Homemade is better - Part III
Good evening. Would you like the brown stock or the white?
This question may have never crossed your mind, but stock, in fact, comes in two types: brown and white. White stock is when you place uncooked ingredients in water and simmer them to extract flavor. Brown stock begins with browning — by roasting — the bones and meat, and often the vegetables, before simmering them. Just like browning foods when you roast, grill or sauté, this develops caramelization for deeper, richer flavor.
Why choose one over the other? It depends on what you’re using it for. That hearty chicken soup you are making during these bitterly cold weeks of winter tastes heartier and richer with a brown stock. The flavor of fresh, spring asparagus in the soup you make this April will shine more brightly if you use the less complex flavor of a white stock.
The work load is not significantly more for brown stock and your ingredients can roast in the oven and simmer on the stove in relative peace while you sip a cup of tea in front of the fire place. I usually alternate my batches of chicken stock and keep extra in the freezer so I have both on hand.
Brown Chicken Stock
Makes about 8 quarts
This is the rich stock you want for a hearty chicken soup or flavorful pan sauce. Roasted chicken bones and a few simple vegetables, herbs and spices are simmered delivering great depth of flavor and wonderful body. Want white stock? Get the recipe here.
Ingredients:
6 lbs chicken parts (see notes)
1 large carrot (2″ diameter and 8″ long)
2 ribs celery
1 large onion — 2 if not using a leek (about the size of a baseball)
1 leek, white parts only (optional)
8-10 black peppercorns
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425° F. Spread your chicken parts in a single layer, uncrowded, in a roasting pan. Roast, turning halfway through, until well browned, 45-50 minutes. Transfer to stock pot.
Pour off all but 4 tbs of chicken fat from roasting pan, add carrot, celery, onions and leek and toss to coat. Roast until browned, stirring halfway through, about 40 minutes. Transfer vegetables to stock pot with chicken parts.
Place roasting pan over burners, add water to 1/2” deep and bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer water to stock pot.
Cover ingredients in stock pot by 2” with water, add herbs and spices and continue using directions for white stock.
