Hi, I am new to Chefsteps. I am very thankful for all the knowledge available on this site and I definitely have learnt a lot. Having been cooking 'seriously' in my home kitchen for slightly over a year, I always question myself when it comes to making homemade stock and sauces. Unfortunately, going through recipes and discussions online have not been able to satisfy my enquiry. I will be really glad if somebody can contribute.
1. Making of Chicken Stock
Given the versatility and manageability, white chicken Stock is the stock that I make the most.
Given the absence of pressure cooker, this is how I usually make it: Submerge chicken wings into cold water and bring it to the boil. Remove stockpot from heat once it's boiling, skim scum and rinse chicken wings under running cold water. This was adapted from Heston Blumenthal at home (blanching them helps to remove scum from chicken and produce a clearer stock). After that, return rinsed wings and add vegetables / aromats to pot and cover with cold water, bring it to the boil then lower it to a simmer for 3-4 hours, skimming scum every 10-15 minutes. Strain, then reduce and freeze into ice cubes.
Is there a guideline for the amount of chicken vs. yield? The range I see in different recipes is very huge. Heston calls for 1.75kg chicken wings for 2L stock, Michael Caines calls for 3kg of carcasses/ wings for 1L of stock, Phil Howards calls for 3kg of carcasses for 4.5-5L of stock.
It is pretty hard to tell whether a stock is enough chicken-y or not enough chicken-y, how do you know whether your stock has reached the level you are looking for? As I have learnt, one of the major aims of making stock is to extract collagen from bones, which later give 'body' to sauces and stew. Is there a concept of over extracting collagen, if so, what's the consequence? e.g. leaving cloying mouthful from reduced sauces.
Other general questions include whether to keep lid on or not (why?) and how long should I simmer the stock for? Some say as short as 45 minutes, and some over a day. (I'm considering conventional method.)
2.Making sauces from Braising Liquid
I prefer creating a sauce from the braising liquid rather then serving it straight out from the oven (more watery sauce with mushy vegetables, which I don't like). But I always find the sauce over powering (before reaching the right consistency).
Say it's braised ox cheek, I create the sauce by reducing the strained liquid (consist of red wine, beef stock, mirepoix, bay leave, garlic) to the right consistency. Does this method create over-powering sauce? Do thickening with roux/ any kind of starch a better idea in creating a sauce that is less over-powering?
I also find that my reduced sauce smell like dried mushroom (why?) or sometimes have a grainy texture / mouthfeel similar to drinking red wine rich in tannin. Does this have anything to do with the type of wine that I use in cooking?
It seems like that I have asked too many questions, but I would appreciate if anyone is willing to help me to settle the questions that I have had in mu mind for a pretty long time.
Thank you in advance!
