Unforgettable soup stock recipes to try
Tips for making perfect soup stock
Many cookbooks that include soups also include recipes for soup stock -- you may want to experiment to find your favourite. The type of soup stock you use depends on the other ingredients in a recipe -- a beef stock might be out of place in a chicken soup, for instance. Chicken and vegetable stocks are good basics to have on hand, but tailor the stock you make to the ingredients you have on hand.
The Joy of Cooking offers the following tips for making superior meat- or poultry-based soup stock:
Many cookbooks that include soups also include recipes for soup stock -- you may want to experiment to find your favourite. The type of soup stock you use depends on the other ingredients in a recipe -- a beef stock might be out of place in a chicken soup, for instance. Chicken and vegetable stocks are good basics to have on hand, but tailor the stock you make to the ingredients you have on hand.
The Joy of Cooking offers the following tips for making superior meat- or poultry-based soup stock:
1. Start with cold water to draw out the juices.
2. Disjoint or crack any bones and trim excess fat.
3. Look for cuts of meat that are high in gelatin content to give your stock body and a rich texture: this includes beef knucklebones, shoulder bones and oxtails, and poultry back, neck and wing bones.
4. Avoid using too many bones -- it can make your stock gluey.
5. For the most flavourful stock, use raw ingredients and only enough cold water to cover the bones.
6. Use a good stockpot that is tall and narrow, allowing the stock to simmer without excess evaporation. Avoid aluminum, which may react with the ingredients.
7. Don't simmer the stock past the recommended cooking time as it may end up unpleasantly bitter.
8. To see if it's time to strain your stock, taste the meat from one of the bones. If it no longer has any flavour, your stock is done.
For perfect vegetable-based soup stocks, try the following tips from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison:
1. While stock is a great way to use vegetable scraps and extras, old or spoiled vegetables aren't a great choice. Before adding scraps, Madison recommends asking, "Would I eat this?"
2. Coarsely chop vegetables, but don't make the pieces too large -- the more surface area, the more quickly the flavour will be extracted.
3. While meat stocks benefit from long cooking times, vegetable stocks will be ready in 30 minutes to an hour.
4. The more vegetables, the more flavour.
5. Only use strong-flavoured vegetables for dishes that incorporate them or in which you want the particular flavour; this includes asparagus, winter squash, fennel, corn cobs and pea pods.
6. Great vegetables for your stock include: mushrooms (and the soaking water from dried mushrooms), chard stems and leaves, potato parings, celery root skins, Jerusalem artichokes and eggplant.
7. Avoid the following ingredients: turnips and rutabagas; cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower; red beets (except when making a beet soup); onion skins; artichoke trimmings; excessive amounts of greens; and powdered herbs, including pepper, as they can make stock bitter.
Storing and using soup stock
Once stock is done simmering, strain it and throw out or compost any solids. Once the stock is cool, you can refrigerate it -- any grease in meat-based stocks will rise and you can skim and discard it before using. Stock keeps in the fridge for three to four days and can be frozen for up to six months.
Most important, remember to experiment. Try different combinations of ingredients and take notes on how your favourite soup recipes turn out with homemade stock versus store-bought powders or broths.
Recipes to try
Here are a few stock recipes to get you started on your soup-making adventures.
• Vegetable Stock
• Store-Bought Broth Made Better
• Light Beef and Chicken Stock
• Veal Stock
• How to Bone a Turkey and Prepare Homemade Stock
• Roasted Vegetable Stock
• Seafood Stock
• Chicken Stock
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2. Disjoint or crack any bones and trim excess fat.
3. Look for cuts of meat that are high in gelatin content to give your stock body and a rich texture: this includes beef knucklebones, shoulder bones and oxtails, and poultry back, neck and wing bones.
4. Avoid using too many bones -- it can make your stock gluey.
5. For the most flavourful stock, use raw ingredients and only enough cold water to cover the bones.
6. Use a good stockpot that is tall and narrow, allowing the stock to simmer without excess evaporation. Avoid aluminum, which may react with the ingredients.
7. Don't simmer the stock past the recommended cooking time as it may end up unpleasantly bitter.
8. To see if it's time to strain your stock, taste the meat from one of the bones. If it no longer has any flavour, your stock is done.
For perfect vegetable-based soup stocks, try the following tips from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison:
1. While stock is a great way to use vegetable scraps and extras, old or spoiled vegetables aren't a great choice. Before adding scraps, Madison recommends asking, "Would I eat this?"
2. Coarsely chop vegetables, but don't make the pieces too large -- the more surface area, the more quickly the flavour will be extracted.
3. While meat stocks benefit from long cooking times, vegetable stocks will be ready in 30 minutes to an hour.
4. The more vegetables, the more flavour.
5. Only use strong-flavoured vegetables for dishes that incorporate them or in which you want the particular flavour; this includes asparagus, winter squash, fennel, corn cobs and pea pods.
6. Great vegetables for your stock include: mushrooms (and the soaking water from dried mushrooms), chard stems and leaves, potato parings, celery root skins, Jerusalem artichokes and eggplant.
7. Avoid the following ingredients: turnips and rutabagas; cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower; red beets (except when making a beet soup); onion skins; artichoke trimmings; excessive amounts of greens; and powdered herbs, including pepper, as they can make stock bitter.
Storing and using soup stock
Once stock is done simmering, strain it and throw out or compost any solids. Once the stock is cool, you can refrigerate it -- any grease in meat-based stocks will rise and you can skim and discard it before using. Stock keeps in the fridge for three to four days and can be frozen for up to six months.
Most important, remember to experiment. Try different combinations of ingredients and take notes on how your favourite soup recipes turn out with homemade stock versus store-bought powders or broths.
Recipes to try
Here are a few stock recipes to get you started on your soup-making adventures.
• Vegetable Stock
• Store-Bought Broth Made Better
• Light Beef and Chicken Stock
• Veal Stock
• How to Bone a Turkey and Prepare Homemade Stock
• Roasted Vegetable Stock
• Seafood Stock
• Chicken Stock
Page 2 of 2
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