Why clarify stock

I have heard conflicting things with stock clarification. One thing I have heard is that your stock will maintain its same depth of flavor but with clarity. Another source says that you have to start with a really high quality stock or your clarified stock will come out tasting like water. I have noticed that while some clarification methods use just egg whites, others use egg whites, mirepoix, and ground meat.

This leads me to think that in addition to clarification, the method is trying to put something back into the stock that is being lost. My motivation for the question is that I just finished a gallon and a half of stock that came out perfect. While most of the things it will be going into won't need clarification, there are a few dishes that would look nicer with a clarified stock.

If it doesn't affect the flavor, my instinct would be to just put in a couple extra hours and clarify the whole batch before storing it. I'm open to correction, but in my opinion,the main reason for clarifying a stock, assuming gross impurities have been removed, is aesthetic. Not forgetting that the the appearance of food does change the impression of flavor. In my experience, I have never clarified a stock, by whatever method, without a sort of 'thinning' or 'flattening' of the flavor.

Not so much a loss of intensity or aroma that has more to do with the reduction as a loss of 'roundness' I think that is probably due to a loss of fat in suspension.

If I'm clarifying a stock by the egg-white method, I add a mirepoix celery, carrots, leek are obvious candidates but I shred or grate the vegetables rather than dicing them. This means that they can create a sort of fibrous mat with the egg-white when it rises, holding it together in quite a strong raft. The protein coagulates in the hot liquid and rises to the surface, dragging with it any impurities. It then forms a frothy crust on the surface, which can be skimmed off, leaving a lovely clear liquid in the pot.

The problem with this method is that, when you remove the impurities, you take out a lot of the flavour, too.

So, in order to build the flavour back up, you have to add more of the meat you're making the stock out of chicken, veal, pork, quail, etc. I am saving this to use later. You just can't beat homemade stock. Thanks for taking your time in showing this amazing step by step method in making this healthy and yummy stock. This stock will surely help in making my various other recipes tasty. Combination of ingredients are all so perfect.

Homemade stock is the best, and I love to have it on hand. The egg white tip is so interesting. Definitely going to try! The flavor you get from homemade is just so amazing! You'll never buy store bought again. A couple of years ago I started doing rotisserie chicken and this winter, I've started doing two at a time and just pulling the chicken from the carcass for use in soups and stews. Then we use the carcasses to make our own stock! That's even cheaper! This method does indeed work, though what I do is save my eggshells that would normally go out to the compost pile.

When making the stock, along with your celery, carrot and onion scraps throw in the eggshells. Try not to let the stock boil. Simmer, strain and enjoy a clear stock. Your email address will not be published. Ready to start or do more cooking From Scratch? Sign up to get my Starter Pack and to receive new recipes weekly! Jump to Recipe Print Recipe. How to Clarify Stock. How to Reduce Chicken Stock to a Third. How to Make Fish Stock. How to Tenderize Gizzards.

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