A Classification Of Stocks In Cooking For The 5 Mother Sauces

Exploring the classification of stocks in cooking is essential to the foundation of many cuisines. Stocks can add structure and complexity to a wide range of dishes.

No matter if you’re making a classic mother sauce or a hearty beef stew. The right stock can bring a dish to life and make all the difference in creating a truly delicious and satisfying meal.

We’re going to explore the classification of stocks in cooking. With a particular focus on the role of stocks in creating the perfect mother sauce.

We’ll start by providing an overview of what stocks are and why they’re important. Then jump headfirst into the classification of stocks into categories like white, brown, beef, chicken, fish, and vegetable.

We’ll also explore the characteristics and uses of each type of stock, and provide guidance on how to pair the right stock with each mother sauce.

By the end of this post, you’ll have a deeper understanding of the classification of stocks in cooking. You’ll be equipped with the knowledge to take your culinary adventures to the next level.

My wife is from South Korea. One evening, she returned home from having dinner with friends, feeling embarrassed.

Her friend had used Oxo stock cubes to make a sauce, and my wife had never seen them before… Curious, she asked her friends what they were. My wife’s friend was in disbelief that she had never seen or used Oxo cubes before.

The thing is I would prefer making my own stocks rather than relying on store-bought options like stock cubes or powders. While convenience is certainly a factor, this can be a blessing and a curse, when it comes to cooking.

Understanding The Fundamentals And Classification Of Stocks In Cooking

Stocks are a fundamental ingredient in many types of recipes and dishes. Particularly in the creation of soups, stews, casseroles, and of course sauces.

They are a flavorful liquid that is made by simmering bones, vegetables, aromatics, and herbs in water for an extended period of time. Which extracts the rich flavors from the ingredients.

Once the liquid is strained, it can be used as a base for a wide range of dishes. And is particularly useful for adding layers of flavor to soups and sauces.

Classification of stocks in cooking, there are many different types of stocks. Each with its own unique flavors, characteristics, and applications.

Beef and veal bones are commonly used to make rich, hearty brown stocks that are often used in stews, casseroles, and sauce Espagnole.

While chicken bones (frames) can be used to create a lighter, more delicate stock that is ideal for soups, risotto dishes, and sauce Velouté.

Also, fish bones (frames) are used to make light clear fish stock that is perfect for seafood chowders, Paella, and sauce Velouté.

Vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions, (Mirepoix) and even vegetable offcuts. These can also be added to stocks to provide additional flavor.

In addition to bones and vegetables, stocks often include aromatic herbs like thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, sage, garlic, and peppercorns. These help to add herbaceous flavors to stocks.

Stocks also could include red or white wine. Also, other ingredients like Star Anise, ginger, and pig trotters (add texture to brown beef stock when reduced).

The use of stocks in cooking can be traced back centuries and is particularly associated with French peasant food. Where it was a way to make a wide range of cheap meals.

The Magic Of Stocks How You Can Add Depth And Richness To Your Dishes

Simmering a pot of homemade stock is one of the most rewarding culinary endeavors. Sadly it is a dying art with all the new age stock and jus lie powders available today.

Making homemade stock is an easy way to extract the full flavor from bones, vegetables, and herbs. It is also an excellent way to use up any meat or vegetable offcuts and herb stalks.

Classification of stocks in cooking, there are several different types of stocks I use in cooking. Each with its own unique flavor profile and recommended uses. The common stocks I regularly make are beef, chicken, fish, vegetable, and mushroom.

Brown Beef Stock

Roasting the beef bone and vegetables will add an intense caramelized flavor and a beautifully rich color to your stock. This will help to incorporate all those wonderful flavors into the dish or sauce you’re going to make.

Add all the ingredients to a large pot including the cold water. Once the beef stock starts to boil add the 2 pig trotters (this is optional) and turn down the heat to a simmer.

Start skimming off any fat or sediment this will help keep the stock clean. Skim every 30 minutes or so.

The beef stock needs to be simmered for at least 8 hours, 10 or 12 hours is preferable. You want to extract as much flavor as possible.

When you’ve simmered your stock for 10 hours. Carefully strain it through a fine sieve or muslin cloth.

Be mindful and try not to agitate the bones too much, you don’t want the stock to become cloudy. Discard the bones and vegetables. You’re starting to understand the classification of stocks in cooking.

Using brown beef stock is one of the fundamental ingredients to making sauce Espagnole. Along with a brown roux, you’ll be making an amazing sauce.

An alternative method to thicken beef stock when clarified and reduced. Add 1 or 2 pig trotters when the stock starts to simmer and leave them in there for the entire simmering time. This will release its collagen and gelatin. This approach eliminates the need to make a brown roux when creating demi glaze.

Chicken Stock

One of the best ways to make chicken stock is to use the whole chicken. This will give you a flavorful stock, and you can have the chicken for your next meal.

Add all the ingredients to a large pot including the cold water. Once the chicken stock starts to boil, turn down the heat to a simmer. Cook for 4-6 hours preferred would be 6 hours.

Frequently skim the surface of the stock as it cooks. This removes any impurities and fat that rise to the top. Which could cloud the stock or give it a greasy texture.

When it is finished (about 4 hours later) strain it through a fine sieve and discard the bones and vegetables.

Using white chicken stock is one of the fundamental ingredients to making sauce Velouté. Along with a blonde roux, you’ll be making an amazing sauce. You’re now well on the way to understanding the classification of stocks in cooking.

Fish Stock

• Try not to use fish heads, the eyes will devolve and make the stock cloudy.

Add all the ingredients to a large pot including the cold water. Once the fish stock starts to boil, turn down the heat to a medium simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.

Fish stock only needs 20 minutes of cooking time to extract that all-important flavor. There are two reasons why.

• Firstly, extracting the flavor from the fish frames or crustacean shells is an easy process as their flavor is strong and pungent.

• Second, cooking the stock any longer the delicate fish frames will start to disintegrate and make the stock cloudy.

Vegetable Stock

Knowing how to make homemade vegetable stock is easy. This can be a handy skill to have as it can be whipped up in minutes.

Add all the ingredients to a large pot including the cold water. Once the vegetable stock starts to boil, turn down the heat to a medium simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.

Saving all your vegetable offcut, brown onion skins, and herb stalks. Then extract all the flavor out of them by making vegetable stock.

Vegetable stock can be used to make gravies with pan dripping and juices. All you need to do is make a white roux and whisk in the vegetable stock.

Then season to taste and simmer for a couple of minutes. Then you’ve got a flavorful gravy for the amazing roast you’ve cooked. You’re on the way to knowing the classification of stocks in cooking.

Mushroom Stock

The easiest way to make mushroom stock is to use dried mushrooms. Place them into a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over them until they’re covered.

Let them stand for 10-15 minutes. Remove the rehydrated mushrooms. Now you’ve got an intensely flavored mushroom stock.

If you don’t have any dried mushrooms. Place mushroom peelings and stalks into a large pot or saucepan. With what you have on hand, ingredients like white wine, reduced by half, garlic cloves, fresh herbs, or peppercorns.

Pour over boiling water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve.

• Mushroom stock is excellent for making vegan gravy. To make the roux remove the butter and replace it with olive oil, rice bran oil, or margarine.

Then whisk in the mushroom stock. If you’re using dried rehydrated mushrooms, thinly slice them and add them to the gravy.

Importance Of Choosing The Right Stock

Classification of stocks in cooking, and choosing the appropriate stock to complement dishes or mother sauces. This will lay the foundation for achieving the desired taste and texture. So, it’s important to get the stock right, then everything else will fall into place.

For instance, Espagnole (brown sauce) typically uses brown beef or veal stock to enhance its intensity and complexity.

On the other hand, sauce voluté traditionally calls for white chicken or fish stock. This provides a more subtle, delicate flavor without adding too much color.

Also, incorporating vegetable stock into a classic tomato sauce can add another layer of flavor. This is also a great way of thinning out the tomato sauce if it has reduced too much. Remember using a flavored liquid like a stock is way better than using just water.

The quality of the stock you’re using is important. The stock should be free of fat, impurities, or sediment. This will have a direct influence on the finished product.

By thoughtfully selecting the appropriate stock and controlling the quality. Then you can craft a professional mother sauce that is both flavorful and has the perfect texture.

• For Beef Stock — Start with roasted beef bones and mirepoix (a mix of chopped onions, carrots, and celery). Also add fresh herbs, peppercorns, and garlic cloves.
  • This will give you a rich, deeply savory stock that’s perfect for hearty stews and sauces like Espagnole.
• If You Prefer Chicken Stock — You can use roasted or uncooked chicken frames (bones). Roasting the frames will give your stock a light, golden color.
• Using uncooked chicken frames will result in a clear stock that’s great for delicate soups and sauces like Velouté.
• When It Comes To Fish Stock — It’s important to use uncooked fish frames and remove the heads.
  • Otherwise, the eyes will dissolve into the stock and make it cloudy. With its delicate, seafood flavor, fish stock is perfect for seafood chowders and paella.
• Finally, If You Want To Make Vegetable Stock — You can use vegetable offcuts and brown onion skins to add flavor and color.
  • However, be careful not to use potato, pumpkin, or sweet potato peelings. They can disintegrate and make the stock cloudy and gritty.
  • Instead, stick to sturdy vegetables like carrots, celery, leeks, onions, broccoli, and cauliflower stalks. The classification of stocks in cooking is a handy skill to have as a home cook.