Broths

Before setting out to make consommé, you must first make a good clear broth. Broths are divided into two types: white and brown. A white broth is made with raw or lightly blanched meats and/or bones, while a brown broth is made by first browning the meat and/or bones and vegetables in the oven or on the stove. So-called white broth—or stock—is used for creamed soups and sauces in which it’s important that the color remain very pale or green. Because brown broth has a more pronounced flavor and I like its golden color, I prefer it for making sauces, most soups, and certainly consommé (although traditional recipes use white broth). While brown broth requires an extra step, the browning, the actual cooking time is no greater because the cooking will have begun during the browning. When making a small amount of broth, it’s easiest to brown the meat or bones on top of the stove; for larger amounts, use the oven. Brown broth has another advantage: If the browned meat or bones are moistened with cold water and simmered— not boiled—the broth will remain clear. White broth is trickier because raw bones and meat release proteins into the surrounding liquid, causing it to turn cloudy. To avoid this, the bones must first be blanched.