Kinds Of Meat, Fish, Etc., In Stock

Stock, or broth, may be made of a single variety of meats, game or fish, or of a combination of two or more varieties. Beef, veal and chicken combined give consomme. Lamb may be combined with beef, but it is commonly used alone. Any varieties of fish may be used together, and chicken or veal broth are used with any variety of fish. Salmon and lobster, on account of their pronounced flavor, must be used with care and would not be selected for general stock.

For color and also for the more pronounced flavor developed in browned meats, part of the meat used in stock, unless it be desirable to keep the stock very white, should be browned before it is covered with liquid. A small quantity of fat and some bone should be present in the meat selected for stock. Marrow is the best form of fat, and the fat of browned roasts is next in value. A small bit of ham (about two ounces) may be added with the other meats. The bones of fish, veal and chicken are rich in gelatinous substances which give body to a broth; beef bones are valuable, principally for the bits of meat adhering to them.

Temperature And Time Of Cooking Stock

The meat or fish to be used, cut in small pieces, is put over the fire in cold water. It is well to allow the meat to stand some time in the cold water before setting it over the fire, that the juices may be more easily drawn out into the water. Heat slowly to the boiling point, skim, and allow to cook, gently bubbling at one side, and partially covered, five or six hours; then add the vegetables and herbs to be used in flavoring, and let cook another hour. Pour off the broth, pressing all the juice from the solid ingredients; let cool quickly and uncovered. With the fat on top undisturbed, stock will keep several days in winter, but in summer it must be reheated every other day, and occasionally the weather is such that scalding each day is necessary.

General Recipe For Standard Broth

(3 pints)

4 pounds of meat (one-fourth bone)

4 pints of cold water

¼ pound of lean ham

10 peppercorns

3 sprigs of parsley

6 cloves

¼ bay leaf

¼ sweet pepper pod

½ teaspoonful of sweet herbs or

½ " soup bag "

2 stalks of celery

½ carrot ½ onion cut m bits

For white broth use veal as the meat; after cooking three hours, add a fowl, trussed as for roasting, and let it simmer until tender, then remove the fowl for use in some other dish and finish the broth as usual. This will give a very light colored stock; for a darker stock, brown part of the veal (cut in pieces) in marrow or drippings. Add these bits of meat to the rest of the meat, soaking in cold water. Pour some of the water into the pan and let it stand over the fire for some time to melt the glaze and browning material adhering to the pan; finally add this to the soup kettle and finish according to the directions previously given. For a dark brown stock use, largely, beef or game of dark flesh, and brown part of the meat. This recipe should produce three pints of strong broth of a color corresponding to the materials used.