Protein Stocks

Next month I'm thinking of stocking up on bones & cheap parts of beef, pork & chicken to make a batch of stock for each so I have it in hand all the time for braising, stewing, jus and things like that.

How long do stocks usually last in the fridge/freezer and what is the best way to store them?

How do you guys make your stocks? Roasted, pressure cooked, sous-vide, stove-top?

Cheers

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Afonso_Tito_de_Morais_164825

And while I'm at it, why is it that most stock recipes, if not all, like Chefsteps' SVS Beef Stock require cuts like beef feet, or pig's feet or chicken feet, which have tons of gelatin in them? Does it help with the separation and flowing of impurities to the top of the pot? Is it for richer mouthfeel? Or just plain flavor and cost efficiency?

Todd_Shewman_38102

Chicken, I like haviung white and brown (roasted) on hand. Beef and pork - roasted. Veal - white and brown (roasted). Shell fish (roasted) though I use mussel stock/jus probably more than any other fish stock. For red mates chicken and veggie I refer using the pressure cooker. 90-150min depending on stock, bone sizes (sometimes I can't getthem as small as I would like). Plastic containers do work well, but I prefer vacuum sealed and if I only need a little, it's easy to slice off a piece frozen and reseal (new bag)-some prefer ice cube trays. They keep frozen for months (if only mine lasted that long).

Afonso_Tito_de_Morais_164825

I'm probably going on a stock making rampage as it's something I don't really make too often and use that to explore jus, glazes, wine & pan sauces and stuff like that. What's the difference between white and brown chicken/veal stock?

Afonso_Tito_de_Morais_164825

And btw, the Pig's Cheek turned out pretty damn amazing. Made a quick little stock with caramelized onions & carrots to cook it in, seared it and stewed it for 2H, reduced the stock, added some butter & made a syrupy glaze to coat the cheeks before serving. That and some Chefsteps' Pomme Purée (a week's supply of butter, but totally worth it) and it made for some great dinner.

Todd_Shewman_38102

Gelatin is for consistency, and flavor (2nd for flavor-add ground/chopped meat for more flavor). Without gelatin, stock is very runny (soupy).

Todd_Shewman_38102

White stock-blanched (not roasted), brown stock - bones are roasted (coated with a small amount of oil or tomato paste depending on preference).

Brandon_Byrd_40557

Roast, then pressure cook, then simmer with aromatic vegetables for 30-45 minutes. Strain, cool, defat. Then put it in vacuum bags and stack them in the freezer. You can use Ziplock freezer bags (with the double seal) too. So long as you've defatted the stock and gotten most of the air out of the bag, it'll keep pretty much forever in there.

Whenever I'm at the store, I keep an eye out for meat that's been marked down (a "sell by today special") and then buy everything I can. If I can't make a stock that day, I'll just throw whatever meat I've purchased into the freezer until I have the time and energy. I always make way more than I'll need so I always have some on hand.I usually keep my eye out for short ribs and oxtail (which are prime stock-making cuts) which I can get for as little as $2.50/lb. Spare ribs are even cheaper, and I can often get naked bones for under a dollar. Also, keep an eye out for specials on ground meat, which can be super cheap. Adding browned ground meat to a stock really ups the flavor. The flavor in stock comes from meat, not bones (which provide body). That goes for beef, chicken, and pork stock. I like to use neck bones and spare ribs for pork stock. I'd throw in a trotter if they were easy to find here.

The exception to this rule is poultry, which is more likely to have gone bad by the "sell by" date. In that case, I just wait until wings go on promotion and buy a ton of them.

mofihek132_1721789

uno online Stocks typically last 3-4 days in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer, and I prefer roasting the bones and making mine in a pressure cooker for deep flavor and efficiency, storing them in labeled freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays for convenience.