Soup Stock

Stock Options

I blew it. Despite being intimately involved in the high-tech/computer/Internet/media arena during the 90s I failed to have the opportunity to acquire a single stock option. Oh, I came close to going from pauper to paper millionaire and back to pauper once, but the opportunity was snatched from my covetous fingers by some misalignment of fortune or by holding my mouth wrong and so I remained a pauper.

On the positive side, I've managed to enhance my pauper-hood steadily since those frabjous days and I'm actively exploring new ways to become even more destitute -- and all without any help from the Wall Street minions. I stand before you a self-unmade man, but a man who creates his own stock.

Making stock, the culinary variety, isn't hard, only time-consuming. But if you can find the time it's well worth the effort. You can buy an edible chicken stock in the grocery store (I prefer Swanson's low-sodium) but the beef stock is all rank stuff tasting of metal and chemicals and don't even think about something as outrÈ as shrimp or fish stock.

But stock is the key to great soups and sauces and so, unless you have someone in your area that makes stock from scratch (check butcher shops) your only option is to make it yourself. Another advantage is that you have complete control over both the salt and the fat content. Making stock's not hard, but it is time-consuming.

This recipe is for a quick stock for a soup and it still takes about eight hours -- although little of that time requires any attention from you. It has no salt in it. Salt should be added to the final dish, not the stock.

Warning! Do not boil! Boiling will hurt the flavor and force too much fat and other impurities into the stock.

Basic Stock

makes 4 quarts

2          lb            bones with meat

1          lb            onions

1/3       lb            carrots

1/3       lb            celery

1          ea            bay leaf

4          ea            peppercorns

The quantities above are approximate a bit more or less won't matter.

Meat:

For chicken use thighs -- with skin and bones -- or wings. If you're making chicken soup, use a whole chicken even though it weighs more.

For beef use soup bones.

For ham used smoked ham hocks.

Vegetables:

Trim, peel, and quarter the onions. Scrub the carrots but don't peel. Cut carrots and celery into 2" lengths.

Chicken stock:

Place all ingredients in a large (5qt plus) stock pot or Dutch oven and fill with water to within an inch of the top.

Beef stock:

Place bones in a roasting pan in a 375F oven for 45 minutes. Then place all ingredients in a large (5qt plus) stock pot or Dutch oven and fill with water to within an inch of the top.

Ham stock:

Because smoked ham hocks are so intensely flavored, reduce quantity to 1 1/2 pounds. Cut through the skin of the ham hocks in several places. Then place all ingredients in a large (5qt plus) stock pot or Dutch oven and fill with water to within an inch of the top.

All stocks:

Place on the stove over high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear, reduce the heat a notch. Continue tweaking the temperature downward until it simmers gently at a steady heat.

(If you're cooking a whole chicken it will be cooked after about 40 minutes. Remove the hen, cool it enough to remove the meat, and return the bones to the stock.)

Continue simmering for 3 to 4 hours.

Remove bones and veggies and discard. Strain stock through a fine mesh, cool, then refrigerate until fat solidifies on top. Discard fat or reserve for some other use.

Make soup.

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