Stock? spices or no

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If I make stock, I only add salt.

Charlie, I don't add salt when making salt. After removing the solids, I reduce the volume some to concentrate the flavor and that could cause the salt content to be too high. I know stock needs salt and I just season the dish I'm using it in.
 
Charlie, I don't add salt when making salt. After removing the solids, I reduce the volume some to concentrate the flavor and that could cause the salt content to be too high. I know stock needs salt and I just season the dish I'm using it in.



I know that’s probably better way to do it, but I am such a salt freak. I eat way too much of it. There is always Not enough salt for me.
 
I’ve turned over to roasting over boiling. Say I roast a chicken we don’t often use sauces but we go to town on the herbs. Just coat the whole bird and add a bit of extra water if your aim is broth. I add a smashed/chopped bulb of garlic as well and an onion sliced up packed around. Sometimes even a jalapeño.

I often cook from frozen so a decent amount comes out thick and rich not too watery. Pull the chicken to rest like a nice roast should.

Then to take it from stock to soup I add in the veg is I want and roast them up this can suck up some of the broth and flavour. Then sometimes I’ll add a can of chopped herbed&spiced tomatoes. Plenty of liquid in there and packed with flavour. Stir all that in and a chicken breast or so of meat. This often balances out ok but I should mention my soups are hearty and sometimes I run out of broth lol. If after all that and I’m a bit low on liquid I will top up with a bit of Campbell’s (or equivalent) boxed chicken broth. I don’t use cubes or powder I find many of them salty. I also don’t cook with or add salt.

Ps if your broth needs just that little something add some of your favourite bbq sauce to your broth.
 
I got side tracked. But yes to spices and herbs why not? There’s little to no downside. Healthy and more flavour layers. Variable depending on what spices you use in what amounts.
 
Why does stock need salt? Out of the million spices and herbs how is salt mandatory?
 
Sort of a Poll really...

When Y'all make Stock (any kind) for soups and such...

Do you just make it Plain with just bones and water? so it comes out like the store bought canned stuff?

Or do you add lots of veggies and spices to flavor the stock while it is cooking.

I've been playing around with the Idea of just making a very thick un-flavored stock to freeze in smaller quanties, and then be able to use that to make soups that I flavor later to my desire...

Thanks, Eric.

Good thing about this season is time. Try both then try different mixtures. When you taste your favourite you won’t care in the slightest what anyone else thinks. Since you’re asking here know I’d say you still haven’t found your soupy spoonful of heaven.

Also beef, chicken, potato, tomato, squash, mushroom, etc. Each of these soups will have a different answer and approach. So depends on your mood and your ingredients.
 
I only make vegetable stocks, but if im making it to store for future use, Ill usually make it relatively basic so it can be used for whatever i want, whenever I want.
I feel that if i customize it too much with certain herbs and spices, then it may limit what i can use it for later on. I want something that is more universal, so I can use it as a basic building block.

That being said, if Im making it for something specific, then Ill spice it up accordingly to the flavor I want to achieve.

If I do customize with a certain flavor profile, I will label it as such, so when i grab it from the freezer I dont use it for the wrong recipe.

A few examples of this is especially in the summer, when I have an over abundance of herbs and certain veggies. Sometimes I just got to get rid of what I got before it gets over ripe or rots. So , ill make a soup or stew base that may be very specific to what is in season at that time.

Also, when im up to my neck in tomatoes, Ill make several tomato bases. One may be basic tomato puree that can be used for anything, one may be heavy on the basil/ oregano that i have available in the garden, and Ill also make one with ginger, garlic and other herbs and spices that i use as a base for making Indian food. Sometimes one with tomatoes, onions and peppers for a future chili base.

But in general, I try to keep everything basic and build from there as I make whatever i am making. And I'll Clearly label the rest.

Basil, oregano and garlic! Mixed with tomatoes sounds like how tomatoes were meant to be. There are slim to none tomato bases that wouldn’t be just fine with that base
 
I usually don't add herbs, spices, or salt unless I'm making it for one specific dish.

Probably make more pork stock than anything else. Like it for beans, greens, grits, etc. Might use any combinations of below, either smoked or fresh:
  • Ham bone
  • Ham hock
  • Neck bones
  • Pig tail
  • Bone-in loin (pork chop) bones
  • Split pig feet
 
I haven't seen the suggestion of adding some lemon wedges to chicken stock except from me. It adds a wonderful brightness that suits any application.
I usually end up adding either citrus juice or some type of vinegar to a recipe when I use my stock. Plus, you have free Meyer lemons, don't you? ;)
 
Bottom line is that you can put most seasonings in the stock you make but the simpler you keep it, the more versatile it will be.
 
Bottom line is that you can put most seasonings in the stock you make but the simpler you keep it, the more versatile it will be.
Another vote for this approach, as you can always add the spices, or salt, when you use them in different types of foods. You definitely don't want a lot of salt in a stock when using it in an oriental dish, since this way you can add more soy or fish sauce, if you want to.
 
First, let me put forth my understanding of the terms, stock, and broth. These sites -
https://www.foodandwine.com/soup/the-difference-between-stock-and-broth

https://www.campbells.com/swanson/whats-fresh/broth-vs-stock/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/stock-vs-broth#section7


In my opinion, the last site listed explains the differences between stocks, and broths. It was my understandin that stocks are the beginning building block of soups, stews, chowders, gravies, and sHO, starts with a stock make from chicken wing-tips, chicken skins, cartillage, chicken feet, and meat from the carcass of a roasted chicken. Add some onion, and a bit of thyme, salt, and sage, and cook for several hours. tehn strain, add aromatic veggies, and finaly, chicken meat, and either dumplings, or noodles.

Pork soups are made richer by boiling up tripe with the pork bones, adding a hock, or bunch of marrow bones, etc.

Classic beef sauces such as Bordelaise Sauce, and Demi Glace start as stocks.

I think of stocks as the basic building foundation from which sauces and gravies are made, though soups can be made richer, and more luxurious with the rich mouthfeel of stocks. Broths are better for soups, and for sipping.

I akeep stocks very basic, while broths have more flavors added.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Bottom line is that you can put most seasonings in the stock you make but the simpler you keep it, the more versatile it will be.

I agree, unless you have a specific recipe in mind that would benefit from extra flavors , but I like the versatility of something basic.

I tend too make large amounts of stock at once with no idea how it will be used. Probably for soups and stews. As a result, more generic seasonings are more the rule for me.

If you are making a batch of stock for one specific use, then specifically seasoning the stock makes more sense.


One caveat-if you reduce the cooked stock to concentrate the flavors, you run run the risk of concentrating the added flavors and ruining the stock.
 
I do not have the time to go through all this but I say stock is supposed to be stock, it is like predefined.

The whatever goes in the oven and roasts, you may salt if desired.

After it gets some brown on it, the water goes in, as do carrots, celery and a bay leaf, or two for a big batch. Of course onion and garlic. It is all strained out.

Once it is ordained stock, then it comes out.

T
 
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