Rich Veal Broth Recipes

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.

VEAL BROTH

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a kettle and cook three to six hours or until the liquid is reduced to about three cups.
• Line a sieve with cheesecloth and strain the stock. Carefully skim or pour off all trace of fat. Cook the clear broth until reduced to two cups.

DEMI-GLACE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place veal bones in a roasting pan.
• Roast bones in the preheated oven until well-browned, about 75 minutes.
• While bones are roasting, drizzle oil onto a baking sheet. Spread onion, carrots, and celery onto baking sheet; spread tomato paste over the vegetables and mix to coat.
• Roast vegetable mixture in the preheated oven until vegetables are well-browned, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer vegetable mixture and bones to a large stockpot. Pour 10 quarts water into stockpot.
• Pour 2 cups water into the bones roasting pan, set the pan over high heat, and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour liquid into the stockpot with the bones.
• Bring bones, vegetables, and water in the stockpot to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently, skimming foam as necessary, until meat and all connective tissue is completely off the bones, about 18 hours.
• Set a colander over a bowl and ladle vegetables, bones, and meat into colander. Discard vegetables, bones, and meat; return any broth to the stockpot.
• Bring broth to a boil; cook at a boil until liquid reduces to approximately 1 gallon in volume, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large container set in an ice bath; chill to room temperature. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until demi-glace is cold and set, 8 hours to overnight.
• Scrape and discard any fat from the surface of set demi-glace. Turn demi-glace out onto a work surface. Cut into 16 blocks, wrap each block in plastic wrap, and place wrapped blocks in a resealable plastic bag. Store in the freezer.