Quality of Ingredients

Appears in
The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine

By French Culinary Institute

Published 2021

  • About
Bones and carcasses should be fresh and meaty; while the bones are the basis for the body of the stock, it is the meat that imparts the flavor required. The bones, particularly those from the joints with cartilage, add the gelatin that creates richness and density and lends a silken texture to the finished stock. The amount of bone should be greater than the meat. The vegetables and aromatics should be fresh and of the highest quality although for economy’s sake, vegetable trimmings can also be used to add complexity to a finished stock. When making a white stock, the bones should be quickly blanched to remove excess blood that would result in a muddy color. Bones and vegetables should be cut to the size appropriate for the length of cooking—larger pieces for long-term cooking and smaller pieces for short-term cooking.