My oldest son is home sick today so...

Hookabelly said:

I just put all in together to start. When should I add the vegetables? (I don't cut them small, mostly in thirds)



thanks. I suppose I could try that but we usually make it in a HUGE stock pot. the Crock pot method seems like it would take a long time to get as much stock as I need. Ususlly we do 3 chicken carcasses at a time. I may try this though just to see if it is indeed my shitty electric burner that is the culprit

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bu$hleaguer said:

Well then we figured out your problem right there. You're way over cooking your veggies, they're getting mushy, and clouding the water.

Your veg should be 2 parts onions, 1 part celery, 1 part carrots, about a 7:1 weight ratio of bones to veg. They should be cut in about 1" cubes ( for chix)Your bouquet garni looked fine in your pic. You want to drop the carcass in the pot. Cover with cold water, fill the pot to the top. Bring to a boil, skim, turn it down to below a simmer- I just look to see bubbles rising to the top rapidly. Skim as necessary.

After an hour, add your mirepoix and bouquet, skim, and keep going for another 2 hours.

My timeline is usually
3-5 hours for chix stock, mirepoix @ 1" cube
8-12 hours beef stock veggies whole or cut in 1/2
45 mins fish stock, veg cut in small dice, 1/4"

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Hookabelly said:

so there's no benefit in cooking bird stock more than 3-5 hours? Sometimes I'd let it sit on the burner super low overnight. @bu$hleaguer did you actually write that or cut and paste? LOL I didn't post any pics.


And @Gary Goodson I totally forgot my manners: Glad your son is on the mend. What a sweet dad you are.

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bu$hleaguer said:

Lol yeah I actually wrote it- I mistook you for c2g- she has pics of her stock in the beginning of this thread where she includes her mirepoix and bouquet in it. Sorry

And no, there's no benefit to it. You actually burn out the flavor compounds and make a bland, foggy stock. It may even get blander. The moment your veggies have given their all they should be removed- and they give it all after about 2 hours after cut at 1" size. The only thing you'll get is mushy veg that floats around in their and slowly breaks apart, causing the cloudiness.

Ideally the stock Should be strained and chilled down to fridge temp as fast as possible at around the 5 hour mark.

Edit- it is totally advisable to cool your heavy stocks like beef or veal overnight- beef bones/knuckles take a long time to give out their collagen and the tomato paste you often rub on the bones needs extra time to flavor the stock

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Hookabelly said:

THanks @bu$hleaguer . I'm going to actually cut/paste all your tips and have them at the ready next time I make stock (which will no doubt be next Friday). It's a peeve of mine-like making the perfect loaf of bread. Something that is a staple in the kitchen, and should be easy but takes a certain knack. Cheers.

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Yessica... said:

View attachment 3546175

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Gary Goodson said:

Update: my son is back to normal and is hanging out with his friend. Now I feel sick as a dog and the soup is long gone...



No good deed goes unpunished huh?

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Gary Goodson said:

Update: my son is back to normal and is hanging out with his friend. Now I feel sick as a dog and the soup is long gone...



No good deed goes unpunished huh?

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bu$hleaguer said:

Well then we figured out your problem right there. You're way over cooking your veggies, they're getting mushy, and clouding the water.

Your veg should be 2 parts onions, 1 part celery, 1 part carrots, about a 7:1 weight ratio of bones to veg. They should be cut in about 1" cubes ( for chix)Your bouquet garni looked fine in your pic. You want to drop the carcass in the pot. Cover with cold water, fill the pot to the top. Bring to a boil, skim, turn it down to below a simmer- I just look to see bubbles rising to the top rapidly. Skim as necessary.

After an hour, add your mirepoix and bouquet, skim, and keep going for another 2 hours.

My timeline is usually
3-5 hours for chix stock, mirepoix @ 1" cube
8-12 hours beef stock veggies whole or cut in 1/2
45 mins fish stock, veg cut in small dice, 1/4"

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Metasynth said:

Dude, I'm at work reading RIU to try to AVOID thinking about food. C'mon, man! Help me out here

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Hookabelly said:

why do you want to avoid food temptation? Are you on a diet? (I'm hiding from food for the next 2 months otherwise I'll be a blimp)

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Hookabelly said:

why do you want to avoid food temptation? Are you on a diet? (I'm hiding from food for the next 2 months otherwise I'll be a blimp)

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Metasynth said:

I work in a kitchen as a classically trained chef...sometimes food can be a bit...overbearing.

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Hookabelly said:

right. I remember that part. I just didn't know if chefs ever get sick of food or sick of being tempted to eat it all

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