How to Make Stock - Game Meat & Wild Birds

Good homemade stock has become the foundation of my kitchen. I developed this technique over many years but especially in last months. My freezer is full of beautiful stock, elk stock, pheasant stock, chicken stock, beef stock.





START COOKING! THE BASIC TECHNIQUE FOR MAKING GOOD HOMEMADE STOCK

• BROWN THE BONES Arrange the bones in a large pan. Place about 6 inches under broiler until they begin to brown.
• ADD AROMATICS Remove from broiler and surround with carrots, celery and onion. Return to broiler until edges of bones begin to blacken.
• SIMMER Remove the bones and vegetables and place in the stock pot. Fill pot about two thirds with cold water and begin on low heat. Do not boil. Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer for at least 3 hours but 8 is better. It helps to control simmer to place stock pot in the oven set at 220 degrees. Keep an eye on it to be sure it does not boil. A low slow bubbling is the right level. Occasionally skim the foam from the top of the mixture.
• STRAIN, COOL & CLARIFY Remove all large pieces and strain through a strainer with large holes. Then strain through cheesecloth. Let cool and refrigerate for several hours or overnight and remove fat from the top. If you want to clarify the stock, return to heat until simmering and dribble in the whites of two eggs. When egg whites have turned opaque white remove by slotted spoon and strain the smaller remnants out of the mixture.
• FREEZE Transfer in small batches to freezer containers. I like to put two cups into quart freezer bags. To use less than two cups, I drop the freezer bag into a bowl of warm water for a few minutes until what I need has melted. I put the rest back into the freezer.

INGREDIENTS for LARGE-ANIMAL STOCK
For elk, venison or other large game animals, if not available use beef or veal bones

Enough bones to fit stock pot about 2/3 full
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon juniper berries scorched in skillet
4 to 6 carrots cut into 2 inch pieces
4 ribs celery cut into 2 inch pieces
2 medium onions coarsely cut
8 whole black peppercorns
5 sprigs parsley (or one handful)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Optional ingredients:
1 cup dry red wine
2 or 3 teaspoons tomato paste or 1/2 cup tomato sauce, in a pinch use a little ketchup!


INGREDIENTS for GAME BIRD STOCK
For quail, pheasant, duck, goose, wild turkey, if not available, domestic fowl, chicken and turkey also can make an excellent stock

Enough bones to fill an 8 quart stock pot 1/3 to 1/2 full
1 medium onion coarsely cut
1 large stalk celery cut into 2 inch pieces
1 large carrot cut into 2 inch piece
1 handful coarsely cut parsley
2 cloves garlic unpeeled and cut into halves
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves or 2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon each of dried marjoram and dried thyme
8 black peppercorns

~ Enjoy, JW