"brooklyn1" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:34:25 -0500, Michael Horowitz
> > wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:29:34 -0800, TammyM > wrote:
>>
>>>Michael Horowitz wrote:
>>>> Last night I made beef stock. Tasted very watery.
>>>> Today I spent several hours reducing same.
>>>> Tastes better but still very weak.
>>>> Reading about, I see that this stock is intended to be the foundation
>>>> for other things; serving as a 'base' with which to build i.e. use it
>>>> to deglaze a pan, then (thus fortified, or with additional flavoring)
>>>> reduce further and thicken.
>>>> Is there a standard taste or feel that cooks use to determine how much
>>>> reduction of the stock is enough or is that something that is a
>>>> variable, corrected during a final reduction?
>>>> Certainly the stronger the stock, the more flavorful the final sauce.
>>>> - Mike
>>>>
>>>Did you roast your beef bones?
>>>
>>>TammyM
>>Yes I did - Mike
>
> Really not necessary to roast the bones unless you want the dark
> color, but roasting bones also alters the flavor of the resultant
> stock, and not in a beefy way. It's difficult to find good beef bones
> for making stock these days, most have practically no meat remaining,
> and if marrow bones they're wasted used for stock... best sawn into
> sections, properly roasted, and the marrow eaten. I find it's much
> easier and a richer flavorful beef stock is produced from inexpensive
> cuts of chuck, can either be browned or brought just to the boil in
> cold water... and the meat is not wasted, very good in sandwiches with
> creamy horseradish sauce, well seasoned force meat is a delicious pate
> or filling for pasta, or baked wrapped in dough with potato/kasha as a
> knish.
>
> Next one needs a proper stock pot, an ordinary large sauce pot (what's
> called dutch ovens these days) just doesn't cut it. A proper stock
> pot is nearly twice as tall as it's wide, so that liquid circulates
> through all the ingredients at low temperatures and the smaller
> surface area slows evaporation... stock should never be boiled. Also
> a good stock can't be made with just bones/meat, a rich flavorful
> stock requires generous quantities of herbs, spices, and veggies. I
> don't use anything for stock that's not fit to eat, no saved up
> compost. I use fresh veggies, all removed, eaten, and replaced with
> new while cooking... that's how a rich stock with depth of flavor is
> produced... garbage in, garbage out, just that simple.
>
>
I agree with all, Sheldon. However. I routinely roast the bones, along with
an onion. Beef remains are hard to find these days. However veal remains are
generally available free. This, added to the stock adds to its richness.
Also for 2 quarts of stock I add about 1 TB of tomato paste. Sounds strange,
but it adds to the richness as well. You don't taste this when you're
finished. Just don't add too much.

Kent