From Coq au Vin to Goulash: The Delicious Benefits of Brown Beef Stock

Stock is a crucial ingredient in numerous recipes, and there are several types to choose from, including white chicken stock, brown chicken stock, brown beef stock, fish stock, and vegetable stock. The choice of stock depends on the desired outcome, with brown stock generally preferred for darker-colored dishes. However, both brown and white stock can serve the purpose. For instance, when preparing coq au vin, it is ideal to use brown chicken stock to enhance the sauce’s color, but if unavailable, white chicken stock can still be used as a suitable alternative.

While making your own stock may appear laborious, I assure you that the effort is undoubtedly rewarding. Creating your own stock allows you to control its flavor, unlike store-bought alternatives that often contain excessive sodium.

Ingredients:

• 500g veal bone (or any other beef bones available)
• 50g carrot
• 100g white onion
• 50g celery
• 50g leek
• 10g olive oil
• 1L water
• 5g english parsley
• 1pc dried bayleaf
• 6ps peppercorn
• 20g tomato paste

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Roast the bones for up to 1 hour
2. In a pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the vegetables (white onion, carrot, celery, leak) until brown.
3. Add in the tomato paste and cook it out.
4. Add the bones together with the vegetables. Fill the pot with the water.
5. Add in the herbs (dried bayleaf, peppercorn, english parsley)
6. Cook on low heat for 3 hours. Skim the fat and impurities at the top of the stock every so often until the stock is clear.
7. After 3 hours, strain the stock to remove the vegetables and beef bones.

Notes:

• Brown beef stock is highly suitable for creating rich, dark sauces like hunter sauce or various types of gravy.
• The distinction between white stock and brown stock lies in the preparation of the vegetables and bones. To make white stock, simply sweat the vegetables over low heat until they turn soft, and there is no need to roast the bones. After sweating the vegetables, the bones can be directly added to the stock.
• This stock can be stored in the freezer for up to a month.
• I suggest avoiding seasoning the stock. By leaving it unseasoned, you can adjust the seasoning when utilizing the stock in other recipes, allowing it to complement the specific dish at a later stage.

Hope you will also give this recipe a try. For more recipes, please visit my food & recipe page here.