Stock (food) - Preparing Stock

Preparing Stock

A few basic rules are commonly prescribed for preparing stock:

• The stock ingredients are simmered starting with cold water. This promotes the extraction of collagen, which may be sealed in by hot water.
• Stocks are simmered gently, with bubbles just breaking the surface, and not boiled. If a stock is boiled, it will be cloudy.
• Salt is usually not added to a stock, as this causes it to become too salty, since most stocks are reduced to make soups and sauces.
• Meat is added to a stock before vegetables, and the "scum" that rises to the surface is skimmed off before further ingredients are added.
• If the cook wants to remove the fat, after the stock is finished it is cooled and the fat, which floats, separates and solidifies into globs within the stock, which can be removed with ease.
• Stocks can be frozen and kept indefinitely but are better fresh.
• The refrigerator shelf life of a stock is three to four days, but the stock can be boiled at the end of this period and the life extended another three to four days. Stock can be kept for extended periods in this manner.