloth if available) and cool the liquid or serve.

To make a vegetable broth, don't use the bones, reduce quantity of water to 4.5 qt., and use only half of the onions and celery. To increase the flavor: Leeks (2 oz), Mushrooms (5 oz), and Fennel (2 oz) may be sauted in the pan with Olive Oil prior to adding the water. This soup should simmer for approximately 40 minutes.

Storage:

Broth can be refrigerated for 3 to 5 days. Often times, the broth will congeal when cooled, but will be back in liquid form when reheated. It can also be frozen for a period of time, but why would you want to use a frozen product when it is so easy to make fresh broth as you need it.

Uses:

Chicken Broth can be used in a number of ways. I would suggest that if you are going to eat it as a soup to use this as a base broth for your favorite recipe. It can also be used to make a Chicken Veloute Sauce, a Mushroom Sauce, or any number of white sauces that call for Water or Chicken Broth in the recipe. Yes, and whenever possible, use chicken broth instead of water in recipes of a liquid nature.

Beef Broth has such a variety of uses that I still find recipes that incorporate its use. You could use it when making a Coq Au Vin, an Espagnole Sauce, a Bordelaise, or like the Chicken Broth in any recipe that calls for the use of Beef Broth.

Of course there are many more complicated and technical ways to make any number of Broths you decide to create, but this is just a basic recipe to get you started on making your very own base stock that will have your guests asking where you purchased such a great broth.

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