Question on Making Broth (or Stock)

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DaveM

Assistant Cook
Joined
Nov 6, 2015
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6
Location
Phila
Hi Everyone,

Ok, admittedly I'm a noob to cooking so please pardon any glaring errors. :unsure:

I've started with the simple stuff like making soups and such, and am looking to start experimenting with broth, or stock (not sure which term is applicable).

Here is the skinny. Best I can tell whenever you make soup, and chill it, the soup will get a little gelatinous. I'm looking to make the broth and keep it in a more liquid form. By way of example something similar to the liquid broth made by Pacific Foods.

So is it something as simple as adding more water, or am I missing something? If anyone has a recipe, or suggestion, I'm all ears.
:chef:

Thanks,
Dave
 
Hi Everyone,

Ok, admittedly I'm a noob to cooking so please pardon any glaring errors. :unsure:

I've started with the simple stuff like making soups and such, and am looking to start experimenting with broth, or stock (not sure which term is applicable).

Here is the skinny. Best I can tell whenever you make soup, and chill it, the soup will get a little gelatinous. I'm looking to make the broth and keep it in a more liquid form. By way of example something similar to the liquid broth made by Pacific Foods.

So is it something as simple as adding more water, or am I missing something? If anyone has a recipe, or suggestion, I'm all ears.
:chef:

Thanks,
Dave

A lot depends on the meat/protein that you use. More bone and cartilage will result in more gelatin formation. When I make chicken stock I almost always use a lot of wing tips, and my stock sets up like Jello. I don't have any problem with that, as that gelatin is almost pure protein - quite nutritious. It liquefies immediately when heat is applied, so it's fine for anything I use it for. The last time I made a rib roast I made the au jus ahead of time using an oxtail and some beef shanks. It came out rather gelatinous, but still worked fine when reheated and served with the roast.

Is there a particular reason why you don't want the gelatin?
 
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My stock is always gelatinous in the fridge as well, but as RB pointed out, liquifies when heated. I agree, any time you use bones, you'll get gelatin.
 
Gelatin screams to me FLAVOR! It also tells me Protein! Lots of nutrition. I am always very happy to see gelatinous matter on top of my soup, broth, stock. Why don't you want gelatin? I was really surprised to read your post. Who doesn't want flavor in their stock? :angel:
 
My stock is always gelatinous in the fridge as well, but as RB pointed out, liquifies when heated. I agree, any time you use bones, you'll get gelatin.

Isn't that the difference between stock and broth? Stock uses mostly bones while broth uses more meat.

When I make stock I reduce a couple gallons to fit into a couple ice cube or muffin trays then freeze and scrape off the floating fat. At that point it's more a glace', but tossing it in a hot liquid brings it back to stock.
 
Interesting points and a clarification :)

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for the prompt feedback and quick response. And yes, like I said I'm the idiot here. :wacko: Please allow me to elaborate a little more.

I got ahead of myself in my initial post and failed to mention that I am focusing on using just vegetables. You know- typical stuff-- carrots, onions, peas, celery, etc. Phrased differently, not using any sort of bones.

So am correct in assuming that not using bones will keep the "broth" pure liquid.

Love to hear your thoughts.

-Dave
 
So you want to make vegetable broth. Yes, it will be pure liquid. Roasting or browning the vegetables first will give the broth more flavor. I would use onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, with parsley stems, thyme sprigs, a bay leaf and a tsp or so of black peppercorns.

Here's a veggie stock I made with my Instant Pot with the pressure cooker function. It was delicious :yum:
 

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When making a basic stock, you only get gelatin if you include bones. Cooking just meat or veggies will give you a liquid broth.
 
Welcome to Discuss Cooking Dave, we're glad you came. You already know a lot more than you think, but we're all happy to help anyone wanting to learn more. This is a place of learning for all of us, even for the people who think they already know everything. :LOL:
We have lot's of fun here and a good place to get your feet wet is on the nightly dinner thread. Again, welcome.
 
Hey Everyone!

Thanks so much for the guidance, help support, and continuing warm welcome (@Kayelle). Definitely 'preciate it!

Special hat tip to GotGarlic for sharing the broth recipe. You RAWK!

Best,
Dave
 
When making a basic stock, you only get gelatin if you include bones. Cooking just meat or veggies will give you a liquid broth.

Close, but... The gelatin is the result of melting the collagen, a cousin to protien. It is found in the connetive tissue between muscles. A roast with multiple muscles, like a beef shoulder, or chuck, will give you collagen, as will the connective tissue on short ribs. The bone marrow is also a good source of collagen, and is part of why you should break the bones in poultry when making a poultry broth, to extract and dissolve the marrow, and collagen. Also, any meat gristle, or cartilage is collagen based and will, after dissolving in boiling liquid, turn to gelatin. This is true of any meat, be it the Boston Butt from a pig, or the wing-tips of a chicken. Where there is marrow, ca cartilage, or marrow, you will dissolve the collagen in the simmering process.

Oh, and the gelatin is flavorless on its own. Think unflavored gelatin that you can purchase at the store. it has no flavor. However, the gelatin that is created by making a stock, or broth, will carry the flavor of the herbs, spices, and natural flavorings that are carried in the water. This is why the gelatinized broth from chicken tastes like chicken, and the geletinized broth from pork tastes like pork, and from beef, tastes like beaf, etc.

Veggies have no collagen and so don't make gelatin. When you eat Jello, you are eating unflavored gelatin, obtained by dissolving collagen and removing all other flavors from it, then adding flavoring and sugar. So, vegans can't be vegan if they eat Jello. But they can be if they use Agar Agar to make the gelatin, as it is a plant based gelatin that is similar to that obtained from animal collagen.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
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