Brown Game Stock Recipes

BROWN BEEF STOCK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Arrange bones and short ribs in a single layer in a large, heavy roasting pan. Drizzle with oil and turn to coat. Roast, turning once and stirring often for even browning, until beginning to brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, add tomato paste, and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for about 30 seconds (to let it brown a little, which cooks out some of the acidity and intensifies the sweetness), then add vegetables, stirring well. Return to oven and roast until vegetables are browned and tender and bones are deeply browned, about 40 minutes.
• Transfer bones and vegetables to a large stockpot, then spoon off fat from roasting pan and discard. Set the pan over two burners. Add water and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Pour contents of pan into the stockpot.
• Add enough water to stockpot to cover bones and vegetables by 2 inches (about 6 quarts). Bring to just under a boil, then reduce heat to a bare simmer (bubbles should just gently break at the surface). Add herbs and peppercorns and very gently simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 8 hours, adding more water as necessary to keep everything submerged.
• Carefully pour stock through a cheesecloth-lined sieve (do not press on solids) into a large heatproof bowl or another stockpot; discard solids. Stock will be dark brown. Skim off fat if using immediately or let cool completely (in an ice water bath, if desired) before transferring to airtight containers. Refrigerate at least 8 hours to allow the fat to accumulate at the top; lift off and discard fat before using or storing.

BASIC BROWN STOCK

Steps:

• Roast the bones in a 400 degree F oven for about 2 hours, watch so they don't burn, just want them toasty brown not blackened.
• Put bones in soup pot.
• Add 1 quart of water for each pound of bones.
• For 5 pounds add 1 bunch of carrots, 1 head celery, and 3 yellow onions.
• Bring the stock to a heavy simmer, uncovered, and cook for 12 hours.
• Add water if needed.
• DO NOT ADD SALT!
• Strain the stock and store in fridge.
• A layer of fat will form on top.
• Leave this in place to help seal the stock from air until ready to use.
• This stock will be gelatinous.
• If not using all in several days, I place some in vaccum bags and seal for freezing.

CHICKEN, VEAL, OR BEEF WHITE STOCK RECIPE

Steps:

• Rinse the bones in cold water.
• Transfer the bones to a heavy-bottomed stockpot.
• Add enough cold water to the pot to completely cover the bones. Estimate a quart of water for each pound of bones.
• Bring the pot to a boil.
• Drain and rinse bones.
• Return the blanched bones to the pot and again cover with fresh, cold water.
• Bring the pot to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a simmer .
• Skim off the scum that rises to the surface.
• Prepare the sachet , tying the ingredients (thyme, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, clove) inside a piece of cheesecloth with twine, leaving a long tail of twine.
• Chop the carrots, celery, and onion .
• Add the chopped carrots, celery, and onion to the pot along with your sachet; tie the sachet string to the stockpot handle for easy retrieval later.
• Continue to simmer the stock and skim the impurities that rise to the surface. The liquid will evaporate, so make sure there's always enough water to cover the bones.
• After 4 to 6 hours, remove the pot from the heat.
• Strain the stock through a sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth. Cool the stock quickly, using an ice bath if necessary.

BROWN CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Arrange the chicken bones on a baking sheet. Roast for about 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until well browned.
• Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and carrots; cook and stir until browned. If they scorch, just add a bit of water and scrape up all the bits.
• Add the roasted chicken bones to the pot, and fill with enough water to cover the bones by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, and add the garlic, thyme, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 2 hours. Add more water if needed.
• Strain out all of the solids from the broth, drain off the fat, and refrigerate. You can also remove the fat after it has chilled. The stock will be thick. Use full strength for soups and gravies, or dilute with water for a milder flavor. I like to use freezer bags for longer storage.

VEAL STOCK

Steps:

• A stock is something I make first thing when I have a day of cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Arrange the veal bones and scraps in a single layer on 2 or 3 baking sheets lined with foil. Put the trays in the oven and cook until the bones brown, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat a large skillet and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When it begins to smoke lightly, add the 2 skin-on onion halves, cut side down. We want them to turn black. Combine the remaining sliced onion, carrots and celery. When the flesh part of the onion halves turn black, remove them from the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and stir in the vegetables. Season with salt and cook, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• When the bones are roasted and browned, drain off any excess grease and add to a large pot. Cover with cold water, (warm water makes a cloudy stock) and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and use a ladle to skim any foam or impurities from the top. Add the vegetables, the cheesecloth containing the thyme, bay leaves and black peppercorns and the black onion halves (which will add flavor and enrich the color). Stir in a pinch of salt, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 6 to 8 hours.
• Shut the off the heat and allow the stock to rest. Taste it! If it tastes watery or has an undeveloped flavor, cook it longer! I have made stock that has taken 12 to 16 hours to come to fruition.
• Strain the stock and return it to the pot. Gently simmer the stock over low to medium heat to reduce and intensify the flavors. Use a ladle to skim any impurities as the stock reduces. Cool and use immediately or freeze for later use.

BROWN VEAL OR BEEF STOCK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Roast the bones for 30 minutes or until well browned, add the onions, celery and carrots and roast for 30 minutes longer. Transfer bones and vegetables to a 1012 quart tall stockpot. Discard fat from roasting pan and deglaze with 2 cups of the water. Add this to the stock pot with remaining water, bouquet garni and tomato. Bring the liquid slowly to a boil, skimming often. Simmer for 4 5 hours, skimming occasionally and replenishing the water to keep the level of water somewhat constant.
• Strain and discard solids; let stock come to room temperature and chill. When chilled, discard surface fat. Bring back to a simmer and adjust for seasoning. If too weak for your taste, reduce, the season with salt.
• If you want to concentrate it, keep on reducing and transferring to a smaller pot until you have the consistency you want.

BROWN GAME STOCK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse and pat bones dry. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes, or until they begin to brown.
• Add carrots, celery, onion, and tomato paste and continue roasting, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more, or until brown and caramelized.
• Transfer bones and vegetables to a stockpot. Skim off and discard fat from pan; add 1 cup water. Cook over medium heat, scraping up brown bits. Transfer to stockpot. Add remaining water and ingredients.
• Bring stock to a boil and simmer over very low heat for about 5 hours, skimming often to remove any foam.
• Remove pot from heat and let cool slightly. Strain stock carefully through a cheesecloth-lined sieve. Cool completely. Stock can be frozen until needed.

VENISON BROTH

Steps:

• Coat the bones with olive oil and salt well, then roast in a 400°F oven until brown. If you can stand it, keep some meat on the bones - trim and shanks are ideal for this. It will make a better broth. Put the bones in a large stockpot. I saw the bones into large pieces with a hacksaw; this lets me fit more bones into the pot, again, making a richer broth. Cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
• Skim the froth that forms on the surface and simmer very gently for at least 4 hours; I let it go overnight. You want the broth to steam and burble a little, not roil.
• Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for another 2 hours.
• Using tongs, grab out all the bones and large bits and discard. Set a paper towel in a fine-mesh sieve that is itself set over another large pot. Ladle the venison broth through the cheesecloth-lined sieve. Discard the dregs in the broth pot, with will be loaded with sediment and other bits.
• Add salt to taste to the clarified broth and pour into quart jars and freeze (or pressure-can - you cannot can broth in boiling water). If you freeze, leave about 2 inches of space at the top of the jar or the jars will crack when the broth freezes. Use within a year.