How To Clarify Stock Recipes

HOW TO MAKE A CLEAR BROTH

Steps:

• Soak meat/bones for at least 1 hour to get rid of excess blood and impurities. This includes chicken/chicken bones, pork/pork bones, and beef/beef bones, etc. Change the water out 1-2 times, and once soaked, thoroughly rinse clean.
• After soaking and washing, you must also blanch the meat/bones. Simply add the meat/bones to a pot along with enough cold water to fully submerge. Bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under clean running water.
• When vegetables are used, it's important not to cut them too small. It's best to keep them around 2 in/5 cm. Small pieces of vegetable will dissolve when simmered for a long time and make the soup cloudy.
• Always start with cold water along with all the ingredients in the pot. Once it's been brought to a boil, immediately turn down the heat to simmer. Stay close-by while waiting for it to boil so the soup does not have a chance to boil longer than that.
• Here's how you know if the stock is simmering at the right temperature: there should be a very slow bubbling from the stock. If there's absolutely no movement in the liquid, the heat is too low and the "cooking" is not happening. If the soup is bubbling quickly, there is too much disturbance in the liquid, and the stock will reduce faster and lose clarity.
• Be sure to simmer with the lid on!

EGG RAFT FOR CLARIFYING CLOUDY STOCK

Steps:

• Filter your stock as much as possible. There should be no solid residues in it. Like small pieces of meat, spices, skin, etc. Warm the stock slowly in a thick bottomed saucepan.
• Beat the egg whites with water and the acid.
• Crush the eggshells and whisk them into the egg mixture.
• Mix the egg whites into the stock, turn up the heat and bring it all to a boil.
• Turn down the heat when it boils and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
• Take the stock of the heat and let it cool for about fifteen minutes.
• There should now be a raft of stiffened egg whites on top of the stock and the stock should be more clear.
• Sieve the stock gently through a sieve lined with damp cheesecloth. If possible, use a sauce ladle to scoop it carefully into the sieve instead of pouring it. Avoid getting egg white with over the edge of the sieve.
• Author's Notes:.
• The easiest way to get a clear stock is to avoid it being unclear to begin with.
• Use raw pieces of meat. Unfortunately that is impossible when you make a dark stock so --
• Don't crack the bones.
• Never let the stock boil. Only weak bubbles and simmering. Boiling emulsifies the fat from the meat and binds it to the water.
• Only boil the vegetables along for the last hour. When the vegetables are soft, they begin to fall apart. This also makes the stock unclear.
• [This is the real difference when you clarify stock. no film tricks here -- ].

BASIC CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Quarter onion. Chop scrubbed celery and carrot into 1 inch chunks. Place chicken pieces, onion, celery, carrot, salt, and cloves in large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add 6 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
• Remove chicken and vegetables. Strain stock. Skim fat off the surface.
• To clarify stock for clear soup, removing solid flecks that are too small to be strained out with cheesecloth, follow this method. Separate the egg white from the egg yolk, and reserve the shell. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup cold water, egg white, and crushed eggshell. Add to strained stock, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Strain again through a sieve lined with cheesecloth.