Cooking Tips

How to Make Meat Stock

6 August 2020

ingredients

2 teaspoons Salt

1 carrot, peeled

1 onion - skin on - cut in half

1 or 2 sticks celery

1 tomato

1 potato

Fresh parsley stems

A sprig of thyme

1 - 2 bay leaves

2.3 kg of assorted beef, veal and chicken but no more than 1kg of bones and more beef and veal than chicken.  Beef osso bucco , oxtail or chicken or turkey necks and thighs are all good to use.

equipment

A chopping board

Vegetable peeler

Kitchen knife

Stock pot - approximately 5 litres

Heat distributor mat - optional

Large metal spoon for skimming

Large wire strainer

Kitchen towel or muslin

Large ceramic or glass bowl or jug - 3 - 5 litres

Metal tongs

method

Step 1

Put all of the meat products into the pot and add enough water to cover by 5cm.  

Set the lid askew, turn the heat to medium and bring slowly to the boil.

As soon as the liquid starts to boil, slow it down to the gentlest of simmers by lowering the heat.

Placing a heat distributor under the pot will help you regulate a slow heat.

Step 2

Skim off the scum that comes to the surface using a large metal spoon.  There is usually alot at the beginning but this tapers off.  Be careful not to stir any scum back into the liquid.

Add the vegetables and herbs.

Cook for 3 hours, keeping it at a steady simmer.

Step 3

Line a large wire strainer with dampened kitchen paper or muslin.  Place this over a bowl or jug big enough to receive all of the liquid.

Remove the larger pieces of meat and vegetables from the soup pot with the tongs, and set aside. (These can be eaten while warm, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and a sprinkling of finely chopped parsley.

Strain the remaining contents into the bowl through the stainer.

Allow to cool completely uncovered.

Step 4

When cool - place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight until the fat comes to the surface and solidifies.

The fat acts as a good seal over the broth until you are ready to use it.  When the fat is removed it can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge and used to brown meat and vegetables for a stew.

Step 5

If you are using the broth within 3 days after making it, return the bowl to the refrigerator.  If you expect to keep it longer than 3 days, freeze as described above.

source

Recipe by Marcella Hazen, The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.

Adapted by Elizabeth Peddey